To not understand the appeal of Harry Potter...?!

[Scaramoose]

This is lighthearted btw...

I am off to Florida with DH and DS (6) in a few weeks and we have watched the first Harry Potter film and also been looking at the Harry Potter stuff at Universal.

The film bored me to absolute tears. The characters seemed two dimensional and wooden, the story dragged and the names for things, eg Muggles, just irritated. I shared this view with my sister who couldn't believe I didn't like it as she thinks it is 'absolutely brilliant' and 'incredibly clever.'

DS will love it, as he did love most of the film (I say 'most' as it's so long) and I wouldn't want him to know what I really think but I really, honesty, don't get it! The pretend platform at Kings Cross and the queue outside the HP shop in York also flummoxed me as it's obviously such a big deal for so many people! Im amazed something that seems so dull has done so incredibly well (and from what I have heard about JK Rowling she is very level headed about it, which is lovely.)

Am I the only one...?!!

The films aren't brilliant, which I think is always going to be a risk with a film that relies on child actors. Daniel Radcliffe gets a bit better, Emma Watson stays fairly wooden.

The books are better. The audio books are the best.

I'm with you OP. Hate them.

i love the movies! YABVVVVVVVU!!!!

ThePinkOcelot I was the same, a bit wtf...? While yawning....

You are not allowed to criticise Harry Potter on MN. Many have tried and failed.

I thought the books were awful: wordy, dull, complicated. And so did my son. Though we did try.

I agree although I think jk's a cool lady

I loved the books when I was 12.

As an actual adult they don't interest me what so ever. The films are awful and the books (from about 3 just seem to drag on and on and on and on and on)

Sadly few people share my opinion on this

I was your son's age when the films started coming out. I loved it. Grew out of it by the time I was twelve. Its only interesting to children (and adults who never grew up) because it is a children's story. It's quite imaginative. The best part is where the evil ain't makes him live under the stairs-dickensian in a very 21st century way.

I recommend you get an audio version of the book and listen to it with your son (e.g. in the car). Then you’ll both get the full effect without you having to read it.

YABVU. It's wonderful.

Try reading more than one book or watching more than one film before writing it off.

The books aren’t very good, either, frankly. She’s a bit like Stephen King, in that her ideas are ok, but her prose is pretty woeful. And actually, her ideas are nothing that wasn’t done 100% better by Diana Wynne Jones. I like her style on Twitter, mostly, and her adult fiction is much better. But the HP series? Nah. Not so much.

It’s not for everyone just like anything. I don’t mind it but DP can’t stand it and says it’s an obvious rip off of LOTR. He made me watch LOTR for the first time last year, I fell asleep.

Yabu.... you can’t base the whole of the Harry Potter series on the watching of one movie and never having read the books.... of course you’re not gonna get it!

I don't even think that's the worst film (deathly hallows part 1 is basically 3 stroppy teens camping).

The books are much better, but if you're proper prepping for Florida you really need to find out what house you're in

Dont judge a book by its film. The first 4 films were awful. I discovered hp very late compared to others. I can't stand the movies except the last 2 as I find they have left very little out. The shortest movie is the longest book.
Seriously just read the first book...

I'm not a massive HP fan, but HP world in universal is bloody amazing!!!! I actually got goosebumps when we visited at Easter.

We done the wand experience thing, were olivander get the wand to pick the child. By some stroke of luck, we got to do it with just me,dd and dh in the room and it was bloody amazing. DD will remember it forever.

The frozen butter beer is amazing 🤣

I can definitely see the appeal for kids. Wizards, witches, Quidditch, spells, potions.

Agreed I just don't get the Fuss average children's books at best as were the films the only standout character in both is Snape/Alan Rickman.

Grown adults losing their shit over crap Harry Potter Primark clothes just comes across as pretty sad

Absolutely agree that Alan Rickman did in the series what he’s done in pretty much every mediocre film he’s ever appeared in - rendered it watchable. Sorely missed.

Grown adults losing their shit over crap Harry Potter Primark clothes just comes across as pretty sad

Figgygal You’re so right; people being happy is just so sad

God forbid people get enjoyment out of life.

The books are better than the films (although I also love the films). I'm not going to tell you to read the books though- it is obvious from your comments that you won't like them. Which is fine. There are many wonderful things un the world that some people don't get or enjoy.

I love books, I love reading, I love magical stories and yet I don't really enjoy the HP books. The later films (book 5 onwards) were excellent.

However, when I see how my DSs devoured the HP books from an early age, reading them time after time until the covers came off and we had to buy new editions, how mesmerised they've been by the films and how thw whole HP thing has influenced their own writing, I can't be anything but entirely in love with Harry Potter. He's part of our family's story.

*in

I loved the books but have yet to stay awake through any of the movies.

I’m with you. I’ve read up to the Goblet of Fire and have watched the films up to that point as well.

I’m just not into them. I’m not a huge fan of fantasy truth be told but other books I have liked. Personally I just don’t think they’re very well written.

Certain people will get enraged though if you express anything other than pure love for the series which I find perplexing.

Read the books, OP. The films are a bit meh.