Movie Review: "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone"

Synopsis: Orphaned as an infant, all young Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) has known is a miserable life with his Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, and bratty cousin Dudley.  However, his life does a complete turnaround when he meets Hagrid, and gets accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  When Harry finds out that Voldemort, the evil wizard who killed his parents, is on the loose again, he knows that his life is in danger.  His friends Ron and Hermione are willing to help him every step of the way...but, will even the three of them be able to stand up to a master of evil?
Based on the bestselling book by J.K. Rowling.

The Good: It's easy to see why this movie franchise became one of the most successful of all-time.  Excellent production values, great acting, a captivating story...what's not to like? Harry's triumph over dire circumstances is very inspiring.  Profanities are kept to a minimum, there's no sexual content, and the violence isn't bloody or gory.  Sounds all well and good, right?

The Bad: If only I hadn't read the book alongside watching the film.  There's so much more to the original novel that, just by watching the film, one has no clue of what's really going on; it's like reading the Cliff's Notes instead.  Also, some scary scenes are present, particularly the climax; then again, it only gets scarier from hereon out.

Conclusion: I was late to the party with Harry Potter; I didn't read the books until not long before the seventh and then-final one came out.  A few years ago, I had watched the movie series in its entirety...but, until recently, I had not read any of the books save for Cursed Child, which is actually a play.  As good as the movie is, they cut out so much of the novel, I felt that it didn't do the book justice.  People who don't read--of which there are many, especially millenials--are likely to just stick with the films; they don't know what they're missing.  While this flick is memorable, it still pales in comparison to the international bestseller that inspired it.

Score: 3/5