Lacks emotional warmth of "ET"...a John Williams letdown...

Rating: Null/10 (4 December 2001)

I was drawn into the story the moment the letters started whirling through the air to "the boy under the cupboard" and to the amusing trio (Aunt, Uncle, brother) that give interest to the early scenes and make you anxious for Harry to escape life in this demented household. And from the opening scene on, the special effects are nothing short of marvelous despite what some "critics" here are calling "cheesy" -- I'm sure the film is a strong contender in that category for a Best Special Effects Oscar.
Having said that--and not being a fan of Dragons and Dungeons, etc. kind of games--my only disappointment was that most of the "magic" was too much on the dark side--without enough humor to keep things in a lighter vein for the most part. If this is what kids like, they'll love being scared time and time again by some of the creatures and situations.
I have only praise for the performances, although I agree that Daniel Radcliffe seems to only have two expressions and is indeed bland, but appealing enough, as Harry. Everyone else does their best to bring the characters to life--especially Maggie Smith as head witch and Alan Rickman as Snapes. I think his is the film's outstanding performance.
I was aware of too much exposition in the film (to explain to those of us who haven't read the book what Muggles are, etc.) but I'm sure this sort of thing will diminish when the series continues. I was disappointed by the John Williams score, relentless throughout with only one jaunty theme worth remembering.
This was made even more obvious by the fact that a trailer for the upcoming re-release of "ET" emphasized the difference between his "ET" score and the one he wrote for "Harry Potter". Obviously, he had much more of an emotional connection to the characters in "ET" than was possible for him to have with the characters here. There is no such connection to the characters in this relentlessly busy score.
Even Potter's farewell scene before boarding the train for home, lacks the emotional warmth so strongly suggested in "ET" -- a factor that makes the entire movie seem a one-dimensional but highly competent version of a beloved book. All of the set pieces are extraordinarily detailed and well executed, including the Chess Game--and there's a nice plot twist toward the end that I won't reveal here. All in all, a good film version of the book which I understand is remarkably faithful to the novel--and don't let anyone tell you the special effects are anything less than superb!
Nevertheless, a John Williams letdown. I'm sure Daniel Radcliffe--who is physically perfect for the role--will improve in his bystander reactions. After all, he made a wonderful 'David Copperfield' on PBS not long ago. Despite some drawbacks, looking forward to the next visualization of Potter's adventures.
The film is known in England and many other countries abroad as "...and the Philosopher's Stone". Frankly, I think the American title is more suitable as it implies "witchcraft" which is the very essence of the story. With the U.K. constantly changing American film titles, it's not surprising at all that we sometimes do the same thing. Apparently, we don't really speak the same language!