“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” (2001)

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Grade: A-

The first film in the eight-part Harry Potter franchise, Sorcerer’s Stone (née Philosopher’s) is the most “magical” installment of the franchise — an awe-inspiring introduction to the world of Hogwarts, which helps offset the adaptation-by-numbers choppiness. A few more notes on Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone:

Directing:

Chris Columbus remains remarkably faithful to J.K. Rowling’s book — almost too faithful, you could say. Nevertheless, the undertaking is filled with the necessary wonderment. This is a fantasy world that is just as immersive as Lord of the Rings, but with a childlike sense of innocence at its center. Thanks to Columbus’ vigilant attention to detail, the film comes readymade with real heart.

Acting:

Centering a two-and-a-half-hour film around 12-year-old actors is tough, yet Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson all exceed expectations. They embody their characters perfectly, and Columbus smartly never gives them too much to do. It also helps that they’re surrounded by a talented ensemble of Britain’s finest supporting actors, including Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, Robbie Coltrane, Richard Griffiths, John Hurt and Richard Harris, among many others.

Writing:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is a bit too long. Luckily, the magical world is so mesmerizing that our time spent in Hogwarts never feels tedious, but too often does it feel like Columbus and screenwriter Steve Kloves are merely checking off chapters from J.K. Rowling’s novel. As such, the film can at times feel disjointed, but the story is so engaging anyway that we can easily forgive such flaws.

Music:

John Williams does it every time, doesn’t he? Another instantly recognizable score à la Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park, etc. Memorable leitmotifs abound, which help Harry Potter stand side-by-side with those aforementioned adventure movie classics.

Ending (SPOILERS):

The final scene — in which Harry gives Hagrid a heartfelt goodbye — is the best moment of the entire movie (maybe even the entire series). It’s tender, touching and completely genuine, and it’s powerful enough to bring a joyful tear to the eye. The ending is bittersweet in all the best ways: Harry is leaving the place and people he loves, but he knows he’ll be back soon enough.

“Now if you two don’t mind, I’m going to bed before either of you come up with another clever idea to get us killed – or worse, expelled.” – Hermione Granger

Why Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone gets an A-:

The storyline is too faithful to the book to truly work as a standalone film; however, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is still the most magical, innocent and nostalgic entry in the franchise — the first one we collectively fell in love with.

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