Review (SPOILERS) (long)

[Penny Linsenmayer]

Hi --

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go see the movie!
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go see the movie!
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go see the movie!
spoiler space
go see the movie!
spoiler space
go see the movie!
spoiler space
go see the movie!
spoiler space
go see the movie!
spoiler space
go see the movie!

What I liked:

1.  Jason Isaacs -- Wow!  He was just superb.  Absolutely superb.  I don't know what I think about the "avada kedavra" debate -- I might have more thoughts after I see it a 3rd time this week.  But, boy, he was just awesome.  He really brought so much to the character.  I've never given much thought to Lucius before (yeah, sorry Heidi and Gwen).  Isaacs really did a fantastic interpretative job IMO.

2.  Radcliffe -- I'm surprised by the number of people who feel he's flat and has only a handful of emotions/expressions in his repertoire (politely bewildered, mystery-solver or hero were the 3 expressed IIRC).  I think he conveys quite alot with his eyes really.  He's said that CoS is his favorite of the books, and I think that comes through.  I also think his performance was considerably more mature than in the previous one -- I think he's progressing very well and will be more than up to the complexity of PoA.  

I thought the scene between he and Riddle in the chamber before Riddle called the basilisk was superb -- he hit that spot-on.  In fact, I'd say that the "I bet Dumbledore saw right through you" was the best-delivered line by anyone in the film.  His expression was *perfect.*  I thought he was incredibly intense and just did a spectacular job with this scene.

He can hardly be blamed for the absolutely horrific dialogue he was given for the post-Ginny-waking-up bit (more on that later).  In fact, I think to the extent there is fault with Radcliffe's performance in the movie overall, I'd put the blame for that mostly on the shoulders of Columbus and Kloves.  I think he's doing a great job with what he's given, and I look forward to PoA (my personal favorite) being under someone else's direction.  I hope Kloves is not the screenplay writer on that one (but suspect that sadly he probably is). 

I also thought he was very canon!Harry as someone mentioned in the confrontation with Lucius Malfoy at the bookstore.  I thought he had the right intensity and tone and that spunk and grit of canon!Harry there too.  And in Lockhart's office and in the bathroom before the Chamber was opened -- very nice delivery and tone there too.

3.  Related to #2 -- the Parseltongue.  I know Gulplum has said he hated this, but wow, oh wow, I just LOVED it.  I thought it added to the intensity and the darkening tone and the complexity of Harry.  Oh my gosh -- cannot say in strongly enough terms how much I absolutely LOVE that it was actually parseltongue and not English.  Wow.  That was the perfect decision, IMHO.  So, so, soooooo perfect.  

4.  The Anglia was well-done, and I loved the Burrow.  I'd have liked to see more of the Burrow -- Ron's room for instance.  I don't know the fellow's name, but I think the casting for Arthur Weasley was inspired.  He's going to be great if he sticks with the role. 

5.  McGonagall -- I just love Maggie Smith's McGonagall.  She's perfect.  I love Rickman too, though Amanda has already treated us to blow-by-blow of his performance so I'll skip it.  Branaugh was quite good as well.  In fact, I think the casting has overall been tremendously successful -- a really stellar cast.  I look forward to them all being under the direction of someone other than Columbus (more on that under "What I did not like" below).

6.  Quidditch -- much improved .... I felt alot less dizzy and like my contacts were unfocused.  Definitely better (though I completely agree that some of that could have been cut in favor of better transitions and pacing in the overall film).

7.  The Spiders -- this was well-done, though I think it did have somewhat too much Columbus over-the-top special effects feel to it.  I think it would have been more effective if (a) Ron's *fear* of spiders had been more emphasized -- he should have visibly backed off from the spiders and instead he just matter-of-factly says "I don't like spiders" and (b) the scene should have been shorter overall (maybe, as someone suggested, not having the car stop before they are out of the forest).

8.  Moaning Myrtle -- loved her performance -- a creepy Myrtle was perfect.  

9.  The Polyjuice scene --- those actors for Crabbe & Goyle really got the Dan and Rupert look down -- they used the same expressions and it was just very, very cool I thought.

