Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is a 2001 fantasy film directed by Chris Columbus, starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, and Robbie Coltrane.  Based on the J.K. Rowling’s 1997 novel of the same name and is the first installment in the Harry Potter film series.  The story follows Harry Potter’s first year at Hogwarts as he discovers that he is a famous wizard and begins his education.

Plot: The story follows Harry Potter who discovers that he’s a wizard, that he’s been accepted into the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and the truth of his past.  At Hogwarts, he befriends students Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger in which the three stumble across a plot to revive the fallen dark wizard Voldemort with the Philosopher’s Stone.  The story follows Harry’s first year in Hogwarts though it honestly doesn’t feel like a year. I really enjoyed the character development among the main three characters.  It’s a great coming-of-age story that has its share of interesting side stories and twists.  It’s a pretty slow burn but it’s interesting with some really exciting and thrilling moments.  All-in-all, it’s a good story.  (3 out of 5)

Characters: There are a lot of great characters. I really liked Harry Potter.  He’s known as “The Boy Who Lived” after Voldemort killed his parents, leaving him an orphan.  He’s a pretty likable character and you really feel sorry for him.  He befriends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, who’re likable characters as well.  Hermione does come off as a know-it-all and understandbly it does irritate the others.  However, it also compliments them.  There are other standout characters as well including the stern but fair Minerva McGonagall, the gentle and friendly Rubeus Hagrid, the wise Albus Dumbledore, and the dark and morbid Severus Snape. Each of these characters introduce an interesting aspect to both Harry’s story and the overall story of the setting.  There are plenty of other characters to enjoy.  (4 out of 5)

Cast: The performances are really good.  Although the film revolves around Daniel Radcliffe, he does share the spotlight with Rupert Grint and Emma Watson.  The three are good onscreen though they have their moments.  Liked Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy. There’s a large ensemble of some of the best in the business including John Cleese, Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, Fiona Shaw, Ian Hart, Julie Walters, Richard Harris, Warwick Davis, Robbie Coltrane, John Hurt, and Richard Griffilths.  Really appreciated the performances.  (3 out of 5)

Visuals:  This is a good looking film with a lot of visual spectacle.  There’s a magical quality to everything that’s just awesome to look at.  Everything from the makeup to the extravagant costumes to the set designs to the magical effects.  The creature designs look good although there are some moments with the cgi creatures do look a bit dated.  The troll in the bathroom is probably the biggest example. Hogwarts look really good with awesome set pieces.  The broom flying scenes are good and the Quidditch matches are shot with intensity.  Despite some nitpicks the special effects are good. (3 out of 5)

Score: The music is just great and still till this day, highly recognizable.  There are some powerful themes with a strong emphasis on wind instruments.  John Williams is always great and proves it once again. (4 out of 5)

Writing:  It’s easy to see why this was such a successful film as Chris Columbus does a phenomenal job of adapting the novel to the big screen.  It’s obvious he has an eye for talent and how the characters are presented as well as his relationship with the child actors.  He’s directed some pretty memorable films such as Home Alone, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, Adventures in Babysitting, Rent, and Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief.  He manages to keep the film feeling magical in its sequences and presentation.  The writing is really good and sells itself as a good representation of a book-to-film adaptation worthy of praise.  The world-building is complex but done well.  There’s a lot of great sequences such as the boat trip to Hogwarts and Harry entering the dining hall for the first time.  One of the scenes I wished could’ve been presented better was the trials scene with Ron and the giant chessboard.  It’s presentation lacks intensity.  Still, it is good. (3 out of 5)

The Verdict: In the end, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is not only a good movie but a great book adaptation.  Despite some of the few nitpicks of the writing, shaky acting from the younger cast, and dated cgi, the film is just golden.  It has it all.  It has good performances, a great cast, good direction, good writing, great music, and great cinematic presentation.  Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone gets 3 out of 5.