Ranking the Harry Potter Movies

In preparation for the upcoming release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 I have decided to rank all seven of the previous Harry Potter movies, from worst to best. While I absolutely love all of the books in the series, many of the movies left me with bitter disappointment and confusion.

7. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix- It is no surprise to me that the longest book became the worst movie in the franchise. There is simply too much material to cover in a two or even three hour movie. The stellar cast is never effectively used, as the individual Hogwarts teachers get maybe a scene or two before disappearing. Also, the extra, noncannon scenes added to this movie make little since and just bother me.

6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince- This movie suffers the same ailments as its predecessor. Some mind boggling added scenes (why is the Weasley’s house on fire??) add nothing to the movie. Jim Broadbent is a great actor, but he did not strike me as a good choice of Professor Slughorn. The death of Dumbledore is not as dramatic or emotional as I would have liked, especially from Alan Rickman, whose plays the scene coolly instead of with the anger and frustration in the book.

5. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban- This movie attempts to be darker than the first movies, but the result is uneven. Gary Oldman is the highlight of the movie as Sirius Black. Not quite a terrible movie, it lacks an overall quality that other movie would have in the franchise. Michael Gambon is a good actor, but cannot match Richard Harris as Dumbledore

4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire- This movie excels in the storytelling department. Though some of the acting is underwhelming, the scenes in this movie are very memorable, specifically the first task of the Triwizard Tournament and Voldemort’s return.  The movie is also surprisingly well paced considering the amount of material it has to cover.

3. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone- Definitely the well-realized adaption of the books, due mostly to the length of the source material and the simplicity of the storytelling. The three principle actors are the best here, until the final installments. It is truly magical to see the beloved characters come to life, and the acting choices are perfect.

2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets- More mature than the first movie, this installment offers more danger and introduces the audience to even more beloved characters, not yet bloated or trying to cram as much story that can fit into two=plus hours, this is a great movie that allows the world to overtake the characters, no mean feat considering the star power on display.

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1- Having the final installment cut into two movies really help this movie excel. The three principle actors show more depth and emotion than at any point previously, and go from decent child actors to great adult actors. The added scenes in this movie actually add to the movie, something the other movies failed to do (especially when a naked Harry and Hermione show up when Ron destroys the locket. Did not see that coming!) Stripped down to having only the trio around for most of the movie also makes this movie better, as the large ensemble don’t have to compete with each other for screen time. Part 2 will most likely end up with this movie, unless they somehow manage to cataclysmically fail.