Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001)
7.899 /10
29574 Reviews
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Harry Potter has lived under the stairs at his aunt and uncle's house his whole life. But on his 11th birthday, he learns he's a powerful wizard—with a place waiting for him at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As he learns to harness his newfound powers with the help of the school's kindly headmaster, Harry uncovers the truth about his parents' deaths—and about the villain who's to blame.
Videos & Photos
cast
... Harry Potter
... Ron Weasley
... Hermione Granger
... Albus Dumbledore
... Draco Malfoy
User reviews
Ahh, the magic begins.
Harry Potter is an Orphan who on his eleventh birthday discovers he's a wizard and is called to term at Hogwarts School. But Harry is soon to find out that his past, and his destiny, is a truly remarkable, magical, and terrifying thing.
Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone arrived in a blaze of publicity, one of the most hyped and talked about motion pictures of the decade had finally arrived. The box office was guaranteed to bulge based on fandom book base alone, regardless of if the film got bad word of mouth or not, it was destined to be a monster smash hit. To someone like me who to this day has never read any of the Harry Potter books, it was easy for me to view objectively without comparison to the source - I enjoyed it immensely upon theatre release, and I still enjoy it equally as much now.
Director Christopher Columbus, I believe has wisely stayed loyal to the source material, and thus pleased the literature masses. Yet not all newcomers to the party were that taken by the magic on show, that's a little baffling to me because the budget explodes from the screen at every turn. Oliver Twist like sets form the marvellous Diagon Alley, dream like smoke cloaks the splendid Hogwarts Express, the school itself is a monolithic delight nestling in among eerie mountains - and what about the exhilarating introduction of Quidditch? Pulsating and frantic with no amount of devilment to keep us intrigued throughout.
The characters are all perfectly formed in the first two thirds of the film, here Columbus pulls off a masterstroke by interjecting the character arcs with dashes of wonder so that we the audience never gets bored. The final reel plays out solidly as per the mysterious "who done it" core of the piece, but it's down to the previous work in the film that we actually care come the finale. Some great casting of the adults really helps to make the film triumph, with Maggie Smith, Robbie Coltrane (one of the best casting jobs of the decade I would say), Richard Harris, Alan Rickman and Zoe Wanamaker all doing excellent work here. The kids are all newcomers that overnight were to become household names, all fresh faced and wet behind the ears, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint & Tom Felton are a delight to watch, and they all help to keep the feeling of charm constantly glowing up on the screen.
Owls here, witches there, what's that strange three headed dog doing over there? The Harry Potter franchise begins with a bang and a whip of the wand, and I and gazillions of others personally love it. 8/10
Director:
Release Date:
2001-11-16
Run Time:
152 min
MMPA Rating:
PG
Reviews of
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Ahh, the magic begins.
Harry Potter is an Orphan who on his eleventh birthday discovers he's a wizard and is called to term at Hogwarts School. But Harry is soon to find out that his past, and his destiny, is a truly remarkable, magical, and terrifying thing.
Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone arrived in a blaze of publicity, one of the most hyped and talked about motion pictures of the decade had finally arrived. The box office was guaranteed to bulge based on fandom book base alone, regardless of if the film got bad word of mouth or not, it was destined to be a monster smash hit. To someone like me who to this day has never read any of the Harry Potter books, it was easy for me to view objectively without comparison to the source - I enjoyed it immensely upon theatre release, and I still enjoy it equally as much now.
Director Christopher Columbus, I believe has wisely stayed loyal to the source material, and thus pleased the literature masses. Yet not all newcomers to the party were that taken by the magic on show, that's a little baffling to me because the budget explodes from the screen at every turn. Oliver Twist like sets form the marvellous Diagon Alley, dream like smoke cloaks the splendid Hogwarts Express, the school itself is a monolithic delight nestling in among eerie mountains - and what about the exhilarating introduction of Quidditch? Pulsating and frantic with no amount of devilment to keep us intrigued throughout.
The characters are all perfectly formed in the first two thirds of the film, here Columbus pulls off a masterstroke by interjecting the character arcs with dashes of wonder so that we the audience never gets bored. The final reel plays out solidly as per the mysterious "who done it" core of the piece, but it's down to the previous work in the film that we actually care come the finale. Some great casting of the adults really helps to make the film triumph, with Maggie Smith, Robbie Coltrane (one of the best casting jobs of the decade I would say), Richard Harris, Alan Rickman and Zoe Wanamaker all doing excellent work here. The kids are all newcomers that overnight were to become household names, all fresh faced and wet behind the ears, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint & Tom Felton are a delight to watch, and they all help to keep the feeling of charm constantly glowing up on the screen.
Owls here, witches there, what's that strange three headed dog doing over there? The Harry Potter franchise begins with a bang and a whip of the wand, and I and gazillions of others personally love it. 8/10
Alright first lets start with my problems with this movie.
