Disappointed!

Rating: 3/10 (23 November 2001)

I saw "Harry Potter" on Thanksgiving Day. My family and dinner guests were really looking forward to seeing this movie. I'd bought tickets as soon as they'd gone on sale to make sure that we'd be able to get seats on this very special American holiday.
Unfortunately, or not, none of us had read any of the "Harry Potter" books and didn't know exactly what to expect. We just assumed that the movie would be a delightful fantasy. Were we ever wrong! I don't believe I've ever seen a movie that no one in our group liked--no one at all. You'd think that one of us would have liked it--we're all movie fans who attend one or more movies a week.
To "Harry Potter" novices, the film presented itself as no more than a series of linear events. None of us felt that we knew Harry or his friends and none of us developed an emotional bond with any of the characters. I wish we'd enjoyed it. We all wanted to, but nothing in the story's development drew us into the film. However well-intentioned, the movie was meaningless to us.
I'm really glad that so many families and children have a well-crafted movie to see. It's very nice to see so many families in the theater together.
I do hope, however, that you enjoy this movie. Obviously, a movie that attracts so much positive attention can't be all bad.
Give it a try!