Who let Columbus destroy a great story?

Rating: 1/10 (24 May 2002)

The industry chiefs need to get this through their heads: Chris Columbus is not good at book adaptations. Look what he did to Asimov's Bicentennial Man. Now he's gone and done the same to HP. 1 out of 10 here, for what should have been 10.
The book is a quarter of the way through before Harry encounters Hagrid, yet in the film the title sequence is barely over. The viewer loses sight of the fact that he is mistreated at home.
Similarly, several other turning points in the story are just not in the film.
If you haven't seen it yet - don't bother. Read the book instead.