My initial reaction is a strong sense of...like. I liked it a lot. It was really really fun and I thought they did a great job showing all the complicated things (the time turner thingy etc.) I liked Buckbeak a LOT.
The whole look of the movie was more realistic. Even the weather was more realistic. The look of the castle was darker, drearier, and OLDER, like it should be. I was impressed with the clock they kept showing and the overgrown courtyard right outside. The uneven path to Hagrid's was a lot more realistic than the neatly clipped lawns of the first two movies.
But that's small stuff. Daniel Radcliff is HOT, and I even enjoyed Hermione in this one. The details were really well done too. I'm not sure how I feel about Dumbledore. I got less of the all-knowing father figure that I loved and more of a half-crazed hippy. But I liked him. I'm just not sure if it was Dumbledore.
I felt like we didn't see much more than Harry in this movie, which I guess is good, but I missed Ron...Snape and the other teachers....
And they didn't explain about Moody, Prongs etc and how Lupin knew about the map. They should've stopped to clue us in on that one because now several people have no idea what the Stag from Harry's Patronus signifies. Oh well. They didn't have time for everything.
The Dementors were NOT as cool and scary as I think they could have been. They were just kind of annoying and floaty. They left out the Quidditch cup which was kind of sad cause the good guys finally won in this book...but I can totally understand why the screenwriter did that. I did like that this movie didn't rely on a cool quidditch scene to redeem the entire movie. There was plenty of other good stuff.
All in all, markedly better than the first two and really fun. Gary Oldman is PERFECT as Sirius...in my opinion.
posted
I thought the clock scenes were nice, and the flying over the castle looking like some gorgeous cathedral scene was just awesome. Loved the Boggart scene. Had be cracking up, and the womping willow I thought the werewolf looked too much like a naked rat, but the dementors looked so SCARY and ghostly. I loved that ice thing. That was a great touch. The twins were also very cute. They had this whole Beatles thing going. They had some great set design too! And the way the characters all interacted, like the trio trying to comfort each other after what happened to buckbeak and Lupin hugging his old friend Sirius. Who had some seriously cool tattoos!
Posts: 9942 | Registered: Mar 2003
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I think one of my favorite moments in the film was Ron waking up with a nightmare about spiders, saying, "The spiders...the spiders...they want me to tapdance...I don't want to tapdance..." And Harry answers, "Tell those spiders, Ron! Tell them!"
heeheehee
I loved the easy, matter-of-fact friendship that was so evident in that.
I also REALLY enjoyed Alan Rickman dressed up like Neville's grandmother.
I was disappointed by the lack of explanation of Lupin's knowledge of the map and the explanation of why Harry's patronus is a stag. On the whole, though, a good movie AND a good adaptation of a book.
Posts: 4077 | Registered: Jun 2003
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Right. I loved the movie - saw it with friends on the IMAX and had a blast. Acting was a step up, scenery was excellent, and Buckbeak! How awesome!
I'd have been more immediately positive about it if I hadn't been suddenly bludgeoned with a question. Pretending I hadn't read the books for a moment, how did Lupin know how to work the map? Did they film that scene and just not include it? Will we get to see it in the deleted scenes on the DVD? They even had the perfect moment to put it in. WHY NOT? It explains so much and adds to the relationship between Harry, Lupin and Sirius, not to mention James. Gah!
Other than that I really enjoyed the movie. Great fun. 4 stars entertainment, 3 stars quality.
Posts: 3932 | Registered: Sep 1999
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I thought it was a good movie, not great, but a lot better thn the other two.
One thing that really bothered me, though, was the patronus'. They don't look like shields, they look like animals. You really can't tell how far Harry has progressed just by the "small shield, big shield thing."
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I was annoyed by the shield thing too, but they finally did show the Stag at the end...they just didn't explain why it was a stag. Posts: 6415 | Registered: Jul 2000
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the first thing I thought of with the shield was "Sauron was defeated, and thus ended the second age of the ring" ...yeah...we apparently annoyed people in the theatre because we were laughing too much all through the film...but it was all too amusing not to laugh
Posts: 1158 | Registered: Feb 2004
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I don't think there was enough of Dumbledore. Michael Gambon is really a lot closer to how I imagined Dumbledore being, but he didn't get his moment with Harry at the end. I for one missed that a lot. Harry's Moment With Dumbledore At The End (tm) always seemed important to me because I love Dumbly oh so much.
I loved Fred and George. They rocketh.
The Dementors were uber-creepy, and the near soul-sucking of Sirius had me on the edge of my seat. And I knew how it ended!
