Really? Damn. I didn't particularly like the first film 'cause of the bits that got missed out and changed largely and whatnot, never bothered with the second, and, from what I did manage to see of the film between falling asleep and losing attention to the majority of the outside world (not because it was boring, mind, but because it was on during a sixteen-hour coach journey to Germany...ugh, never again...), it seemed to be quite a lot better from what I recalled of the first in pretty much all aspects. As such, I was expecting continued improvement along into the fourth film, but with such a review I am somewhat put off...hmm.

Reminds me, I've still gotta re-read the books. I can barely remember anything of 1-4 save for the basic plot outline.

Wow. Well maybe I shouldn't go see it then, even though I was planning to over thanksgiving. Ah well. That'll save me five dollars. (It only costs me that much 'cuz I'm a student ^^)
Sounds like they left out most of the good parts of the book. Though I'm still curious and want to see it for myself...maybe this one I'll just wait until it comes out on DVD and rent it.

How was... Barty, Crouch.... Jnr?

David Tennant, any good, bad, average villain fair?
I mean, come on, we ALL knew loads was going to be cut out of the books, movies ARENT like books, they just dont have time to have all of the subplots, it's up to the actors and director to do good performance and make what they CAN fit in the best...

And if they HAD split it into 2 movies to get all the subplots in, it would make 2 detials but boring movies. Well, maybe not boring but, it just WOULDN'T be as good... It suits the books, not the movies...

To be honest, he didn't do much. The flashback he did pretty well with but besides that, nothing. Weasley Twins stole the show as always though 😀

I know I'm replying to myself either way, but I hope the MFC thread system is enough excuse to forgive me.

Went to see it again with an open and non-anal mind and despite my annoyance over the sheerly rushed story and lack of interesting bits; I have to say I WITHTRACT MY FIRST POST.

Well the sentiments. The facts remain the same, but all in all it's not that bad, it does everything a movie needs to do even if it's stretched so thin you can barely pick it up.

I'd elaborate, but after seeing the film with a family of Potter fans and discussing the books (and Narnia) at length and how we each felt, I do find myself unable to hate the movie.

Only reason I posted my initial reaction was the first 5/10 minutes which left me sour. Armed with foreknowledge I enjoyed it greatly 🙂

GoF still sounds rather crudtacular to me. No Percy? Or Winky? Karkaroff's Death Eater past not mentioned? Clearly, foreshadowing is not welcome in HP films.
I maintain my view that books are meant to be books, and movie adaptations will never do them justice. Some can be enjoyable- "Wizard Of Oz" has perhaps the greatest OST ever, but it doesn't change the fact that subtle nuances of the book and even whole characters got lost in translation. Same thing applies to modern adaptations of classics- movies sacrifice plot to emphasis lush backgrounds and crisp audio. Not necessarily a bad thing, as many people will flock to see such style-over-substance films, but it's just not my thing. Glad you liked the movie better the second time round, Craig tho I think I'll save my money for book 7.

Craig, look at it this way. They left more in than they did with Prisoner of Azkaban. I for one actually enjoyed it. They seemed to deal with the time restraints pretty well.

I decided to go ahead and see it anyway with my neighbor this weekend. It wasn't that bad. I really enjoyed the special effects and the creepy scenes with the graveyard and the opening scene I thought was excellent. Certainly they have to fit 500 pages of book into a 2 and a half hour movie, of course they're going to butcher the plot somewhat. I was quite impressed with the eye candy there though. There are some things in it that I missed, it didn't really bother me that much, but I did look for the things Craig pointed out in his spoilers. Yeaaaah. Maybe they did cut things out and put too much emphasis on Poly Juice potion, but I thought it was good. Although Moody was nothing like I imagined, I think they did pick a good actor to play him. The dragons were really cool. I also thought the demonstration of Durmstrang was impressive.
Ah well. I think it was alright. That's my take on it anyway.

