Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone

Release Date: 16th November 2001
Distributor: Warner Bros
Certificate: PG
Starring: Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Alan Rickman, Richard Harris, John Cleese, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Richard Griffiths, Ian Hart, John Hurt, Maggie Smith, Julie Walters, Zoe Wannamaker
Director: Chris Columbus
Running Time: 152 mins

LET THE MAGIC BEGIN.

Harry Potter (DANIEL RADCLIFFE) has learned to live with his bullying Uncle Vernon (RICHARD GRIFFITHS), his callous Aunt Petunia (FIONA SHAW) and the constant whining of his greedy, spoiled cousin Dudley. He's even learned to live with sleeping in the cupboard under the stairs.

Harry's relatives have just as reluctantly learned to live with the unwelcome presence of their orphaned relation, a constant reminder of Petunia's "wayward" sister and brother-in-law and their mysterious and untimely demise.

Even the impending arrival of his 11th birthday offers no excitement for Harry - as usual, there's little chance of cards, presents or any kind of birthday treat. This year, however, is different.

Based on the first of J.K. Rowling's popular children's novels about Harry Potter, the live action family adventure film 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' tells the story of a boy who learns on his 11th birthday that he is the orphaned son of two powerful wizards and possesses unique magical powers of his own. Invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Harry embarks on the adventure of a lifetime. At Hogwarts, he finds the home and the family he has never had.

As Harry Potter's (DANIEL RADCLIFFE) 11th birthday draws near, he anticipates little in the way of excitement or presents from the Dursleys, Harry's unpleasant relatives who took him in following his parents' deaths and forced him to sleep in the cupboard under the stairs. But this year, Harry's birthday will be different. A mysterious letter addressed to Harry arrives, written in peculiar green ink and accompanied by an owl.

Harry is surprised and excited by the curious dispatch, but his horrified Uncle Vernon (RICHARD GRIFFITHS) destroys the letter before Harry has a chance to read it. The next day, another letter and owl arrive, only to be squelched by the Dursleys. As each day follows the next, letters and owls continue turning up on Harry's doorstep until the Dursleys, fearing they can no longer suppress the contents of the peculiar correspondence, flee with Harry in tow to a remote hut where they're confident they cannot be found. Their plan appears to be working when suddenly a LOUD CRASH carries the hut door off its hinges, revealing the awesome bulk of an enormous giant called Hagrid (ROBBIE COLTRANE).

Furious with the Dursleys for destroying the letters and trying to conceal their nephew's real identity, Hagrid reveals the secret that will change Harry's life: he, Harry Potter, is a wizard Much to Harry's disbelief, it transpires that the puzzlingly persistent letters are invitations for him, on the occasion of his 11th birthday, to leave the regular world and join his similarly-talented peers at the legendary Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Hagrid goes on to explain that Harry's parents did not die in a car crash as his insecure relatives have repeatedly told him - they were in fact murdered by an evil wizard who in turn etched the distinctive lightning scar on Harry's forehead Harry is completely overwhelmed by the revelations about his parents and the invitation to Hogwarts. However, faced with another night in the cupboard under the stairs and a life of hand-me-downs, he doesn't hesitate in accompanying Hagrid to London's Kings Cross Station, where he discovers the secret Platform 9 3/4 and catches the Hogwarts Express.

Aboard the train packed with wide-eyed first year students, Harry befriends fellow wizards-in-training Hermione Granger (EMMA WATSON) and Ron Weasley (RUPERT GRINT). Together with his new friends, Harry embarks on the adventure of a lifetime at Hogwarts, a wondrous place beyond Harry's wildest imagination where he discovers his extraordinary talents and finds the home and the family he never had.

'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' is a fantastic childrens film, which will also have adults intently following the story. Although many people will be au fait with Harry's adventures, this movie really doesn't exclude anyone, as everything is brought from the books to the screen. In fact that is one of the films few flaws - there is so much happening that at times it feels like a 2 hour trailer for the book
Daniel Radcliffe is perfect as Harry, and whirls along grinning from ear to ear as his chracter is bumped along from scene to scene, and predicament to predicament, until the suitably climactic ending. The rest of the cast is made up of either the cream of British acting talent or exceptional newcommers, whoi have really put there all into making this an amazing adventure. But the highest praise must go to Alan Rickman as the mysterious and sinister Professor Snape and Emma Watson as Harry's friend Hermione as they are the stand out performances from a great crowd.

All in all, although the film is not as memorable as say 'Star Wars' or 'The Wizard Of Oz', it is an enjoyable film which stands up to the hype surrounding it. And, even though there were many dissenters when Chris Columbus was announced as director, he has done a wonderful job, and myself and many others already looking forward to the next one.

Clayton Everett