I like how they portrayed a fully-formed patronus. To Original!Harry's view, it was a stag, but to Timetravel!Harry's view, it was a shield. Same Patronus, just different angles.
I really wish there was more on the Marauder's relationship. It wouldn't have taken much, and what they did have made me think that Lupin was in love with Lilly Potter more than he was best friends with James.
What urked me: Harry's completely fake crying under the invisibility cloak. I didn't believe it for a second. That and him seeing Pettigrew on the map.
I'm with Narnia, I'm very much in like with this movie.
Posts: 4089 | Registered: Apr 2003
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posted
Saw It yesterday night and liked it better then first two, but a big part of the beginning of the book was the restriction of underage sorcery, which they carried over in to the movie when Harry was worried fudge would send him away at the leaky cauldron, But in the opening scene Harry is seen using magic multipliable times, with seemingly no consequence. I can forgive direct contradictions between the movie and book, becuse as OSC always says “the movie doesn’t erase the book“, but contradictions with in the movie itself irks me a little. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and suggest that every one goes and sees it.
Posts: 2 | Registered: Jun 2004
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quote:the first thing I thought of with the shield was "Sauron was defeated, and thus ended the second age of the ring" ...yeah...we apparently annoyed people in the theatre because we were laughing too much all through the film...but it was all too amusing not to laugh
*tries to calm self down*
Anyway, I read in EW that the secret behind the Marauder's map is being bumped to the 4th book. I'm betting that mysterious stag will be explained as well.
Posts: 407 | Registered: Jul 2003
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Yeah, I guess I can't complain about that...with sequences of movies, we have to wait a little longer for stuff *coughShelobcough* Posts: 6415 | Registered: Jul 2000
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And really, alluding to the marauder's identities by having Lupin inexplicably know how to work the map was a lot better than spelling it out. I hate when they have to sneak a backstory explanation into a character's dialogue. Hinting at things rather than being so didactic (as in the time turner) is what made this movie great.
Posts: 99 | Registered: Sep 2003
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Did anyone get the TOTAL feeling that when Lupin told Hermoine at the end that she really is the best young wizard he's ever seen, and then she stood shoulder to shoulder with Harry they looked like a married couple?
And in Lupin's mind he thought the same thing?
I loved this movie, I hated the first one, liked the second one and loved the third one.
Curon was a genius. His vision was a full 360 degrees. I feel we never got a true look at hogwarts until Curan showed up.
I LOVED Hagrid's Tie.
...and what about the chap reading the Stephen Hawking book. ?
posted
Oh, God, Snape was so scary. Oh, he was so so so so scary. He was the most terrifying
*calms self down*
Yes, Snape was scary. I thought it was good how you saw the camaraderie between everyone, and finally they got Fred and George right. And there was definitely a sense of the school relationship between Snape and Sirius. Nice.
I loved it...cheers me to know that no matter how bad the other movies are, my favorite book will have made a good movie.
posted
Sun, I thought it was Sirius that said that at the end. Something like "You really are the brightest wizard of your age." I loved that.
Gambon was great as Dumbledore. I am looking forward to his bits in the fifth movie (if you haven't read it...and why is that, by the way...I am not giving anything away by saying he begins to show why everyone, even You Know Who, gives him respect).
Rupert Grint doesn't have much in the way of range compared to his co-stars, but he was used better in this movie than the mugging madness of the last movie.
I put this in the "Anticipation" thread but will repeat it here (and it goes well with the 360 view of Hogwarts). Cuaron has brought the magic of the books to the movie for the first time. I think the other movies weren't horrible, just lacking any magic or wonder that the books give me when I read them.
William's music score was wonderful as well. It was much more subtle and not that bombastic sort of score he has been known to do. Great improvement over the first two, as well.
posted
I saw it last night. Overall I thought it was really good. One thing that really bugged me: when Lupin told Harry that he "knew" Lilly, I immediately thought it sounded like he meant it in the biblical sense. I also didn't like the dementors that much. I think a big part of that was because when they were sucking away happiness it looked too much like the soul was being sucked away. And I agree with the werewolf looking like an overgrown rat.
quote: But in the opening scene Harry is seen using magic multipliable times, with seemingly no consequence. I can forgive direct contradictions between the movie and book, becuse as OSC always says “the movie doesn’t erase the book“, but contradictions with in the movie itself irks me a little.
I definitely agree with that. I thought that was a major no-no. But I liked that uncle vernon kept coming in to check on him and he kept pretending to sleep.
What's this about a clock? I don't remember that.
Posts: 1547 | Registered: Jan 2004
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posted
Diane and I are leaving in a few minutes to go see the movie.
When we come back, I get to be a spoiler!
