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Director and Writer (Platform): Chris Columbus and Steve Kloves – based on the book series by J.K. Rowling (NOW)
Publisher (Release): Warner Bros. Pictures (2001)
Length: 2 hours and 26 minutes
Genres: Young Adult; Fantasy; Action; Adventure
❗️Disclaimers❗️:
minimal violence
themes of abuse
this review contains low-level spoilers
recommendation: must watch
👍 Pros 👍
Turns a classic into a phenomenon
Casting that feels like they conjured the characters from the very pages of the books
Stupendously superb music and design
👎 Cons 👎
Its beefy runtime can feel a bit jagged
👀 Synopsis & Trailer 👀
When a mysterious giant reveals to him that he’s a magical wizard on his eleventh birthday, Harry Potter enters a world he never could’ve imagined in his wildest dreams. Fantastical and frightening, navigating the class politics will be the least of his concerns when darkness and conspiracy descend on Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Trolls, three-headed dogs, and a dragon stand in Harry’s way to finding out about his dead parents and the events that left him dubbed The Boy Who Lived.
🧩 Plots 🧩
Riveting
Engaging
Enjoyable
Uneven
Boring
🎭 Characters 🎭
Alive
Developed
Okay
Inconsistent
Soulless
🎞️ Adaptation 🎞️
Faithful
Excellent
Balanced
Messy
Disfigured
🧠 Final Thoughts 🧠
Harry Potter would undoubtedly have been a classic solely in its book form, but, thanks to the cast and crew of the film adaptations, the series has become a phenomenon. From detail-attentive storytelling to character castings that feel like the creators performed real magic to pull them from the pages, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone smartly uses its beefy runtime to tell an unmissable coming-of-age fantasy.
Distinct aesthetics create a strong, old-timey feel with John Williams’ musical score complimenting with a special magic of its own. If there’s any soundtrack that can transport millennials back to their younger, likely happier days, it’s the haunting and epic magic Williams crafts for the film.
The Philosopher’s Stone is pure imagination brought to life, and I have to give credit to absolute standout performances by Robbie Coltrane, Emma Watson, and Alan Rickman. Adaptations rarely hit as hard as the Harry Potter ones do, but even fewer scar pop culture in a way that, even two decades later, newbies and fans alike can be ensouled by the magic here.
The Phoenix Project 