Some of the effects do not hold up and that can take away from the magic or suspense.
The child actors are not very good at acting in this movie.
It is way to easy to nitpick this movie and all the nitpicks can be very distracting.
I think the main theme was used way to much in the beginning and that kind of took the magic out of the main theme for me.
I personally did not get sucked into this world which made me kind of bored at times.
People love the harry potter movies but these movies don't really click with me when it comes to characters, the lore, and the magic and I think the full story of harry potter is to drawn out and I just want the movies to get to the point.
For me if the ending of the film is not very satisfying my respect for the movie drops a ton and I don't think the ending of this movie was very satisfying!
The villain in this movie is super basic.
Now on to the good stuff!
I like how most of the scenes build up the characters, show us some magic, and it builds up the mystery!
I like the sets and costumes a lot!
I like most of the music!
_Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone_ is a masterclass is world building. This movie's world breathes and slowly discovering every inch of it is a joy, from Diagon Alley to Hogwarts Castle.
I would not say the story is overly brilliant, but that is just a catalyst for the world in this first film. Despite its minor drawbacks, it does enough to intrigue the viewer and kept me engaged.
The performances are a little off, which is expected as this film is primarily carried by three twelve-year-olds. But they get better as the film progresses and the adults in the film are able to bring the average up with their amazing performances.
Overall, this movie suffers from being dated with poor effects, CGI, and some rough child acting. Never-the-less, it manages to create an experience like no other and I expect the films to do nothing but improve from the initial entry.
**Score:** _77%_ |
**Verdict:** _Great_
It is impossible to imagine a world now, in 2020, that does not include these characters from the fantastically creative imagination of JK Rowling. That she worked closely with Chris Columbus in the creation of this adaptation of her introductory story featuring the boy-wizard means it stays broadly faithful to the book but allows the imagery to replace, rather than duplicate, the narrative. Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson validate the best in the casting director's art as we set off on this wonderfully enjoyable fantasy adventure. The supporting cast - Richard Harris, Robbie Coltrane, Julie Walters, Zoë Wanamaker et al all add richness to this as young "Mr. Potter" and is friends begin to realise their magical potential. John Williams works his wonders creating a score almost as recognisable as his "Star Wars" theme and the special effects are gentle, yet sophisticated. It is a bit on the lengthy side, and some of the adaptation sacrifices a little of the humour from the book - but all in all a movie to stand the tests of time.
Cast & Crew of
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Cast
... Harry Potter
... Ron Weasley
... Hermione Granger
... Albus Dumbledore
... Draco Malfoy
... Severus Snape
... Rubeus Hagrid
... Minerva McGonagall
... Vernon Dursley
... Quirinus Quirrell
... Petunia Dursley
... Mr. Ollivander
... Argus Filch
... Neville Longbottom
... Oliver Wood
... Goblin Bank Teller / Filius Flitwick / Griphook (voice)
... Dudley Dursley
... Fred Weasley
... George Weasley
... Nearly Headless Nick
... Percy Weasley
... Dean Thomas
... Seamus Finnigan
... Vincent Crabbe
... Gregory Goyle
... Madam Hooch
... Molly Weasley
... Ginny Weasley
... Lee Jordan
... Griphook
... James Potter
... Lily Potter
... The Fat Lady
... Lord Voldemort
... The Grey Lady
... The Bloody Baron
... Station Guard
... The Sorting Hat (voice)
... Fat Friar
... Bartender in Leaky Cauldron
... Firenze (voice)
... Susan Bones
... Diagon Alley Boy
... Angelina Johnson
... Alicia Spinnet
... Katie Bell
... Terence Higgs
... Marcus Flint
... Slytherin Beater
... Adrian Pucey
... Trolley Witch (uncredited)
... Child at Zoo (uncredited)
... Augusta Longbottom (uncredited)
... Girl in Potion Class (uncredited)
... Goblin (uncredited)
... Lord Draben (uncredited)
... Girl with Flowers (uncredited)
... Goblin (uncredited)
... Goblin (uncredited)
... Student (uncredited)
... Hogwarts Schoolboy (uncredited)
... Ravenclaw Student (uncredited)
... Hogwarts Schoolgirl (uncredited)
... Goblin (uncredited)
Crew
... Screenplay
... Stunt Coordinator
... Casting
... Set Decoration
... Visual Effects Supervisor
... Editor
... Art Direction
... Sound Effects Editor
... Production Design
... Director
... Novel
... Stunts
... Original Music Composer
... Casting
... Makeup Artist