BWAHAHAHAHA!
Really excited here - it's unusual for us to catch a flick we want to see in its first weekend. And I bought tickets online so I know we'll actually get to see the movie, no matter how many people get in line before us. Posts: 4344 | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
Yeah... I get the feeling that the stag was going to be explained in the movie, but they just cut it out. The conversation with Lupin just before he left definitely seemed to be going somewhere, to me. But after the stag the rest of the movie was sorta ruined for me because I kept expecting them to explain it.
Also, you can tell they cut out explaining how Sirius knew to come to Hogwarts because Ron showed Harry the newspaper at the start of the movie.
EDIT: Overall, though, I thought it was a great movie. I hope they have an extended version so that fills in the gaps.
[ June 06, 2004, 01:21 PM: Message edited by: Book ]
Posts: 2258 | Registered: Aug 2003
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quote:One thing that really bugged me: when Lupin told Harry that he "knew" Lilly, I immediately thought it sounded like he meant it in the biblical sense.
Tee hee. I think that was just you, Midnight. If true, that makes things a lot more complicated.
Posts: 407 | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
I am really disappointed with the movie. It has nice effects and acting but it doesn't seem all that faithful to the book. It was a short movie so I see no reason why he could'nt have added a few more minutes to explain a few things.
I didn't imagine Peter Pettigrew like that.
Sirius acted insane and I thought he was calm and collective, so I didn't like that either.
Lupin's mustache bothered me oh so much. On the Marauder's Map, I thought it was spelled "MoonY" not "MoonEY". In my book it's spelled "MoonY" so I couldn't stop complaining about that too. I liked the transformation of the werewolf but I honestly thought that the werewolf looked too wimpy.
I wanted to see the Stag go after the Dementors but that didn't happen.
There were very few appearances of Dumbledore. I liked Richard Harris better. You barely saw the teachers and the Hogsmeade visit wasn't that great.
When they get tot he Shrieking Shack..that whole entire sequence disappointed me.
There's no Cho Chang until the fourth movie and she's really pretty.
Things I liked- Boggart scenes, the Knight Bus was GREAT esepcially that Jamaican head, ANY scenes with the twins were fun, Hermione punching Malfoy, the Clock was really neat and any comical scenes with Ron were nice.
And finally, the ending was CRAP.
Posts: 4628 | Registered: Jul 2002
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posted
I have to say that I love the new Dumbledore. I though Richard Harris looked way too frail. And I was very disappointed when it was over, not just because I wanted to keep watching, but because they cut out the last big chunk of the book.
Posts: 1547 | Registered: Jan 2004
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quote: HARRY POTTER is one of the best books written in years. WHY DIDN'T YOU READ IT????
You are so cool. Have a flower. I keep spending ages trying to convince non-HP fans to read the book, but they won't. They don't know what they are missing. The books are better than the movies!
Posts: 9942 | Registered: Mar 2003
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I loved the movie. Last night in my dreams I was flying on a broomstick, it was awesome. But why couldn't I have dreamed that I was flying on Buckbeak's back? Buckbeak was gorgeous. Beautifully animated. Nice touch with dipping the claw in the lake.
This book-to-movie adaptation was soooo much better than the first two. The movie was rather different than the book, but that is part of what made it a great movie. They weren't afraid to alter things for the sake of matching the medium better. I loved the little things they added in just for the sake of the movie, all very much within the spirit of the books. Kudos to them for realizing that it was OK to hint at things and touch on them only lightly so as not to be distracting from the flow of the movie.
I was also bummed about the lack of explaination on the identities of Moony, Padfoot, Wormtail, and Prongs. I assume (hope) they have a specific reason for waiting until the next movie for that. What was up with making Peter look like he's still a rat? Was that in the book? *been too long since reading this one* At first I thought it was because they caught him halfway between the metamorphosis. Are we to believe that he always looked like a half-rat?
I love how all the loose ends were tied. We know how Lupin/werewolf was called away, what Hermione "thought" she saw, where the stones came from, ans even why the Whomping Willow was so still when they exited the tree. I loved Dumbledoor trying to distract his companions from the awkward Buckbeak rescue. Great job on Dumbledoor, illustrating deftly why he is so cool.
Posts: 7050 | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
Great movie. Buckbeak-good Sirius-good Patronus Stag-gooood The only reason I can see why Peter still looked like a rat was because he's been one for 15 years....so maybe he starts to look like one?? The whole easy friendship thing was good as well, especially the whole Hermione and Ron thing. The Prongs Padfoot, etc. bugged me too, but if they explain it later (or in an extended edition a la LOTR) then it's all good. My big question is HOW?? are they gonna cut the 4th and 5th books down to a move friendly length? Can't be done, enjoy this one, because the next 2 are gonna suck.
