Brilliant Fantasy

Rating: Null/10 (29 November 2001)

Having just walked out of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone", this reviewer is still reeling from the experience. Who would have thought Chris Columbus had another masterpiece left in him after "Adventures in Babysitting"? Columbus proves that his breakthrough was no fluke, and that he can indeed helm such a highly anticipated fantasy film without fail. Despite terrific performance from the fat guy in "Naked Gun 2" and Peter O'Toole's drunken sidekick, however, "Potter" feels somewhat incomplete. What it needed was a cameo from Michael Gross of "Family Ties". Gross was born to play the janitor of the Hogwarts institute, but the lack of originality on Columbus's part prevented this from happening. Instead, he relies on the talents of John Lennon in the title role (the bespeckled one hasn't acted in over thirty years, so Columbus's choice here is rather puzzling). Nonetheless, a great effort by all involved.