Wizard film

Rating: 10/10 (19 September 2006)

In many ways the best of the franchise so far. I was free from any anticipation for this film being not overly impressed by the fantasy genre. This film redeems itself above other sorcery films with its old fashioned English ambiance being greater than arch and portentous fantasy.
Unlike other fantasy films the directors face the challenge of a highly critical audience of children who are more familiar with the books that they are & waiting expectantly for their favorite part of the book and would tear the director to ices if he was there in their anger such omissions. Any changes in the film would be seen as desecrating the fantasy world that Rowling created. In the production of the first film this was a contention in preproduction. As a faithful rendering of the book squeezed into a two-and-a-half hour period, the movie is beautifully done as far as special effects go. The actors although experienced are let down by the younger cast not being trained and coming from a stage school background with the exception of the lead show the typical stiltedness of such training. Daniel Radcliffe has been accused of being too subdued in the title role but as he becomes older he character does become more sombre. Alos it allows the other characters oddities to shine more clearly in contrast to his quieter style.