... Special Effects
... Producer
... Casting
... Director of Photography
... Casting
... Costume Design
... Sound Re-Recording Mixer
... Sound Re-Recording Mixer
... VFX Artist
... Visual Effects Producer
... Visual Effects Producer
... Makeup Artist
... Visual Effects
... Stunts
... Visual Effects Supervisor
... Additional Third Assistant Director
... Executive Producer
... Associate Producer
... Co-Producer
... Executive Producer
... Executive Producer
... Executive Producer
... Stunts
... Stunts
... Stunts
... Associate Producer
... Art Department Coordinator
... Scenic Artist
... Temp Music Editor
... Art Direction
... Production Illustrator
... Unit Publicist
... Sculptor
... Projection
... Transportation Co-Captain
... Steadicam Operator
... Makeup Designer
... Set Production Assistant
... Script Supervisor
... Production Coordinator
... Still Photographer
... Chef
... Special Effects Coordinator
... Sequence Leads
... Dolby Consultant
... Assistant Art Director
... Set Designer
... Makeup Effects
... First Assistant Camera
... Security
... Systems Administrators & Support
... Utility Stunts
... Video Assist Operator
... Production Accountant
... Digital Compositors
... Assistant Costume Designer
... Gaffer
... Art Direction
... Standby Painter
... Camera Operator
... Costume Supervisor
... Grip
... Location Manager
... Art Direction
... Unit Production Manager
... Art Direction
... Construction Coordinator
... Transportation Coordinator
... Electrician
... Scoring Mixer
... 3D Supervisor
... Visual Effects Coordinator
... Art Direction
... Hairstylist
... Driver
... Production Manager
... Supervising Sound Editor
... Art Direction
... Painter
... Post Production Supervisor
... Boom Operator
... Sound Mixer
... Special Effects Supervisor
... Hair Designer
... CG Supervisor
... Color Timer
... Sequence Supervisor
... Visual Effects Editor
... Rigging Gaffer
... Music Editor
... Sound Re-Recording Mixer
... First Assistant Editor
... Orchestrator
... Animation Supervisor
... Visual Effects Producer
... Production Supervisor
... Lighting Supervisor
... Wigmaker
... I/O Supervisor
... Concept Artist
... CG Animator
... Animal Coordinator
... Aerial Camera
... Key Grip
... Casting Assistant
... Prosthetic Makeup Artist
... ADR Editor
... Pilot
... Second Assistant Director
... Assistant Production Manager
... Costume Coordinator
... First Assistant Director
... Additional Sound Re-Recording Mixer
... ADR Voice Casting
... Assistant Sound Editor
... Assistant Property Master
... Assistant Production Coordinator
... Lead Animator
... Tailor
... Supervising Music Editor
... Third Assistant Director
... Foley Editor
... Musician
... Dolly Grip
... Digital Effects Producer
... Stunts
... Costume Assistant
... Assistant Editor
... Senior Modeller
... Second Unit Director
... Petty Cash Buyer
... Foley Mixer
... Visual Effects Camera
... Construction Buyer
... ADR Recordist
... Special Effects Technician
... Production Executive
... Additional Second Assistant Director
... Stunt Double
... Digital Color Timer
... Matte Painter
... Hairdresser
... Continuity
... Assistant Sound Engineer
... Head of Production
... Special Effects Assistant
... Assistant Camera
... Location Coordinator
... Production Secretary
... Visual Effects Production Assistant
... Dialogue Coach
... Foley Artist
... ADR Voice Casting
... Assistant Accountant
... Floor Runner
... Rotoscoping Artist
... Head Carpenter
... Additional Visual Effects
... Animation Coordinator
... CG Artist
... CG Animator
... Digital Film Recording
... Dressing Prop
... ADR Mixer
... Wardrobe Assistant
... Camera Trainee
... Post Production Coordinator
... Location Assistant
... Compositing Artist
... Compositing Supervisor
... Production Assistant
... Supervising Carpenter
... Libra Head Technician
... Production Consultant
... Contact Lens Technician
... Storyboard Artist
... Visual Effects Production Manager
... Assistant Location Manager
... Property Master
... Dialogue Editor
... Second Assistant Camera
... Best Boy Grip
... Camera Operator
... Modeling
... Orchestrator
... Digital Compositor
... Sculptor
... Sculptor
... Sculptor
... Sculptor
... Art Department Coordinator
... Modelling Supervisor
... Scenic Artist
... Modelling Supervisor
... First Assistant Camera
... Wardrobe Assistant
... Visual Effects Production Manager
... Art Designer
... Visual Effects
... Compositing Artist
... Gaffer
... Production Assistant
... Digital Producer
... Special Effects Makeup Artist
... CG Supervisor
... Visual Effects Supervisor
... Visual Effects Supervisor
... Production Supervisor
... Hairstylist
... Prosthetics Sculptor
Videos & Photos of
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Videos (3)
Official Trailer
1: 31
Trailer
1: 31
Photos 91
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