Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Films

Related: TV discussion forum.

Original poster

Back from Harry Potter!!

83 replies

flamesparrow · 19/11/2005 00:37

I made it through the whole film without weeing (quite a feat for 6 months pregnant ).

It felt a little rushed, but I did enjoy it. As with all HP films, you need to go in ready to watch a film, and not an adaptation of a book, and you will be fine! I used to get worked up at how much change, but since starting with that view, it makes it all enjoyable.

So yup, loved it - the darkest of all so far (but then so is the book)... I do think the 12a rating is a bit steep, but since I don't actually have an 8 - 12 year old, I'm probably not much of a judge!

The rest of you - enjoy it when you get there!!!

OP posts:
bea · 01/12/2005 17:30

same here, we saw it last night and had to explain to dh a few things... thought it was a fab film and very very excited whilst watching it... biting my finger nails during the dragon task... thought the maze was very very spooky and very well done...

anyone knoe when it wil be out on dvd???

SantaClausFrau · 01/12/2005 17:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Tamba · 01/12/2005 17:58

I wanna be a wizard

ItllBeLonelymumThisChristmas · 04/12/2005 10:19

Well, I saw it yesterday and I have to say, I was disappointed. I did enjoy seeing the film and I smiled and enjoyed the joke as much as anyone, but I felt it was nothing compared to the book. You would have to have read the book beforehnad to know what was going on, I would have thought, but then, having read the book, you are bound to be disappointed that so much was missing.

I really didn't care for the way the film was made. It seemed to me that nothing was explored properly. Every scene seemed to end abruptly and the next scene followed on in a most disjointed manner.

Also, I read a review that said that Daniel Radcliffe wasn't up to the acting anymore, and I am afraid I was rather on the look out for failings in his acting and, as a consequence, I found them, much to my disappointment as I loved him in the previous films. Also, I was staggered by how poor I felt the others acted too: Rupert Grint and Emma Watson both seemed very wooden and there are no words to describe my disgust for Michael Gambon as Dumbledore - he is so wrong for the part! Richard Harris was much better. I could do a whole essay on why Michael Gambon was wrong - anyone agree with me? The superlative actors such as Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith and Robbie Coltrane didn't have big enough roles in this film to rescue it. And as for casting my gorgeous David Tennant in such a minimal role - words fail me!

ItllBeLonelymumThisChristmas · 04/12/2005 10:22

I know this film had a different director but did it also have a different script writer? I just wondered if the actors seemed wooden because the script was poor? I mean, the time when Ron tells Harry to "p* off" seemed so wrong... Didn't go down well in the cinema either.

MarsyChristmas · 04/12/2005 10:35

I saw this yesterday with DD1 (11). I don't think that the 12a was wrong. I think it was right to put that there. There were some dark and scary images which some children would dream about. I wouldn't take DD2 (7) to see it, but then I think she's too young and actually it was a real concession to let DD1 see it.

That said, we really enjoyed the film. It was good to remember bits of the book (which was a loooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnngggg time ago).

Part of me wishes the Lord of the Rings trilogy hadn't happened yet because it was far and away better than HP and sadly the two are connected in my mind because the first films came out a the same time.

ItllBeLonelymumThisChristmas · 04/12/2005 11:02

I have to say, I didn't notice any children getting upset when I was there (and there were loads of little ones there - much younger than my ds2 (nearly 8) who didn't want to see it - personally I think they were too young for it). The only time I heard children express horror was during a trailer for another film about an alien being dissected in a post mortem.

ItllBeLonelymumThisChristmas · 04/12/2005 11:04

If you think that the next classification down would be a PG, that would be totally inappropriate IMO.

Tamba · 04/12/2005 11:49

I agree that the actor that played dumbledoor just seemed wrong for the part for some reason, he seemed to be very scottish at times and then at some times not.

