Review: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

#102 - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone


Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is the first film in the epic series about a young boy who finds out he's a wizard. Our journey starts on the night that Lord Voldemort kills Harry's parents. He is sent to live with his Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon in Surrey to avoid danger. He grows up thinking that his parents were killed in a car crash, and that there is nothing special about him at all. His aunt and uncle have him living in a cupboard under the stairs while they fawn over their only child, Dudley. The Dursleys soon get their world turned upside down when Harry receives his first piece of mail...ever. It is delivered by an owl and is sent from a place called Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Vernon refuses to let Harry open the letter, and that is when truly magical things start happening. Hundreds of owls begin dropping off letters to Number 4 Privet Drive, and when Vernon still won't let Harry read his letter, they begin flying through the openings in the door and the fireplace! The Dursleys run away to a secluded shack on an island, where Vernon thinks that no one will be able to find them. Boy, is he wrong. When midnight hits on Harry's 11th birthday, the door knocks down to reveal Hagrid, a giant wizard. Hagrid has come to take Harry to his first year of school at Hogwarts. Problem is, Harry has no idea what he's talking about. Hagrid is outraged and performs a little magic on the Dursleys. Harry is finally able to read his letter from Hogwarts, and he finds out that his parents did not die in a car crash. They were magic, and Harry is a wizard. This revelation begins the wizarding life of Harry Potter. He is whisked away to a life of spells, witches, wizards, and goblins. During his time at Hogwarts, he befriends a boy named Ron Weasley and a girl named Hermione Granger. They team up together to save Hogwarts when a dark force threatens it. Harry learns that Lord Voldemort has returned, and he is trying to get his hands on something known as the Sorcerer's Stone. With the help of Hagrid, Harry and his friends find the whereabouts of the Sorcerer's Stone and save the day. Harry comes face to face with the man who killed his parents and defeats him yet again. Because of the power of love protecting Harry, Voldemort cannot stand to touch him. For the second time, the love that Harry's parents had for him has saved his life. Although Voldemort seems to have been killed by Harry, Albus Dumbledore (the headmaster of Hogwarts) feels otherwise. He thinks that Voldemort has returned, and that he is not quite dead. Harry's first year at Hogwarts comes to a close, and he boards the train to London to go home for the summer. His first year has been eventful and he has learned of enemies most powerful, but the positive thing is that he has made an everlasting friendship with Ron and Hermione.

This film can only be described as magical. It brings you into a world that no one thought possible. Although it is geared towards children, because no one knew the phenomenon that the Potter series would become, it is still a very good film. It wraps up all of the wonder that magic contains and puts it on screen. The journey that Harry, Ron, and Hermione go on is one that is exciting from start to finish. Throw in antagonists such as Professor Snape and Draco Malfoy, as well as a villain (Lord Voldemort) and the movie has every element needed to be fantastic. I would also like to say that the casting is spot on. I can't imagine anyone else playing these characters.

The only aspects of the film that bother me is that they don't pay attention to little details that will make a difference later in the other films. Like I said, they had no idea how big the Harry Potter series would blow up to be, so I feel like they didn't think it would matter...and that no one would care or catch it. For example, when Hagrid comes to pick up Harry at the shack in the ocean, they use a dummy stand-in when they have a full body shot of everyone near the fireplace. It's creepy, and you can totally tell that it's fake. Touch ups like that are things that are missed.

And the fact that some of the kids tend to overact. Emma Watson, for instance, articulates to the point of annoyance. That's just what comes when working with young actors though. This is the only film it happens in, so it's not that big of a deal. 

Overall, I am in love with this film. It has its little flaws, but nothing that distracts from the enjoyment of the film.

I give Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone 4.5 out of 5 stars.