FILM CHALLENGE: 183 to 188) Harry Potter

183) Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Director: Chris Columbus

Year: 2001

Much of the success of the Harry Potter franchise comes from J.K. Rowling's staggering ability to create an alternative reality that is both imaginative yet familiar. Chris Columbus captures this for the big screen rather admirably in The Philosopher's Stone with the help of some magnificent cinematography, art design, make up, and an incredible production team.

Moreover, just like the books, the movie plays right into the dreams, aspirations and imaginations of children, allowing it to be an immensely engrossing piece of work. Is there anyone in the world, after all, who watched this movie and didn't wish they were a wizard like Harry Potter too?

However, though it begins strongly, it looses focus around the midpoint as it chooses to establish life at Hogwarts rather than deepening the plot or developing the characters. Frankly, this segment very quickly becomes quite dull because of this. Furthermore, it sorely lacks a strong villain or enigma to hold your interest. Even the finale can't save it, feeling too rushed and abrupt after such a long narrative.

Nevertheless, the chemistry between the three characters just about holds it together through these moments. The friendships are so honest, touching and sweet that you are willing to follow them through every set piece even when the forward momentum grinds to a halt.

The acting from a stellar British cast is generally very good with only a few exceptions including Alan Rickman as Snape and Emma Watson as Hermione who are both too dramatic and theatrical.

An enjoyable adaptation that makes for a fun blockbuster yet leaves much room for improvement.

3/5

---

184) Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Director: Chris Columbus

Year: 2002

At first, it seems like no lessons have been learned from the failures of its predecessor. After all, in the opening 40 minutes of The Chamber Of Secrets, the film-makers once a struggle to find a focus or a plot. However, once you get past this point, it's clear to see that much improvement has been made for this sequel.

Firstly, and most importantly, while the last Harry Potter film was too consumed by its set pieces and action scenes, this one has much more of a story and, as a result, is very engrossing. Not placing style over substance, there are plenty of mysteries to solve and a whole load of twists and turns that arise as the plot thickens. The writing, which was frankly mediocre in the first outing, has vastly improved here too, creating a well-constucted and entertaining narrative.

That doesn't mean the wonderful visuals are gone however, because The Chamber Of Secrets has plenty of scenes that will dazzle and amaze whether its the entire sequence in the dark forrest or the special-effects used to create Dobby.

The narrative also touches on some important issues such as race and prejudice too using the idea of "half-bloods" or "mud-bloods" and Slytherin's plan to eradicate them from Hogwarts. This an extremely commendable feat for what is essentially a kids story.

The characters, as you would expect, grow even stronger in this outing as their pasts become more prominent. Though slightly annoying in the first movie, Hermione gains a sympathetic side to her while the writers also explore the class divides and the tensions between the families of the Malfoys and the Weasleys. Jason Isaacs, who appears here as Lucius Malfoy, steals the film with his sinister role as the Malfoy matriarch Lucius.

Perhaps it does follow the same structure as The Philosopher's Stone and it does slide into the obvious and predictable at times, but it's nevertheless an extraordinarily fun movie that shows a lot of promise in the later instalments.

4/5

---

185) Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban

Director: Alfonso Cuaron

Year: 2004

Chris Columbus steps out of the directing chair for the franchise’s third part, The Prisoner Of Azkaban, and lets Y Tu Mama Tambien and Children Of Men director Alfonso Cuaron take over. A talented director, Cuaron’s visual style triumphs anything that Columbus did with some incredible camerawork and cinematography throughout.

He’s also not scared to put emphasis on many of the dark undertones of the story. The dementors, in particular, are extremely eerie and are likely to frighten the younger audience while, moreover, the colour scheme loses its vibrancy for a more monochrome, chiaroscuro style here.

It’s a shame, therefore, that what could potentially have been the best film of the franchise is let down, once again, by its storytelling.

The first problem it has is that it takes a lot of time to build up to very little. Much of the plot, after all, hinges on Sirius Black’s alleged plan to kill Harry Potter and therefore much the drama is substituted for a series of episodes. Moreover, it turns out in the last half an hour that he simple escaped to find the man who really betrayed Harry’s parents and this man is then subsequently handed over, without any struggles or battles, to Hogwarts. This makes for an anti-climatic ending that leaves you feeling like you have wasted your time.

Secondly, you have to suspend your disbelief much more than any of the others too. Sure, it is a fantasy story so certain liberties will obviously be taken, but there are moments when it gets overly ridiculous. The subplots of Ron’s rat and Hermione going back in time are both cringe-worthy.

