Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Review
by Homer Yen (homer_yen AT yahoo DOT com)December 14th, 2001
"Harry Potter" – The Book Magically Comes to Life
Never having read any of the "Harry Potter" books, I can not be considered an avid fan. I was not swept up by the fanfare that preceded the release of this film. But I am in the minority. Its opening weekend take shattered box office records by generating over $90 million, surpassing the previous record holder which was "The Phantom Menace."
Tickets were even sold out for most shows at the Cineplex Odeon at the White Flint Mall. If you live in the DC area, you probably know that the only good thing about this theatre is that it occasionally shows a movie that is otherwise impossible to find in Montgomery County (I saw "Amelie" there and noticed the sold-out status and long lines for HP).
This is arguably one of the worst theatres in the entire DC area in which to watch a film. The screen is small and the sound system is lousy. And there aren't any prime seating locations. Either you're sitting too close and have to painfully tilt your head up at a 30-degree angle or you're too far away and have to squint in order to see the screen. You'd be better off watching a film in your basement. Still, the Harry Potter magic was so strong that it even brought people out to this cinema.
I can only imagine that these people were hardcore fans of the book, and they came out to see its magical transformation from hardcover to the big screen. Happily, they'll probably be excited at how the film vividly captures the details, atmosphere, and creatures of JK Rowling's book. The characters, like Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane) who would mistakenly blurt out secrets and then be amazed at himself for saying such things, are wonderfully eccentric and amusing. The world of Harry Potter is mystical. The big city looks like something out of a Charles Dickens novel and the grand halls and rooms of Hogwart's School of Magic are gothic masterpieces. Also stunning is a sequence that features a game called Quidditch, which is sort of an airborne combination of soccer and rugby. Meanwhile, the obstacles such as trolls and other beasts are daunting and even a bit scary.
The author reportedly had enormous input from the landscapes rendered down to the color of the broomsticks. And all scenes had to be approved by her prior to filming. Even the actor who plays Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) looks just like the image on the hardcover books. So, watching this fine-looking film saves me from reading a 700+ page book.
Yet, at the same time, I also very much wished that I had read the book first. It's obvious that great care had been given to this adaptation. For example, when Harry goes to buy his first magic wand, there are dozens from which to choose and all of different designs. And, when he wanders the hall of Hogwart's School of Magic, paintings take on a life of their own. There are dozens of other examples, but it is clear that the book is able to spark your imagination in wonderful ways. Meanwhile, watching the film is like having everything spoon-fed to you. That's not necessarily bad, but I believe that the film's beauty and grandeur would be more pronounced if you had read the book first.
Grade: B
S: 0 out of 3
L: 0 out of 3
V: 1 out of 3
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