Fantastic start to the series!

Rating: 8/10 (24 July 2010)

I had not read any of the Harry Potter-books when this came out but like most people in the world i easily knew who Harry Potter was before I heard they were going to make the book into a movie. After i saw the first film, i could see why people loved the story. The story is very fresh but that isn't something you see lately in other fantasy stories. It also brings in a lot of knew things into the genre that have stayed with us until now. The characters are colorful to say the least and very memorable but that is the main thing when you are writing a series of books, to make the characters likable and memorable. This world J.K Rowling has made is quite charming and beautiful.
Fantasy movies are often very badly done but here Harry Potter is a step in the right direction. The movie looks fantastic and good acting is found in every corner.
Richard Harris, Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, Robbie Coltrane and John Hurt all do great and really gave them self's all into their roles, not only being seen like to often happens when stars like these are casted. The movie is all about the three little kids Harry Potter, Ron Weasly and Hermione Granger, who are delivered to you by the talented Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emmu Watson. Grint was the man to look at, he was funny and just right for the part or so I have been told, he didn't fail in any scene and that is amazing for a kid at his age. Radcliff looks the part alright and does a solid job in his role but at times he overacts for no reason like for example the scene where Hagrid tels Harry "You're a wizard Harry!" but still for a kid at his age, he does an amazing job. Watson is wonderful as the self-involved Hermione and makes a very colorful character.
One of the most positive things about this movie is how quickly the movie went by, even being more then two hours. It's either because of the script-writer Steve Kloves who wrote the great Wonder Boys or the director himself but either way it's quite wonderful to be so intrigued and entertained at the same time that two and a half hours goes by like nothing. I don't know the book but the story seems to work alright and I felt nothing really needed to be added. There is enough of action to see like with the Quidditch-game or the obstacles. The main mystery is also quite strangely exiting and it really dragged me into the movie. Chris Colombus does a wonderful job introducing the world and letting the viewer get sucked in.
The movie could have been a lot darker but knowing now it will get darker and darker with every movie, it's not something I can really complain about. I am not talking about any Tim Burton style, I just know that the book was quite darker.
8/10 -- There's a lot of charm in this movie and it was probably my favorite movie that has ever come out at Christmas.