THE SECOND GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD!!!

Rating: Null/10 (19 November 2001)

As an avid fan of the Harry series, I found it harder to sleep November 16th than any December 24 I can remember. The theatrical experience did not disappoint. Scores of fans clapped and cheered throughout the movie. And the reason is obvious. Chris Columbus painstakingly detailed the essential elements of the book and brought a world that existed in the imagination to life. While many have panned the movie as looking like a book on tape (see mean comments from New York Times), this is the highest complement that could be paid to the movie: It is just like the books. Well, maybe not just like it. Of course certain scenes had to be excluded. But the greatest brilliance of Columbus was in the selection of the scenes and artful editing for time. The result is that every scene captures the essence of the characters and plot. Of course every nuance and scene could not be included in such an introspective and intricate plot, but this valiant attempt is true to both die hard fans and those who will become fans when they enter the world of H. Potter!