The Prisoner Of Azkaban
The Prisoner of Azkaban marked a step-up for the franchise in 2004 as a piece of technical filmmaking. Theres real cinematic flair on display from Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron as he mixed stunning cinematography with a slickness that elevated the film. The scenes involving Buckbeak are beautifully played and joyously realised, while the time travel sequences are stylishly executed. The dynamics between the main trio are more clearly defined than ever, while Harrys new relationship with Sirius the closest thing to a father figure hes ever experienced makes for pretty stirring viewing. We also see Harry begin to realise his potential as a wizard, mastering the patronus charm during the films emphatic finale. Theres no doubt that its a standout moment from a franchise that continues, even 17 years after the first film was made, to bring joy to millions around the world.
o other film franchise has captured the imaginations of fans all over the world quite like Harry Potter.
The movies have had a profound impact on entire generations of people across the globe while not always universally critically-acclaimed, the films have made billions of pounds at the box office, and secured their place in the pop culture zeitgeist forever.
With Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald released in UK cinemas this November, weve picked out our favourite films and ranked the instalments in the Potter universe from worst to best.
Harry Potter And The Philosophers Stone
It feels like sacrilege to put the first movie so low. The John Williams score twinkling for the first time that defining shot of Hogwarts against an inky black starry skyDiagon Alley… Yet its important to note that your memories of Harry receiving his letter are all about the first time you saw this world brought to life, not of the film itself which is distinctly average compared to what followed. Regardless though, it sets the scene for everything to come and if nothing else is two and a half hours of the promise of future excitement.
Richard Harris Dumbledore is a bittersweet joy as he welcomes the adorable Radcliffe, Watson, and Grint to their future lives as Harry, Hermione, and Ron, and the joy of experiencing Rowlings world for the first time cant be undersold. Chris Columbus direction might be plodding but the goblins of Gringotts, meeting Hagrid, learning Quidditch with the most chipper of Scots and entering the Gryffindor common room are all silver screen joy. This is a universe of so much potential that enraptures its readers and in that respect, the designers and casting professionals did everything right. Its the ultimate in magical wish fulfilment. We just wont talk about CGI Fluffy who hasnt aged particularly well…
Snape Was Outright Mean To His Students
I feel like people would be less quick to jump to Snapes defense if he knew just how horrible he truly was. Yes, he was mean to Harry because he looked just like the man who bullied him 30 years ago but that does not explain why he bothered all of the other students in his class. Honestly, a teacher with such a strong bias against an entire house of students should not be allowed to give out points as they will never do so fairly. He attempted to poison Nevilles toad, openly mocked Hermiones appearance, belittled Harry on his first day, and was just an overall nightmare.
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The Giant Subplot That Goes Nowhere
Giants are hinted at being a major element over the course of the fifth book, Order of the Phoenix. They’re the reason Hagrid is missing at the start of the year, a mission that he’s been sent on by Dumbledore in the previous book. And when he does finally return about halfway through the story, we’re ready for some game changing new wrinkle in the story – for good or for ill. Instead, we get a single story about his meeting with the giants, some brief appearances by Gworp, and not much else. The Giants are implied to be a major factor going forward in the war against Voldemort and his Death Eaters, but they end up really adding nothing to the narrative. Maybe it has something to do with the relative lack of Hagrid in the Half-Blood Prince and the traveling story that makes up the bulk of Deathly Hallows, but it’s always stood out to me as a weird choice to not spend at least some time with the giants and their apparent civil war. And no, having a few mentions of them in the final battle doesn’t make up for it.
Bring Back Lee’s Commentary
While the films did include brief snippets of Lees Quidditch commentary, it was not enough. Where was the rage? The clear bias? The constant cursing ? I need to know. The commentary included in the film simply described the events as they were transpiring. But that is not the Lee Jordan that I know. Also, we need a film version of the scene where Luna took over commentary duties for that brief period of time.
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The 8 Best Harry Potter Movies Ranked
Trans rights are human rights. Since JK Rowling revealed her harmful ideology about trans women on Twitter, any discussion of her work requires an unequivocal statement that trans lives are valid and matter. And then, theres her 3,700-word essay doubling-down on the rhetoric in her tweets and her latest Cormoran Strike novel centering on a serial killer who dresses as a woman. So, we feel fine letting JK Rowling spin-off into whatever bigotry fueled orbit she exists in now. That said, we know were not alone in our love for the Harry Potter movies.
So, were separating the Harry Potter movies from the views of JK Rowling. These films are about so much more than one person. They brought to life an immersive, imaginative world through spectacular movie talent. But not every Harry Potter movie had the same success showcasing that talent. Were ignoring Rowling and ranking the Harry Potter movies from best to worst.
Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets
At 161 minutes, Chamber of Secrets is the longest film of the franchise, and perhaps not so coincidentally its also the last film to try and fit everything from the book into the movie. Director Chris Columbus expands on the world he built so beautifully in the first film with a slightly darker and much more plot-heavy sequel, and while the film isnt bad per se, its definitely the most laborious of the bunch.
Though its certainly too long and meanders in places, theres still much to like about Chamber of Secrets. Columbus nails the realization of Dobby, toeing the fine line between mischievously funny and irritating to deliver a visually impressive and genuinely adorable CG character. Columbus also does a fine job at further defining the wizarding world with issues like the pureblood cause and Hogwarts dark past. But while Chamber of Secrets is enjoyable enough , it doesnt quite live up to the brilliance of the rest of the franchise.
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Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them Received Mixed Reviews
Audience score: 79%
Five years after the “Harry Potter” series came to an end, the Potterverse reared its delightful head and gave us the spin-off series “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.”
Audiences weren’t quite sure what to make of this film. Some fans called it “a fanciful stroll through a dreamlike world,” but others thought long-time Potter fans would be “underwhelmed by this extension of the wizarding world.”
“It’s not without fun elements, but there’s an almost total lack of compelling characters,” wrote audience reviewer Alec B.
Why Is Ron Comic Relief
Yes, Ron did have a lot of comical moments in the books. But he was also loyal, strong, and brave. And yet almost every moment of his bravery and strength was either removed outright or given to Hermione. Some of Rons lines were actually changed between the books and films to pit him against Hermione rather than have him stand up for her. Each and every book is utterly brimming with cases of Ron standing up for what is right and yet we barely get to see what a good man he is in the films. He truly is one of the most loyal and brave characters and it is truly disappointing that his character was, more or less, reduced to comedic moments for a majority of the films.
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The Chamber Of Secrets
The first two films in the Harry Potter series are by far the most divisive theyre loved or hated, with no room for middle ground. While it feels unfair to criticise the acting exploits of young children, theres no denying that the standard is pretty poor throughout Rupert Grint arguably delivers his best performance of the whole series here though, pulling some amazing scared faces during their trip to the Forbidden Forest. Sure, the visual effects are a little rudimentary at times, but theres a sense of wonderment and magic that the franchise seems to lose a little as it progresses. Whatsmore, Kenneth Branagh is superb as the vain and cowardly Professor Lockhart, while Shirley Henderson is perfectly cast as Moaning Myrtle.
Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix Impressed Many Fans
Audience score: 81%
Fans praised director David Yates for miraculously condensing the longest book in the series into a film that’s just over two hours.
However, many fans felt that “Order of the Phoenix” was more of a transitional moment in the series.
As audience reviewer Daniel M. wrote, “‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’ is a middling installment in the franchise which contains potential but lacks focus in its execution.”
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Why Each Harry Potter Movie Is The Worst
The Harry Potter films may be some of the most successful in the world, but here’s why each one in the series is the worst.
Harry Potter is, as most people would acknowledge, one of the most successful and influential popular culture franchises of the 21st century. The success of the books alone would have merited approbation, but the films also went on to earn a truly enormous amount of money.
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While each of the films has something to recommend it, it has to be said that each of them, no matter how much they were loved by fans and critics, had something about it that made it a less than ideal film, either as an adaptation or as a film in its own right.
Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire Didn’t Wow Fans As Much As The Other Films
Audience score: 74%
“Goblet of Fire” is the fourth installment in the “Harry Potter” series.
Although some complained that it felt “episodic,” or like a long “teaser” for the fifth film, others thought it did a fine job ushering in the final chapters of the series.
“A very solid movie in the ‘Harry Potter’ franchise. While it may not have been as good as the third, this is the first movie where you get the sense that these characters have matured, and are no longer the same as when we first met them,” audience reviewer Aiden S. wrote.
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The Deathly Hallows Part 1
Where do we start with this one. Its pretty drably shot, albeit with a few nice landscape shots thrown in for filler, and nothing happens for vast stretches of the film. With little to work with, the lack of on-screen chemistry between the leads is also exposed pretty routinely throughout too the bizarre dance sequence with Harry and Hermione in the tent is a series nadir, and remarkable for all the wrong reasons. Even Hedwig and Dobbys moving death scenes arent enough to elevate it into something more compelling. However, arguably the films biggest crime was starting the exploitative trend for splitting climactic books into two movies something The Hunger Games would also do a few years later. Its a pretty shameless bridging movie that really didnt need to exist.
