The world had gone crazy for this Harry potter dude and I was baffled as to why. I have never read the books and in all honestly I have totally missed the entire phenomenon, however, when the tickets for the New Zealand premiere arrived I was overcome with excitement!
This movie made US$31.6 million at the box office on its first day! US$31.6 million! It is now the biggest opening day grossing movie of all time, beating the Phantom menace, which only recently made the top of the list with US$28.5 million.
Daniel Radcliffe was the perfect choice for Harry, and I instantly feel in love with his two mischievous friends Ron and Hermoine played by Rupert Grint and Emma Watson respectively. John Coltrane was endearing as Hagrid and you may recognize Hollywood’s resident old lady Maggie Smith as professor Minerva McGonagall. Alan Rickman played the baddy come goodie. His track record is one of getting irreversibly drunk through out filming. He seemed a little bitter in the movie ‘making-of’. Maybe with all the kids around an alcohol ryder wasn’t an option?
The whole thing was magical, the story, the set, the characters, the feel. I sat through Jurrassic park going ‘that’s not real, that’s not real’ as I was very conscious of the fact that the animals were the result of computer graphics, however throughout all the broom stick flying, trolls, three headed dogs and magic experiments I was totally engrossed and never once brought back to the harsh reality that it was all postproduction genius at work. At almost 2 and a half hours long there was a bit of fidgeting in the theatre. I must admit that was me however, not the 100 or so small children who didn’t make a peep.
The plot is very close to that of the book, bar a few scenes they left out, my little sister - a devoted Harry follower – informs me, but it basically (sorry if I get anything wrong Harry lovers) goes a little something like this; Harry is placed with relatives as a baby by the magical realm as his parents have been killed and they fear he is also a target. The relatives turn out to be horrible, selfish people and Harry grows up in a warped slave like existence under the stairs. One day an owl bring him a letter but the uncle won’t let him read it, another letter comes, and another, until the family is forced to move to get away from the onslaught. Harry’s giant like guardian finds him and rescues him from a life of servitude thrusting him into the world of magic. He kits him up for school and sends him on his way. The witches and wizards boarding school is the piece de resistance of the movie with a magnificent castle standing on a rocky outcrop in the middle of the sea. Harry makes friends and then the school sport team and conquers all that is put in his path confirming his mark as a special wizard with powers greater than he can yet imagine.
The colours, the imagination, it was all magnificent. It did live up to what all the world has been raving about. It is technically aimed at a younger audience and I did find myself getting a little fidgety in the middle but all in all this is a must see just to delight in a world so beautifully created for your viewing pleasure
The world had gone crazy for this Harry potter dude and I was baffled as to why. I have never read the books and in all honestly I have totally missed the entire phenomenon, however, when the tickets for the New Zealand premiere arrived I was overcome with excitement!