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Rating: 10/10 (12 November 2001)

Being an avid reader of books my trips to the cinema often end up in tears where characterisations, plot and often the entire shebang are sacrificed to produce a cinematic epic. Usually to the films great detriment. Being one of the many adults I see reading the Harry Potter series of books on their way into work I was excited but also worried about this foray into the world of the big screen.
This film only shows you how wrong you can be. Two and a half hours of celluloid magic later I was delighted to the point of wanting to buy another ticket! This was sheer cinematic genius and obviously very tightly controlled by the books author which it didn't suffer from at all! In later discussions with friends we identified the parts of the book that weren't there but all agreed that the film didn't need them!
The young cast are all brilliant and are convincing as the characters from the book. In fact all the characters are so well played that they don't destroy the pictures built up in your mind having read the book but enhance them. Richard Harris portrays Dumbledore with equal gravitas and humour and is a delight. Maggie Smith is excellent as the venerable McGonagall and Alan Rickman is his sneering best as Professor Snape who is restrained enough not to overegg the pudding. But the magic of Robbie Coltrane as the bumbling and kind Hagrid is unequalled. This was a masterpiece of casting and the sheer force of his acting prowess carries this character off beautifully. The film is carried by its characters and plot, both of which are well developed and enthralling.
The special effects are so good that you don't really notice them. The sign of a good special effect is when it doesn't become the star of the film itself. The effects in this film really create the suspension of disbelief required to carry it off. Even the Quidditch match allows you to revel in the excitement of the teams flying around on broomsticks without wondering how they did it.
In short this film is an absolute must! I can't think of a more delightful way to spend two and a half hours, whether you are 5 or 50. This film will be making people happy for years to come. It will go down in the annals of film as a true classic.