Much less than the sum of it's parts

Rating: 5/10 (20 July 2002)

Perhaps my expectations were way too high, but this movie left me with little incentive to see the next installment although I'm still planning on reading all the books (yes, I'm the guy who hasn't read any Harry yet). Although the special effects were wonderful and the acting quite good overall and the story interesting I never connected with any of the characters and the movie seemed more an episodic exercise than a connected whole. Maybe it's the directing and maybe it was TOO faithful to the book, although my spouse says otherwise, but for me it lacked the overall sense of wonder that I felt I should have.