Throwback Thursday Review: 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone'

This week I'm finally starting up my series of Harry Potter reviews and to make these series of reviews a little more unique I will going back and re-reading each book to account for the differences in transitioning the source material to the big screen. Each Harry Potter review will have a two week gap in between them to provide me plenty time to reread each installment as well as distribute the reviews out more evenly leading up to the spin-off/prequel of sorts Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Next week I'll finish up my series of reviews on the Dark Knight Trilogy with a Throwback Thursday Review of The Dark Knight Rises followed by Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets the next week. In the meantime, expect reviews within the next week of War Dogs, Pete's Dragon (2016), Kubo and the Two Strings, and possibly Ben-Hur (2016). I apologize that my Pete's Dragon (2016) review has been so delayed but I haven't had time to go out and see it just yet but have plans to watch and review it soon and I saw an early screening of War Dogs last evening with a review ready to publish tomorrow. Another film I will likely review soon is Sing Street, a film with a lot of buzz, which I purchased fairly recently for streaming now that it's available on home media. 

'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone' Review

Nominated For: Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Score.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is the film adaptation of the first book in the longstanding Harry Potter franchise created by mystical author J.K. Rowling. The Sorcerer's Stone introduces us to Wizarding World of Harry Potter through the lenses of Harry Potter, an orphan whose entire life changes the day he receives a letter to attend the Hogwarts School of Wizardry.

In order to be a successful adaptation of the novel, The Sorcerer's Stone would require lavish production design and impressive special effects. Fortunately, the film has just that and even more fantastic technical elements to add to it's magical grandeur. Director Chris Columbus managed to effectively channel both his own perception of J.K. Rowling's mystical world while staying true to the descriptions evidenced in the novel with remarkable set design, costumes, and practical effects creating a seamless School of Wizardry.

The film's special effects held up for the most part, and are enhanced by the exceptional cinematography, as various creatures and incantations looked authentic with the exception of a few Quidditch sequences in which characters are flailing about on their brooms. In these small sequences, the early CG renderings just don't compare to the stellar CG seen in more modern blockbusters but I'm not knocking The Sorcerer's Stone for it's age. The film also bolsters a magnificent score from John Williams that evokes wonder and awe with a magical sensibility about it.

The screenplay penned by Steve Kloves translates Rowling's transcriptions expertly as dialogue is ripped straight from the book to great effect and where sequences are shaved off for a slicker running time, Kloves ensures to pepper in a line of exposition or two that fills the plot-holes left from the abrasion.

While all the aforementioned are quite important, the film wouldn't have worked without a terrific cast and the casting was spot-on as each actor feels to be a real-life version of the characters found in the book. Daniel Radcliffe breaks onto the scene as Harry Potter and had the right amount of courage, heart, and charm for the role.

Alongside Radcliffe, Rupert Grint made for an excellent clumsy and courageous sidekick Ron Weasley and Emma Watson expertly encapsulates the clever know-it-all persona of Hermione Granger. The three young child actors' chemistry onscreen is unlike no other as they seem like the perfect embodiment of close childhood friends.

Other mainstays of Hogwarts who encapsulated their character's personas include Richard Harris' wise old Albus Dumbledore, Maggie Smith's kind yet stern Minerva McGonagall, Robbie Coltrane's large but lovable Rubeus Hagrid, Alan Rickman's slippery Severus Snape, Matthew Lewis' dopey Neville Longbottom, and Tom Felton's venomous Draco Malfoy. Fiona Shaw, Richard Griffiths, and Harry Melling don't have much screen-time, isolated to the first act but channel the wicked demeanor of the pesky Dursleys; Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, and Cousin Dudley respectively.

In summary, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is a charming classic thanks to top-notch technical elements, a riveting story, an incredible cast, an illustrious score, and a nice touch of heart.

Film Assessment: B