Let the magic begin.

Rating: 8/10 (16 November 2001)

Let the magic begin. That is the tagline to Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone. The tagline is, for once, perfectly fitting. Harry Potter is a 152-minute coming of age epic, and entails your basic good versus evil theme. The script is penned by Steven Kloves, based upon the novel by J. K. Rowling. Kloves other accomplishments include the Fabulous Baker Boys, and last years wonderful picture Wonder Boys. Director Chris Columbus is certainly not a new face to the Hollywood scene, but is not that well known. Columbus has Home Alone, Ms. Doubtfire, and Step Mom under his belt, so do not expect a poor effort. Harry Potter also brings newcomer Daniel Radcliffe to the title role. He previously had a minor role in the TV movie David Copperfield, and was also in The Tailor of Panama. While not an experienced actor, Radcliffe is so young and unaware of the entire Hollywood scene, that he delivers charm, and charisma beyond his years.
I for one have not read any of the Potter books. This, in my opinion, is a good thing. From what I have read, though, Columbus has remained almost flawlessly faithful to the book. Also, as I was leaving the cinema I overheard several children saying, `That is exactly how I imagined it.' For fans of the book, this is definitely a good thing.	Harry is an orphan boy who is delivered to his aunt and uncle's house when he is merely an infant. He will remain here until he is old enough to become a wizard. It is then that he will attend Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. When Harry reaches the age of eleven, he is sent a letter. The letter contains an invitation to attend the school. He accepts and is on his way to becoming a wizard. The story then progresses and follows his maturation into a young man.	This movie contains a little bit of everything. This is probably an attempt by Columbus to open up even more people to the world of Harry Potter. There is a cute, yet innocent love story that will probably develop into something further down the line, along with a little bit of action for the easily amused. There is a touch of suspense before the evil sorcerer is revealed. After tense scenes, Columbus reassures us everything will be all right with a joke thrown in here and there. Yet, at times we feel sad, and out of place, because of the fact that Harry is an orphan, and often quite lonely. It is certainly a roller coaster ride, that in the end, makes you want to get right back on, and go again.	I can almost guarantee that this movie will shake some people the wrong way because of the excessive use of computer-generated images. Most people tend to like solid and concrete images over computer generated ones. I disagree. Columbus needed to use the aid of computers to help him construct his image of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Anything less would leave the audience disappointed. The CGI complements the movie in such a way that it feels as though you are fighting an ogre, or flying along with Harry on his broom. The CGI is in no way distracting. It is quite beneficial and pertinent to the story. The performances are not perfect, but often great. As a newcomer, Daniel Radcliffe does an exceptional job at portraying Harry. There is no doubt though, that he will disappoint many. Those being die hard fans of the book. One actor that always delivers, yet goes unnoticed is Alan Rickman. Alan plays Professor Severus Snape, and is quite successful at being evil and deceptive. Rupert Grint plays Ron Weasley, along with Emma Watson as Hermione Granger. Weasley is as delightful to watch as Radcliffe. Weasley can be seen as the comic relief of the movie. His constant obnoxious faces bring about a small smirk. Watson the other hand seems to over act at times. It is probably because of her inexperience, that she performs this way. Richard Harris as Headmaster Albus Dumbledore is also quite a treat. His last performance was as the great Emperor Marcus Aurelius in Gladiator. Harry Potter is not a movie for all audiences. It is geared more towards the younger generations. Although, the highlight of the movie will no doubt be found in the Quiddich scene. The story is quite simple, but delivers on a grand scale. The characters are a delight to watch, and it is quite extraordinary to see Daniel Radcliffe perform so well. Some may be disappointed by some of its childish nature, but I urge everyone to give it a chance, and be a part of movie making history.
Grade: A-