Posts: 2 | Registered: May 2004
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posted
I disagree about the next two sucking. I think beverly hit it on the head. This was the first movie to be an ADAPTATION of the novels, not a wrote regurgitation to the screen. If they go into the next two novels with that attitude, all can be well. The books will always be there for the little details, but honestly, break the two books down to their fine points and you can get a 2.5 hour movie out of them. We won't get every little bit about Madame Maxime and her school. We won't get the lengthy discussion about every tent on the grounds at the beginning. But we can get the basics... Lots of stuff is "soap opera" stuff and fun, but not necessary to tell the overall story.
The next director is great, Mike Newell. He is mostly known for "Four Weddings and a Funeral" (a great fun film) but he also did one of my favorite youngster fantasies, "Into the West." He will be different than Cuaron, but still gifted. And Cuaron will be back (hopefully) for the fifth. So the director's chair looks good, too.
I think the bar has been raised and I think they will stick to it.
posted
Overall, I liked it a lot - although I'm not sure I think it's way beyond the first two - which seems to be an emerging consensus.
For one thing, it seemed a little sloppily cut at points. The issue with Lupin never mentioning how he knew about the map has been raised.
I think a couple of sentences would have been nice to make it absolutely clear why Hermione had the time device (it wasn't really that clear from the explanation).
I'm sad to say this, but Michael Gambon is a big improvement on Richard Harris as Dumbledore. Ten or fifteen years ago, Harris would have been perfect for the part. However, for reasons probably relating to his poor health, his voice had no power left, and he showed a very limited range of facial expressions.
Did anyone else think that the new director was allowing Rickman to finally play Snape as he was meant to be played. No more of the stilted mumbling and frozen sneer. Snape got to talk in a regular voice that ranged from conversational to snarl. (Nice touch showing him throwing himself in front of Harry, Hermione and Ron to protect them from the werewolf)
Posts: 4344 | Registered: Mar 2003
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THAT WAS SO CUTE THE KID DRESSED LIKE A LITTLE HARRY POTTER!
Someone said something interesting. That Snape tried to hint to the class that Lupin was a werewolf to protect them in a way. I thought that was a fascinating way to look at things.
Posts: 9942 | Registered: Mar 2003
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I can't wait for the Snape in the fifth movie. Rickman is one of my faves in all roles and he was a perfect pick as Snape. Actually, I have liked him best in all the movies. I like him and his sneering and his stares that just go on and on. He is pretty close to how I see him in the book. In fact, I can't wait to see him in the next movie with his big reveal (which I hope they don't cut out).
posted
Are there any people on here who are into the movies but never read the books? I am always interested in hearing their take on things. Fans of the books can at least fill in blanks left open.
posted
This is the first Harry Potter movie that I liked. Which I did - a lot.
fil got it right - the first two were the result of a hyper-careful effort to Not Make Anyone Angry. They had no life of their own. I am glad to see the series being helmed by someone interested in making the books into good movies. I also like the new Dumbledore more than the other fellow. (I haven't read the books, yet).
The thing that I appreciated most about this movie was that it finally gave me a much better idea of Hogwarts geography.
Posts: 753 | Registered: Mar 2001
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I about cried when I saw Sirius trying to calm Lupin down mid-transformation. I thought that addition to their relationship was an awesome touch.
Posts: 4089 | Registered: Apr 2003
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I need to get this framed. I cannot recall the last time someone said this. I need to frame it and date it so I'll know when the last time was when it happens again - years from now.
And even if it never happens again, it will be proof that someone said it once. Posts: 4344 | Registered: Mar 2003
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I have always liked Snape, even in the first book before we were given any reason to like him. I dunno why, I guess I am just weird. So when they picked Alan Rickman to play him, Oh! I could have kissed the Castor.
Posts: 7050 | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
Every time Snape said something, I kept thinking of him as the Metatron from Dogma. It was kinda confusing
But I really like Alan Rickman, so I forgive him for messing with my head like that. I also thought it was annoying that they didn't explain the Map properly. And Beca was annoyed at the patronus shield. So I think it's safe to say that those were very common fan-complaints.
I thought the movie was incredibly funny. That stood out the most for me.
Posts: 1261 | Registered: Apr 2004
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posted
I've read this whole thread and haven't really disagreed with anything. I read OSC's review and everything he said was right on.
All the praise is deserved. Hogwarts finally showed its promise. The school and the grounds were visually and artistically fantastic. The actors were much improved (or the director was able to get performances that were a cut above previous displays). Although Oldman as Sirius was not at all how I envisioned the character, he is a brilliant actor and the performance was excellent.