10.  Emma Watson's Hermione -- she's great in the role I think, though I did find the tears at Hagrid's to be very un-canon!Hermione.  The one thing I do love about Kloves is that he has said that Hermione is his favorite character -- so I think he has done a decent job with her characterization.  I didn't think she was 'too smart" as someone else said, though I do think she displayed more confidence and thinking-on-her-feet than she does in the books so far.  Megan's grumbed that she thought the movie might be titled "Hermione Granger at Hogwarts" and wondered if Kloves has a thing for Watson.  No, it's just that Hermione is his favorite character (he apparently won JKR's heart when he said that).  :--) 

11.  The scene in Dumbledore's office after they are out of the Chamber -- I'm sooooooo eternally thankful that Kloves didn't screw with that dialogue as I think it's some of the best in the series.  All the great lines are more or less intact, and I think it was well-done.  I'm not a super fan of Harris' Dumbledore (so I too am somewhat pleased there will be another one) .... but I think this scene was close to what I might have hoped for.  Radcliffe certainly handled it very nicely (well ... except for picking up the sword by the blade --- I agree that this definitely didn't work).

12.  Not enough Oliver Wood -- not nearly enough Oliver Wood.  In my theater too, the squeals of women in the audience certainly overshadowed the dialogue for a few seconds.  Yes -- use more of Biggerstaff next movie.   :--)

What I did NOT like:

1.  Ron's characterization -- Okay, I'm not exactly Mr. Fan-of-Ron by any means, but I also don't see him as the scared & stupid sidekick that he seems to be in the CoS Movie.  I know everyone is blaming Kloves & Columbus for this, and primary blame probably must lie with them, but I do note that Grint himself says that "Ron is scared of everything" in many interviews I've seen with him.  So, to some extent, I think Grint is interpreting Ron in this manner, and I can't quite figure out where he comes up with that.  Strange.  I think we do see sparks that Grint can be a promising actor (the scene in Lockhart's office), and he was certainly the show-stealer in the previous movie.  I'm disappointed with what they did with his comic abilities and the overall characterization in this one though. 

2.  I didn't like the "just leave him there" line from Professor Sprout.  The audience really laughed both times I saw it, but it just didn't sit right with me.   

3.  Must echo what many others have said about Columbus, Kloves, pacing and editing.  I agree with everything that VJH wrote about how the screenplay could have been rearranged & edited so that film would have been far more effective and subtle (and use the same amount of time).  I agree that the film is still choppy, though improved over SS on that front IMO.  Transitions are clearly a real problem for Columbus and his editors.  I do so hope that Kloves is not butchering PoA as we speak.  I really think it's time to get another screenplay writer to pair with the new director.  Of all the books, PoA can sooo be Oscar material if done right.  

The special effects were overall very improved over the SS film; however, Columbus really needs to learn that "less is more."  Less is more.  I would have liked to see considerably more subtlety in this film.  Unfortunately, it's obvious that thus far (at least under Columbus' helm), the films *are* being primarily targeted to children.  This is tragic, since the books have such widespread cross-generational appeal.  I really hope that with PoA and GoF, WB starts to shift the emphasis and bring to life the darkness, complexity and subtlety of these books.  

4.  The Great Hall scene at the end.  Bleh.  The H/H'er in me didn't mind the H/H hug (<g>), but the whole thing with Hagrid's appearance and Harry hugging him and the escalating applause and blaring music -- bleh, bleh, bleh.  I agree that they should have just done a more subtle look at the feast in the Great Hall and then panned out to the castle or the Hogwarts Express leaving or something.  Anything would have been better than the sugar overload.     

Things I'm neutral about (didn't love or hate) --

1.  Dobby - I pictured him in my head as overall lime-green, rather than the ET-ish brown .... but he was fine.  He was not as annoying frankly as he is in the books.

2.  The basilisk -- it was okay I think -- not terrific, but not horrible either.  

3.  Ginny -- as with canon, there's nothing much to love or hate -- she's just a non-entity background character.  Odd though really that this, her shining moment in canon, is such a low point for her characterization.  

Penny
(who can't wait to go see it again ... and again.... and again)

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