Having watched these recently again on the big screen, I am able to make a judgement call of my own.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is not my favorite.
And why is that, you ask?
Sorcerer's Stone is an uphill battle the entire time. From the moment the movie opens, it has a very presentation feel to it. What do I mean by that? Simple, everything feels like it has to be announced before it is allowed to continue. Of course, this was done because of this being the first movie, it needed to have its characters, setting, and situations set up and brought the audience. If you haven't read the books, it does its job very well of giving you a lot of information. However, since this movie came out before the series was even half done, some of the choices that they went with feel out of place and lacking. Going back and looking at this movie feels like polite to a television show that will run for many seasons but is slowly, over time, began to ret-con itself.
The movie begins with the set up of this world, via John Williams' score and the arrival of Albus Dumbledore, here played by Richard Harris. Within the first five minutes we are introduced to Albus, Professor McGonagall (who is introduced to us via these words: "It is nice to see you this evening, (pause) Professor McGonagall." Now that we are properly introduced...), Hagrid, the word Muggle, Privet Drive, and Harry Potter as a baby. It's a lot to take in. A lot!
As the film progresses, it does introduction after introduction. Here's Ron, here's Hermione, here's the train, here's the hat, here's Draco, here's Quidditch, here's Nick, here's Snape, here's the story of Voldemort, here's Voldemort. It just goes on and on, which is why this film is such a challenge. The filmmakers HAD to do this stuff. They were required to do this stuff. They had to give us the old "Now coming to the stage, give a warm welcome for..."
The acting is, to be quite frank, wooden. Now, I am not talking about Alan Rickman or Maggie Smith and although at times there is a bit overacting they both rock their parts into greatness. No, I am talking about Ron, Harry, Heromine, Draco, and the rest of the kids. Basically, they are all trying, and you can see that on screen. I feel bad for them as they have so much weight and expectations on them as actors bringing these characters to life. One can almost say, that they got close to blowing it. Close. But the dialog mixed with the so-so direction of, "now stand here, don't look towards the camera, and deliver the line," pretty much vindicates them. Chris Columbus is having trouble pulling off performances that don't feel distant and unrehearsed. Then there is the lack of development for such entities as Nick and the ghosts, the other kids in Gryffindor, and the main "villain," Quirrell. Basically they are given very little screen time, and for the most part, ham it up. Like I said before, it's rough.
I want to hit on the special effects here for a moment. I know that this was 2002, but those effects are terrible. The CGI looks cheap and not finished. The lack of motion capture makes these characters look like they live in a video game and the creatures that they meet are done so bad that they are actually distracting. And don't get me started on the Neville flying scene. Oy! Thank goodness they fixed this in later movies.
But it isn't all bad. No, some of it is funny stuff. Hagrid oafishness comes off perfectly when the tension needs to be broken. The kids situations are funny at times and some of the surround kids, namely the twins, really do bring some much needed humor into the mix. It works really well when it doesn't try to work really well.
At the end of the movie, you are left with a somewhat satisfying, if not hollow feeling as you exit the theater. Yes, we have had introductions, and yes Harry has saved the day. Yet we were given TONS of information that we weren't able to process at any given time. It's too bad. This is one of the best flawed origin stories out there.
As one final note in regards to John Williams' score. I want to cover this later in a future column, but I need to hit on it now. John sets up a lot of themes, some that will resonate (at times) through the rest of the series (for the most part). He does a lot of atmosphere work here, but at times even his score gets in the way. Sometimes, and this is normal for John, he gets uber dramatic with the orchestra, and it feels like a opera playing along side the film. It can be distracting.
Now, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, while still deeply flawed, shows that the filmmakers, which were the same from the first movie, have learned several large lessons.
So we get to school, and the main plot runs from there. The Polyjuice potion is introduced to the world, Moaning Myrtle is introduced, played by an actress that makes no sense, and I don't care for. Her voice is annoying and high pitched, and it is apparent in close ups that she is too old for the part. Why she was casts as this part, I'll never know.
As the movie progresses, we get a giant spider, a giant snake, voices in people's heads, dueling, a diary that possesses people, and Tom Riddle. Well done to Christian Coulson for taking a small role, and making it work. He can actually act and does so very well for the part, given that he is told to stand there and look menacing. He pulls off the creepy factor very well, giving you just a small shiver up your spine.
As I mentioned before the CGI is not as bad as the first. In fact, the creatures have more care given to them, as the large spiders are actually moving like spiders and the Basilisk is pretty scary to see up close. Not bad. There is still the crazy video game characters inserted into random action scenes, but they are much less rough.
John Williams is still loading down the scene with as much music as possible. However, this time, it seems to compliment the scenes more often than not. The themes from the first ones are used to very good effect and all and all, it is very successful.
So Chamber is a vast improvement over Sorcerer's Stone, as it uses more humor, a tighter script, and better acting. Jason Issacs as Luicius Malfoy is without a doubt the highlight of this film. He makes you hate him immediately, and you really want something bad to befall him. That is the benefit of a good actor in a good or well written part. Whenever he's on screen, you don't trust him, you don't like him, and you want him gone! Good stuff there.
I also want to hit on the fact that this was Richard Harris' last time as Dumbledore. He passed soon after this movie was finished. Now the problem with his Dumbledore was that it was played like a sickly old man. Knowing what he goes through in later books, I am not sure Richard would have been able to pull it off as well. It is sad that he died, but, given that he never felt very powerful, it is nice that they chose to go with Michael Gambon for the next. Richard Harris was a great actor, but he just wasn't an Albus Dumbledore that I could believe in.So, i am off to the next two films. I can't wait to see these films, as these are when the HP series of movies began to grow up!
--MGS
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