I just re-read Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince and cried again!!

weesaidie · 04/12/2005 11:58

I really liked this film, thought it far superior to the first three, although the last one was good.

I thought they cut the book very well, as they had too or it would be six hours long!

I also thought that the child actors, especially Harry had imroved a great deal.

And I love the books! But still enjoy the films, or the last two at least!

weesaidie · 04/12/2005 12:00

Oh and loved the dragon bit, and the ball... and it all really. Seen it twice!

ItllBeLonelymumThisChristmas · 04/12/2005 12:29

Tamba, don't cry over Dumbledore. I am sure all is not as it seems!

ItllBeLonelymumThisChristmas · 04/12/2005 12:30

Oh and I'll tell you what is wrong with Michael Gambon's performance: too abrasive. Dumbledore is a bit ethereal and definitely not phased by things IMO.

SantaClausFrau · 04/12/2005 12:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

weesaidie · 04/12/2005 13:09

I like Michael Gambon but I know what you mean LM, he does seem far more serious and angry then Dumbledore... he is more like book 6 Dumbledoor than book 4!

ItllBeLonelymumThisChristmas · 04/12/2005 13:51

Even book 6 Dumbledore is less abrasive than MG's performance in film 4.

I know it is not his fault Riachard harris died, HF, and I suppose Michael Gambon, being the actor he is, wanted to bring somethng of his own to the part, bt I disagree that he is doing the best he can. Or rather, if that is the best he can do, someone else ought to be found for the role.

Sorry, can you tell I feel strongly about this? It is just that the relationship between Harry and Dumbledore is going to become more and more inportant to the story as the films go on, and I just think there is no rapport between Gambon and Radcliffe right now, and Gambon is misrepresenting the character of Dumbledore, and it is spoiling it for me.

Right off to a HP website before you all think I am obsessed!

weesaidie · 04/12/2005 17:00

I do think you are right here LM, I commented on myself, I quite like his playing of it but it is NOT Dumbledore as in the books. Where is the gentle humour? The nonchalant, everything will be okay attitude?

nikkie · 04/12/2005 17:27

Has anyone else seen this

ItllBeLonelymumThisChristmas · 04/12/2005 17:39

Yes nikkie, I have! That is why I said to Tamba not to cry over Dumbledore. I am convinced by (most of) this guy's arguments.

maddiemostmerry · 04/12/2005 17:59

Also the killing curse only works if the intention is there.

ItllBeLonelymumThisChristmas · 04/12/2005 18:05

Exactly, maddie.

You know what? I have never in my life been so hooked on a series of books as I am on this. And I was so dismissive of them until I got hooked this summer! I suppose it is because the series isn't finished yet so there is room to speculate on what is to come.

maddiemostmerry · 04/12/2005 18:11

LM, When Order of Phoenix came out I was going into hospital to have my tonsils out, I took the book with me so the kids couldn't read it before me

ItllBeLonelymumThisChristmas · 04/12/2005 18:15

Well, as I said, i never bothered about them until this summer, but I know now that when the last one comes out, I will be there at midnight buying it!

geranium · 08/12/2005 17:49

just been struck by a thought reading this and looking for a Narnia review. Do you think teh Dumbledore not being dead is the same as what happens in Narnia - ie a willing victim replacing a legitimate target means the killing doesn't work?

Davros · 06/01/2006 19:58

I know this is an old thread but DH and I went today to see HP as its DH's last day of holiday. We loved it, esp the dragon and the underwater scenes. Worst thing was Ron's hair. I agree about MG as Dumbledore, he seems to be trying to put on an Irish accent sometimes, presumably because PO'T was Irish although I never noticed him using his accent as Dumbledore! I was thoroughly grateful that it didn't faithfully follow the book and was cut down a lot, I thought that was the most boring and hard work of all the books with loads of padding. BTW, I also came up with the Dumbledore's not dead theory just after reading the last book but a true HP nut I know thought I was bonkers so I shut up! (for once).