Maybe I need to see it a second time too. My main reaction I think is that it's pretty good as a movie, FX are great, but so much got cut out. I was looking forward to Miranda Richardson as Rita Skeeter and that whole subplot.

And Harry got stuff done too easily. I liked in the books the way he and Hermione were spending every spare waking hour practising the Accio charm so that it would actually work on the day.

That said, there were some great one-liners as usual Plus the graveyard scene (which was pretty much what I was waiting for) did not disappoint. The maze was less great though (anyone else think Evil Dead at one point during that scene, or is it just my perverted mind?).

DW

*Blushes and raises hand* I may have made a comment to the Evil Dead effect... But only because my friend said that Myrtle "takes necrophillia to the next level" (causing people around us to laugh. The second night audience were great, one person cracked up laughing during a "Don't Drink and Drive" advert and so everyone did)

I think I should re-read the book now. I only remembered him practicing Accio after you mentioned it.

Ooh! Evil Dead references?
Now I'm seeing it....

Okay, to be serious.
My expectations aren't that high. However, the special effects look pretty, and I anticipate Voldemort being less crappily done than the first film, so I will see it. Even though I hear Snape is underused.
Ruining a certain thing 2 minutes into the film does not fill me with confidence, though.

Saw it, not quite sure what to say. I'm not those type of people who compare the book with the movie. The movies are different then books, I'm aware of that. My only real main complaint is the lack of any scenes with Fleur and Viktor and to a certain degree, Cedric, but I guess that's just me, well, that and the whole rushed feel in some parts that the HP movies seem to all have (at least I noticed it anyways).
~Neo

...It...It...UGH. Its like a lose-lose situation. If you read the book, you know how great the story-line was, and so you know ho wbadly it was butchered. I fyou didn't read the books, then there was no plot, thus the plot couldn't have sucked. But, a movie needs a plot. So, the movie sucks. Indeed, I guess its not as bad as I make it out to be, but with everyone having talked about how great it was going to be, I had high expectations that were dashed, as like with Craig, in the first 5-10 minutes of the movie. The pensieve was screwed up. No house elves. No Half-giants. No money for winning (The joke shop! U-No-Poo). No anything. It was just a bad experience, a great book that could have bee translated into a great movie. And I'm in the minority of my friends- I would have rathered shelled out double money in order to get 2 parts, and get a good movie.

just a few hours ago, at the newish cinema complex in Bath, becca came across her greatest nemisis..

PEOPLE TALKING THROUGH THE ENTIRE FILM! O__@;

*breathebreathe, ahem. thinks calming thoughts, not the ones about her pouring all her popcorn over their heads.*

you're wrong slightly craig, i wish MORE people had read the book. because then less of them would be turning to their more informed freinds to ask loudly 'who's he then?', 'what's going on?'.

..admittedly, the little kids (all under the age of 10 by the look of them. 12? pfft) crying and then asking if harry had died had vauge amusement to it.

i quite liked the film as it's had a slight darker turn to it, it's more about them as teens, and it had scenes envolving dragons. nifty.
but at the same time i disliked it due to the first 12 minutes. (for same reason the rest of you disliked it, too) and the choppy way it seemed to be presented.
things did seem far too easy for harry at times, even the bullying doesn't appear to effect harry now.
so many of the plotpoints that carry onto the next books have been left out entirely!

but..
snape + book + harry and ron's heads = amused giggles from becca. 😛

Quote:

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admittedly, the little kids (all under the age of 10 by the look of them. 12? pfft) crying and then asking if harry had died had vauge amusement to it.

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...why were there little kids there?

On a lighter note, Craig, now you have put an image of Bruce Campbell in my head, dressed like Harry, with a double-barrell shotgun, aimed at Voldemort, going "ALL RIGHT, YOU EVIL SCREWHEAD! THIS IS MY BOOM WAND!"

because their parents had taken them to see harry potter becuase they're fans? i don't know any other reason, i didn't exactly pin 'em down and question them.