New Harry Potter: just horrible. (spoiler alert)

[KimB]

Well, I got into the books starting about two years ago, and have enjoyed all the movies so far, but this latest one was just a travesty.

I mean, the fouth book is really where the series begins to mature and takes off. It was a very exciting book, with a number of twists and turns.

But the movie changed so much. Not only that, but it was very confusing for those who hadn't read the book.

SPOILERS AHEAD!

My primary gripes with the film where the character of Dumbledore and the fight with the dragon. Specifically, Dumbledore's character, who was always a cool and collected father figure in the books, is portrayed as a frazzled old man in the movie. This was just sickening to watch.

Secondly, the dragon. The goal of the fight with the dragon is to steal an egg from the dragon. In the book, the dragon actually protects her eggs. In the movie, the dragon just comes out and attacks Harry straight off, with no thought toward the egg at all. While it may have been somewhat exciting, it just made no sense whatsoever. The dragon, for instance, just had no reason to chase Harry at all.

Then there were the things that were cut out. No Weezley's Wizarding Wheezies. No prize money. No Ludo Bagman. No Winky. Crouch was never under the Imperius curse. No explaination as to how Crouch junior got out of Azkaban. No explaination as to why Harry and Voldemort's wands connected. Not a hint of the persecution of muggles by the Death Eaters. Rita Skeeter isn't outted as an animagus.

Maybe this movie should have been made a two-parter, but even if one just looks at what was left in, there were some serious deviations from the book that should just not have been there. This movie has left me with serious doubts as to how well the fifth movie will turn out. Since the fifth book is such a hugely character-based book, I now have tremendous doubts that there's any way that the movie crew can do those characters justice. Not to mention it's just so incredibly long.

 

[CMAN]

http://www.beyond3d.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25666

 

[KimB]

http://www.beyond3d.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25666

Sorry about that. I looked, I really did. I guess I didn't look long enough (I suppose another 3 seconds may have done it....but hey, time is money, right?).

 

[jvd]

while i didn't like some of it , iit would have been way to long of a movie dude .

They only had two and a half hours to make it . Things like hermonie doing the house elf thing would have slowed down


I do agree that many people don't get the whole moody thing as i explained it to a few that were there . But all in all its a good movie .

What i really hope to see next movie a little more harry / ginny connection . I know there is still cho chang to deal with . But in the books harry / ginny is done so poorly that i really can't see them together .

I'm hoping they start hinting at it strongly . The last time we see any of it is in chamber of secrets and its really only her liking him. No idea why he likes her all of the sudden.

Though she really looked like the girl that played harry's mother in this one

 

[KimB]

I still get really upset about Dumbledore and the dragon, though.

 

[Nite_Hawk]

I don't care so much about the dragon egg, but Dumbledore has been a rather big problem for me in the last two movies. I really think they cast the wrong actor to replace Richard Harris. Richard played Dumbledore well. He was subtle and deep. He truly felt like he oozed power underneath this reserved and quiet frame. The new guy (I don't even know what his name is), is pretty much the exact opposite of Richard Harris. He's totally transparent, and wears his emotions on his shoulder. Where Richard Harris made Dumbledore seem wise and powerful though overly trusting, the new guy makes Dumbledore seem like a fool.

That's my perception anyway.

Nite_Hawk

 

[suryad]

I think we should have let Mr. Peter Jackson direct all Harry Potter movies. The Lord of the Rings is just about the best fantasy adaptation from a book I have ever seen!

 

[Skrying]

I think we should have let Mr. Peter Jackson direct all Harry Potter movies. The Lord of the Rings is just about the best fantasy adaptation from a book I have ever seen!

Possibly, but that's only because all of them have been HORRIBLE. I really really really thought the Lord of the Rings movies were horrible.

I'm going to see the new Harry Potter today. I hope its not to bad, though I'm just wanting to see an interesting movie for the most part. I'll stick to the books for the actual story.

 

[Kanyamagufa]

I can't take it anymore. They just cut too much of the book out. I also was very...opposed...to the way Dumbledore was played.