Every Harry Potter Movie Ranked Worst To Best
After so much time apart, we were ecstatic when the folks at HBO announced they were bringing the Harry Potter movie series in its entirety to their cable and streaming platforms and featuring it alongside the latest addition to the magical universe, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Like so many muggles the world over, we hit our Harry Potter-verse binge hard all 21 hours and 48 minutes of it and we’re now ready to rank the entire series, from The Sorcerer’s Stone to The Deathly Hallows. Hold onto your wands, kids, ’cause the magic is about to begin.
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Quidditch Makes Like 0% Sense
Alright, I’ve talked up how much I love Quidditch, but I’ll also be the first to admit that it still kind of sucks. The game makes no sense and is purposefully designed around making Harry the big hero no matter what – which sucks a lot of the agency out of the game. Who cares about how many goals are scored or what daring plays happen, when we all know it’s just going to come down to Harry getting in a little mini-race. The biggest problem probably comes from the sheer speed of the game. And by that, I mean the sheer slow of the game. Because it can take forever. And while I do love that aspect as a little joke , it ends up ruining a lot of the pacing in the books where it appears. Whatever exciting mystery we’re dealing with has to be put on hold for a few chapters while people fly at one another. It’s a small element of the world and one of my favorites to visit, but I also understand and kind of agree with every complaint about it, especially when it ruins the pacing of the story.
Harry Potter And The Philosophers Stone 81%
Rewatching Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone, its astonishing to realize how much they got right from the very beginning. I mean, casting this one couldnt have been easy. For the three leads, they needed not only talented child actors, but talented child actors who could commit to a further seven films, literally growing into their roles on a very-nearly yearly basis. Luckily, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint were up to the task, serving as our guides in this utterly charming introduction to Hogwarts. Between the sumptuous design, the sweeping score and the assured adaptation of J.K. Rowlings source material, its hard to imagine a more solid foundation on which to build the series. More so than any of the films that followed, The Philosophers Stone succeeds in making magic look fun. From the visit to Ollivanders , to the Sorting Hat, to the first broomstick ride, Harrys initiation into the wizarding world is also our initiation, and we share in his sense of wonder at all of these incredible experiences, brought to life so beautifully on the big screen.
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Harry Potter And The Half
Director David Yates second brush with the franchise finds him navigating material thats both some of the series lightest and darkest. Half-Blood Prince is certainly the funniest film of the franchise, with Yates and the cast reveling in romantic comedy territory throughout much of the story. Jim Broadbent brings a goofy quality to Professor Slughorn that never goes over the top, while Harry and Rons many brushes with the opposite sex provide loads of comedic material, culminating in the guffaw-inducing Hermiones got nice skin exchange during a nighttime chat. Radcliffe, Grint, and Watson shine in these moments, and it at times feels like theyve been waiting the whole series to knock these comedic beats out of the park.
And yet, for all its levity, Half-Blood Prince tackles some devastatingly dark material. The story beautifully builds to Dumbledores death and Snapes betrayal without the climax feeling like a shocking shift in tone, and Yates and screenwriter Steve Kloves weave in Voldemorts backstory and the introduction of the horcruxes with ease. Its this marvelous tonal balance that makes Half-Blood Prince one of the most affecting films of the series, swinging from laughter to tears at the drop of a hat.
Rev Rank: Ranking Every ‘harry Potter’ Movie From Worst To Best
“Harry Potter” has to be one of the most beloved series in literary history. Many children around the world anticipated each book while growing up with Harry, Ron and Hermione. J.K. Rowling does have questionable opinions, but even she can’t ruin the magic of “Harry Potter.”
The movie franchise was also loved by many, but some movies were hits while others were misses. This may be the most controversial thing I ever do because I know a lot of people love these movies, but I will still sit through the worst “Harry Potter” movie because the series is that lovable.
In this special Rev Rank, I will be ranking the “Harry Potter” movies from worst to best. Warning, major spoilers ahead for anyone who hasnt finished the books or movies yet.
8. “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1”
Stars: 3/5
This movie was a snooze, but you need to watch this one to understand the lead-up fight with Voldemort. I will give the film some credit for trying to put a lot of information into one movie. Its saving grace was Dobby’s death because I still felt a connection with Dobby. It makes his sacrifice even better because his actions ended up helping Harry.
That was the lesson of every movie. Harry Potter may be the chosen one, but he had a lot of help from the people in his life. It is what made Harry different from Voldemort.
7. “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”
Stars: 3.5/5
6. “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”
Stars: 3.8/5
5. “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”
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