An enjoyable movie, but nothing great.

Rating: 6/10 (7 June 2004)

This movie was my first introduction to Harry Potter. Seeing it in the theater with a few of my cousins, I didn't know what to expect. What I got was a fairly enjoyable, though overlong, movie that kept me interested until the end. I was pleasantly surprised by the surprise ending; I remember going through the film thinking about the one dimensional plot, and I actually didn't see the ending coming.
Daniel Radcliffe does a good job as Harry, but the scene stealer's are Ron and Hermione. Still, I would not consider it a great film. The special effects are impressive (especially the quiddich match), and the adult actors do a good job (especially Alan Rickman as Professor Snape), but in some ways it feels like a commercial, advertising for Harry Potter video games, toys, and the books.
Good for a rental, but I wouldn't buy it.