To make these movies work, they're just going to have to be longer. If people don't want to stay in the theater that long, fine. But cutting vital parts of the story out that make the whole thing come together doesn't work as a substitute for me.

The only worrisome part? The books only get longer (except the latest) from here.

Bah.

 

[Sonic]

Not to hijack the thread but isn't the 7th book supposed to be the last one in the series?

 

[John Reynolds]

You guys don't like Dumbledore's translation to film? Try being a Tolkien geek and watching that talentless hack, Jackson, ruin Gandalf. </OT rant>

 

[KimB]

Well, the fifth book is going to stand out as the longest. But the sixth is just as long as the fourth, and the seventh is likely to be similar in length.

 

[KimB]

You guys don't like Dumbledore's translation to film? Try being a Tolkien geek and watching that talentless hack, Jackson, ruin Gandalf. </OT rant>

I thought he did a pretty good job. At least he looked like a wise mentor and powerful wizard. Dumbledore in this film doesn't appear to be either.

 

[KimB]

Not to hijack the thread but isn't the 7th book supposed to be the last one in the series?

Yes. Probably won't be out for at least a year and a half, though.

 

[Skrying]

Just say it, and I must say I thought it was great. I completely disagree with pretty much your whole thoughts on Dumbledore Chalnoth. I actually think he seemed to have *balls* this time around, he was in charge and didnt seem to really sleep from that position.

Also, the dragon fight, you knew the reason why the dragon was gunning for Harry, it was stated before the event. That seen was about action, and that's what was presented.

Overall I thought it was pretty good, some parts seemed rushed, but I certainlly dont agree that Dumbledore seemed "unwise" or lacking in power this time around, in fact its like he finally did get some power.

 

[RussSchultz]

My personal thoughts from a movie standpoint was the first 30 minutes or so were bad. It all seemed so forced and..ummm....not good. I was really concerned that the whole thing would be like that.

It did get better after that, but then I had to contend with the stoned guy in the back that wouldn't shut up and kept chanting "redrum".

I definitely prefer the last movie to this one.

 

[KimB]

Just say it, and I must say I thought it was great. I completely disagree with pretty much your whole thoughts on Dumbledore Chalnoth. I actually think he seemed to have *balls* this time around, he was in charge and didnt seem to really sleep from that position.

But the characterization is so utterly different from that in the book. In the books, he is supposed to be this extremely powerful wizard (on par with Lord Voldemort), quite possibly the most intelligent wizard alive, and always very calm and collected (there are two times in the books where his cool exterior is broken, and both are in rather extreme emotional situations for the man).

Tell me, do you think that the Dumbledore potrayed in this movie could go toe to toe with Lord Voldemort in a duel and hold his own?

Also, the dragon fight, you knew the reason why the dragon was gunning for Harry, it was stated before the event. That seen was about action, and that's what was presented.

But how did the dragon know this? In this mythology, dragons are not as intelligent as they are in some others (like, say, D&D). These dragons are basically animals (which should have been clear in the movie based upon how they were kept). The reason why it is a golden egg that the champion has to retrieve in the book is because the dragons are each nesting mothers, and the egg is hidden among the dragon's real eggs.

 

[Skrying]

I guess we've got different points of view on how what type of wizard Dumbledore is. To me in the books he's a great and amazingly smart one, but he's past his prime. He use to be the top dog, but now he isnt, though still powerful he's not Voldemolt level.

I can somewhat agree about the dragon fight, but then again I dont care so much about a minor detail and its certainly not enough in this case to ruin the scene for me. In such a closed quater what else would a person, Harry in this case, be doing? I think the egg could have been bunched up with other eggs, but I think the dragon had a clear enough idea to defend the egg.

 

[KimB]

I guess we've got different points of view on how what type of wizard Dumbledore is. To me in the books he's a great and amazingly smart one, but he's past his prime. He use to be the top dog, but now he isnt, though still powerful he's not Voldemolt level.

Did you read the fifth one? He is.

 

[Skrying]

Yes I have read the 5th book. Though its been a very considerable length of time. I plan on rereading the book and then reading Half-Blood Prince soon, so I'll read it with what you've said in mind.