Nevertheless, the bravura finale should be praised for being so unlike anything you’d normally see in a major summer blockbuster, replaying the same battle twice but from two different perspectives.

3/5

---

186) Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire

Director: Mike Newell

Year: 2005

The worst movie of the Harry Potter franchise so far, The Goblet Of Fire embodies all the faults that have stopped the greatest series of books in literature history from becoming an equally incredible collection of movies.

It starts with a gripping scene in which Harry dreams of Voldemort and two companions as they scheme a plan that involves the boy. However, once this scene is over it doesn't return again for a whole hour and a half. What occurs in between is simply a high school movie as the focus switches from the morality tale of the first three films into a conventional teen-drama. All you have to do is switch the prom for the ball, the common room for the canteen and the three challenges for some football league and you basically have every cliched high school rom-com from the last two decades.

The aforementioned challenges, furthermore, only serve a purpose to the story in the last 20 minutes. You watch on, visually wonderful though they are, wondering what exactly it is all getting at - so what if Harry fights a dragon or saves a rival's sister from underwater? - up until this point that it all makes sense. Even then, the need for three challenges still doesn't become clear. Surely, Voldemort's evil plan would have been easier with one?

It's also got to the point now where there are too many characters to sustain the film's running length. Sirius Black, for example, a major character who seemed certain to have a big role after appearing in the last film, only appears for two minutes. The same can be said for Snape and Lucius Malfoy too.

Still, it is a very cinematic movie and it's good to finally see the friendships of the three main characters challenged here. Moreover, Daniel Radcliffe is getting better and better every year. But I'm still left waiting, after almost 9 hours of viewing time, for the series to really take flight and show us what it's made of.

And if I hear the phrase "Hogwarts is no longer safe" one more time I think I'll turn someone into a mouse. It's not been safe for the last four and, in my humble opinion, is in dire need of an OFSTED inspection.

2/5

---

187) Harry Potter and the Order Of The Phoenix

Director: David Yates

Year: 2007

If only the Harry Potter franchise had found David Yates years ago then the movies could have done J.K. Rowling's modern classics justice. Here, the director gives The Order Of The Phoenix everything that has made the books so popular among audiences. Not only is it one of the most cinematic, visually stunning experiences ever to hit the big screen, but it's also a gripping, funny, exciting and endlessly entertaining one too.

While Harry Potter has always been a morality tale, Yates really gives Order Of The Phoenix a real sense that good is at war against evil here as, right from the opening act, it has a spellbinding sense of foreboding and impending conflict. He also manages to find the balance between action, narrative and character that Chris Columbus and Mike Newell failed to achieve, allowing the scenes of dialogue and character development to be as exciting as any set piece.

Yet it's the undertones here that really excel it above the rest. The Order Of The Phoenix is not just mere blockbuster entertainment, it's a parable about the dangers of a fascist, autocratic society controlled by one body and a study in fear and paranoia. In this respect, it's easy to draw parallels with the likes of Terry Gilliam's film Brazil.

Imelda Staunton's performance is worthy of an Oscar here while the flashback to Snape's childhood at Hogwarts is a contender for the best scene in the entire Potter franchise. Moreover, it's finally great to see a climax that really justifies the build up and rivals the fight scenes in the series' biggest competitor Lord Of The Rings.

The best Harry Potter movie by a mile.

4/5

---

188) Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

Director: David Yates

Year: 2009

David Yates is rightly allowed to remain in the directing chair for The Half-Blood Prince and, once again, proves himself to be the man for the job here.

While this film doesn't live up to its brilliant predecessor, sacrificing the morality tale in many places for the romance, it's still one of the best that the franchise has produced. After all, we knew that the love story elements were going to arrive at some point and they are very well executed by Yates, giving it a sweet, sensitive edge that it's not previously achieved.

It also has a good sense of humour for once. The others were extraordinarily let down by the terrible attempts at comic relief, but The Half-Blood Prince actually has a few moments that inspire genuine laughter. This is especially so in the moments that, quite bravely, poke fun at the cliches of the Potter franchise.

However, when it does become dark, Yates doesn't hold his punches. The entire finale - though a little confused in its story-telling - is as scary and suspenseful as kids cinema has ever been with one moment in particular being surprisingly jumpy.

Furthermore, this instalment is mainly driven by its dialogue with only one or two set-pieces throughout allowing for some much anticipated background to Voldemort.

It's still too episodic and flawed to reach the level of greatness Yates achieved before, but The Half-Blood Prince is a good movie nevertheless.

3/5

By Daniel Sarath with 1 comment