The critisms I've read so far have also been right on, although for the most part fairly petty. Lupin knowing the secret of the map was annoying because it wasn't explained at all (even as a subtle hint didn't work, it was just inconsistent). And the lack of explination about the four frieds bothered me a lot. But I was able to get over it.
But there was something that I wasn't able to get over, and I'm a little surprised that no one else has brought this up: The movie completely glossed over the biggest point of the book.
Remember that this is one part of a series, in which the major conflict is Harry vs. Voldemort. Or the good guys vs. Voldemort and his followers. And although it isn't ever-present in the book, this conflict is the underlying theme.
Peter Pettigrew's escape and reunion with Voldemort, and Voldemort's subsequent return to power is the singal most important fact from this book, and it was hardly even aluded to in the movie.
While the movie was entertaining, I cannot overlook the overall hollowness of it. Perhaps a middle ground can be found between Columbus' lack of vision and Curan's lack of story.
Posts: 6 | Registered: Oct 1999
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posted
More than once I've seen concern about how Lupin knew about the map. I am just wondering, do you not know what the connection is or are you just upset that they didn't explain it in *this* movie? I assume that the reason that they didn't do it here is that they have some reason for wanting it in the next movie. Don't really know that for sure, just giving them the benefit of the doubt. So for me, it wasn't so much of a problem but a disappointment that the emotional reward was not given now as it was in the third book.
Perhaps we will be seeing more of Professor Lupin? Or perhaps it will be eluded to in flashback form.
Posts: 7050 | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
I read that Michael Gambon put a remote control whoopie cushion in Harry Potter's bed in one scene. As the proud owner of such a device, this earns me big points in his department.
Posts: 2258 | Registered: Aug 2003
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posted
I think there will be plenty of opportunities to reveal a bit more about the Maruader's Map in the next movie. Doesn't it get a good work out, along with more of the Invisibility Cloak? I haven't read book 4 is a while so I don't completely recall.
I know Pettigrew was a rat for quite some time, but his buck-toothed look was eerily like tha to of Harry's resident hanger on, Neville Longbottom? The books go pretty far to compare Harry's crew to his father's crew when he was in school. I don't see Neville as some turncoat, but still the similar look was kind of creepy (and Neville DID kind of turn on them in the first book).
quote: Oh, God, Snape was so scary. Oh, he was so so so so scary.
The word you're searching for is "sexy" Snape is my hero. As I stated in another thread a long time ago, having followed the wrong path, realizing it and help the good ones is far far harder than be in the good path since the beginning.
Posts: 3526 | Registered: Oct 2001
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sarcasticmuppet--Oh, me too...and the whole scene in the shack (pre-Pettigrew) was nice...Lupin and Sirius arguing and all.
Posts: 910 | Registered: May 2000
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quote: I think a big part of that was because when they were sucking away happiness it looked too much like the soul was being sucked away.
But, that's what's happening.
----
Regarding Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs:
I read (at Leaky Cauldron or elsewhere) that there is a trading card showing Lupin explaining about the map and the relationship between the four. So I guess the scene got cut and postponed for the next movie. (Like they don't have enough to do already.)
Posts: 6367 | Registered: Aug 2003
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posted
Yeah, I think Neville was just trying to keep them from getting the Gryffindor house into any more trouble. And since he wasn't being included in the activities of the "three" he couldn't really be turning on them.
Posts: 6367 | Registered: Aug 2003
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posted
He "turned" by standing up to Harry and confronting him about his rulebreaking. Unfortunately, he did it at just about the worst possible time -- but it was done with the best of intentions, and Dumbledore awarded him for it.
To me, I think it's inconceivable that Neville will turn dark; he's obviously fated to be an auror. I think it's far more likely that RON will temporarily turn dark, along with Percy (although I think Ron'll come back, and Percy won't.)
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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posted
Neville tried to stop them from going after Voldermort in the first book and movie because he didn't want Griffindore to get punished.
As for Snape, he's fascinating. James Potter and his gang treated him like crap and; I think he was the one who informed Dumbledore that Voldermort was after James and Lily at a great risk to his life. Most of them didn't even like him and saw him as being some greasy headed jerk, but he still worked with the good guys. James seemed to have been a pampered, spoiled rich kid at first. Just by that small flashback in Order of the Phoenix you can tell that Snape wasn't that rich, that he didn't come from a very good and supportive background. In fact, he and Harry probably have a lot more in common than they think. Brilliant of her to add that scene. I hope there is a lot more about Snape in the next book.
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