The first two Harry Potter films were the best, weren't they?

[PolkadotsAndMoonbeams]

I had a nostalgic re-read earlier in lockdown, now I'm on a nostalgic re-watch.

But they went downhill after the first two didn't they?

The uniform swapped from being nice to being cheap black jumpers and they all looked long-haired and scruffy (some of that is being teenagers in the 2000s I know!), they chopped and changed the plots so much, and without John Williams the music just wasn't as themed/good.

There are some nice little extra bits (the animal sweets in their dorm, McGonagall teaching them to dance in GoF for example), but in general they're just not as good as the books. I'm also turning into my DM and hate the fact that half the action seems to take place in the gloom — even Hogwarts looks dark and miserable!

They just seem to lose some of the magic from the first couple (which I thought Fantastic Beasts managed to re-capture well in the first one actually). I know the storylines became darker and more grown up, but the films seem to take that to the extreme.

Nope. Prisoner of Azkaban is the best movie.

First HP movie is magical. Second is great.
Then unfortunately they all go a bit 'action' for me.

I agree .only enjoyed one and two

The first two are proper adventure family films- kitschy and entertaining like National Treasure or The Mummy.

From the 3rd onwards it’s like Skins with broomsticks. All dark and dingy with overacting teens and poorly cast supporting characters.

I have very strong feelings about the HP film series versus the books

I think the fourth one is the only good one, but I am fond of 1, and 2 is the next best after 4 for me. 5 onwards I find completely unwatchable.

None of them are a patch on the books though.

It’s a pity they’re so bad in aggregate, because what those films achieved in terms of crafts, special effects, costume, production etc is remarkable.

They're all shit. Books are good but the films suck. Emma Watson makes me cringe every time she speaks, she overacts terribly.

Emma Watson’s eyebrows have a life of their own, she’s bloody awful.

Number 4 is only decent because Mike Newell is the only director in the franchise who knows how to get passable performances out of shit actors.

6 is the best.

It's ages since I saw them... But over lockdown DD had discovered the first 3 books that I had tucked away in the attic. I said she could only see a film if she had read the book first! Well she's read and reread them loads and I picked up all the film's on dvd for £4 at the car boot last weekend. We've got a long journey coming up and I can't wait to see her face when I say she can watch the first 3! ( The rest will be hidden away until the appropriate book has been read!!!) I now also have to go and buy book 6 and 7 as I never had those!!!
I'm glad to hear that general consensus is the first one is brill!!!

Prisoner of Azkaban is the best- but that might be because i was the same age as the kids when that was released. Because of delays in filming I sort of caught up with them.

After that they just get a bit too dark

Nah first two are a bit kiddie. Prisoner of Azkaban, Half Arsed Prince and first Deathly Hallows films are my favourite. Very dark and brooding, but I’m an exGoth so that’s probably why I love them.

Deathly Hallows Part one is this best HP film, but half blood prince is the best book.

*bangs gavel

@Waxonwaxoff0

They're all shit. Books are good but the films suck. Emma Watson makes me cringe every time she speaks, she overacts terribly.

This is pretty much exactly how I feel about them. Saw the first one in the cinema and was so aghast at how bad the acting was I never watched any of the others. It ruined HP for me for years.

The theme parks and JKR being a legend have brought me back into the fold. Now I'm just hoping they remake all the films.

Film one, the kids were all young and bad actors
Film two, has Dobby, automatically makes it the best
Film 3, my favourite book, was never going to measure up
Film 4, cut out too much and added stupid stuff in (the dragon, really!)
Film 5, my least favourite book, the film cut out a lot of the unnecessary, umbridge was brilliantly cast and Luna was introduced. Great film
Film 6, again cut out far to much of the book, but ends well. Watchable
Film 7, Dobby dies, only part of the film I cared about
Film 8, quite liked this one, except Voldemort's death, kinda missed the point there.

So for me 2 and 5 were the best. 1,6 and 8 are watchable. And 3,4 and 7 are just about tolerable

I wish John Williams had scored the whole lot.

The problem I had with GoF was that they made some bits so much longer than they needed to be (e.g. the first task, when what he did was supposed to be quick and clever, and not involve killing/seriously injuring a dragon and taking half the slates off Hogwarts roof), at the expense of other storylines that would have made it more well-rounded.

The Quidditch World Cup and the ball were wonderful though, they had some amazing sets.

I know somebody who is a very good hockey player, and when she was about 11 played against Emma Watson's school. My friend's team lost with a score of something like 14-2 because nobody would tackle her!