Review of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001) by Harry W — 16 Apr 2014

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was always a magnificent story from my childhood with all kinds of magical appeal, so to finally watch it again as an adult I could appreciate it for everything that it was.

And I can happily say that aside from a few flaws, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was still the magnificent piece of storytelling from my childhood.

As an adult I was able to identify some of the little issues in the film. Mainly they were that there were brief moments where the visual effects weren't completely stellar and looked a little rough. But then again, considering that the film is dated by 13 years I don't really blame it.

And also, there is a lot to take in from the Hogwarts universe. There are many characters, mythical creatures and spells to learn from the universe, and for the wrong viewers that could be too many. Admittedly, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone manages to tie everything together well and lets the universe unfold around viewers as they sink into the universe and become seduced by its magic, but it is likely that some viewers may be overwhelmed attempting to take it all in while following the story and remembering all the characters. It isn't too likely, but there is a chance.

Still, disregarding all of that, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is a magnificent spectacle of storytelling which stays very true to its roots as a novel as well as being a generally exceptional fantasy venture.

Thanks to impeccable direction from Chris Columbus, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone manages to work as a large success in various areas of storytelling and achieve amazing visual feats at the same time.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone has no problem telling its magical story and it stays to the same path of J.K. Rowling's source novel perfectly. It captures the essence of the novel's magic and depicts its universe near-flawlessly. The screenplay in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone captures the language of the novel and all the characters with it, and combines it with a touch of humour which always comes well timed even if it feels a little pretentious on occasion. It makes Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone a thoroughly well written feature with a lot of strong characters and intelligently conceived humour against the backdrop of a simple story in a complex universe. And there is a lot to learn from it as it covers themes of friendship, heroism and magic as well as many other things very well.

And from a visual perspective, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is unforgettable. As well as benefitting from fairly effective visual effects, the entire film features outstanding costumes and a powerful production design all shot on some unforgettably beautiful scenery which is vibrant with colour and stunning imagery which flawlessly establishes the universe of the film and never looks back. The design of Hogwarts itself is unforgettable, and it makes everything full of a lot of rich realism to boast. Fantasy films rarely feel as real as Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, and thanks to its visual characteristics and it's gradual pace in which it reveals more and more of them, audiences learn practically as much about Hogwarts itself as Harry Potter does as he enters the world and comes to face everything within it. Everything is also captured with excellently angled cinematography which captures the mood of each scene as well as the scale of the spectacle, always moving gently and never becoming too shaky or quick for its own good.

And as an atmospheric venture, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone boasts powerful sound effects which are edited into perfect timing of the film, all against the backdrop of an unforgettable musical score composed by the legendary John Williams himself. The music in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is perfect and always tunes into the emotions of the scenes well, so it can be boasted as being some of John Williams' finer work.

And refusing to stop with all these positive film aspects to boast, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone manages to even ride to skills of an exceptional cast into the sky and soar. It's because the cast all are convinced that Hogwarts is real and so they don't play the characters, they embody them flawlessly and being them to life. And these is not one miscast, but simply too many to talk positively about so I have to narrow it down.

Daniel Radcliffe is the perfect choice for the role of the titular Harry Potter. He is easy to sympathise for from the first second he is on screen, and from there and forth he just grows and develops. He has the innocence of being unknowing of the wizardry world at the start of the film which later develops into a thirst for knowledge and adventure which makes him an awesome hero. Daniel Radcliffe has a natural juvenile British charm which makes him perfect for the role, and the way he interacts with all the other cast members exhibits a certain skill that usually requires years of acting experience to achieve. Daniel Radcliffe nails the role of Harry Potter, and he deals with the lines with sophisticated talent which is just terrific.

Rupert Grint's performance as Ron Weasley is also terrific. Sharing an excellent chemistry with his many co-stars and mainly with Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, Rupert Grint establishes the sort of anxious uncertainty of the Hogwarts universe which is perfect for the character. His nervous attitude and consistent neuroticism make him the ideal decision for the role of Ron Weasley, and with his own juvenile charm he manages to perfect both the physical and emotional aspects of the character. He is a large source of the comic relief in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, and he succeeds at it without any real problem whatsoever.

And Emma Watson is unforgettable in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Playing the smart female archetype who dominates the three main protagonists her book smarts, Emma Watson's confidence and sharp line delivery makes her the living embodiment of the character Hermione Granger. She is such a charming and lovable figure yet irritating at the same time. She finds that balance so that she never puts all her performance skills into playing one single archetype. She balances between them and acts with such an intelligent gusto, the kind that a strong character like Hermione Granger really needs to be brought to life. And Emma Watson finds that and delivers it with a flawless charm and impeccable chemistry with the surrounding cast members. Emma Watson is a flawless casting choice in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, and her confidence and demeanour is just refreshing.

Robbie Coltrane also makes himself an icon for his performance as Rubeus Hagrid in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. He takes on a role looking so different to himself but never deviates far from his natural Scottish charm. Personally, Hagrid is my favourite character of all the Harry Potter series because of his chemistry with the young cast which is very friendly, the fact that Robbie Coltrane's performance gives a certain strong honesty to the character and simply because he takes a character that is commonly a thin figure and makes him a deep and meaningful character with a lot of dedication to line delivery and physical nature of his character. Robbie Coltrane is an excellent British actor, and his role as Rubeus Hagrid flawlessly overshadows his other appearances in films such as Mona Lisa or guest spots on Blackadder. Robbie Coltrane is impossible not to like as Rubeus Hagrid, and he just steals the screen whenever he appears on it.

Richard Harris' performance as Professor Albus Dumbledore is too easily perfect because he captures the same kind of wisdom that Sir Ian McKellen captures in the role of Gandalf the Grey in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, though in a more restrained performance. Richard Harris simply delivers his words with a simple peaceful charisma which is no challenge for an actor as skilled as he. Richard Harris creates a perfect support for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in his performance, and he is a true genial presence.

Maggie Smith has a certain mix of wisdom and sass about her in the role of Professor as Minerva McGonagall. She has an ability to dominate which comes with her age and the sense that she has a vast understanding of the universe that the young protagonists are just learning about. Her small amount of screen time manages to make an impact on Maggie Smith as Minerva McGonagall, and her line delivery and facial expressions ensure that her character stands strong amongst a big crowd of talent.

Alan Rickman has a certain mysterious dark quality about him which makes him perfect for the role of Severus Snape, the same mysterious darkness that gave him a career breakthrough for playing antagonist Hans Gruber in the action classic Die Hard. He constantly leaves audiences asking questions due to his his unpredictable nature which is shrouded in mystery, and it is quite frankly one of his greatest roles to date. The character Severus Snape manages to capitalise on the endeavour of Alan Rickman's various acting talents, and he plays the part with serious gusto.

Tom Felton is also an awesome presence, and John Cleese, Warwick Davis, John Hurt, Ian Hart and Richard Griffiths all manage to make fine additions to the cast as well by contributing their own dedication to the characters and fine line delivery in their respective roles.

So riding an impeccable universe as the medium for telling its meaningful magical story, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is an exceptional start to a film series that would later become highest grossing film series of all time.