Consider it or not, it has been greater than 20 years since Harry Potter first made his huge display debut. The younger wizard from 4 Privet Drive already had hordes of followers due to J.Okay. Rowling’s e book sequence, however the arrival of the function movies ushered in an entire new period of Potter fandom. The wizarding saga went on to be one of the vital in style movie franchises in historical past.
Between the eight Harry Potter movies and the three films within the Unbelievable Beasts, there are 11 complete films in the whole Potterverse franchise for followers to get pleasure from. That quantity will solely develop within the years to come back.
Now, following the discharge of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore earlier this 12 months, we thought it might be time to have a look again and assess the franchise as an entire. Which films have stood the take a look at of time? Which movies aren’t pretty much as good because the others?
Have a look beneath, as we ranks all 11 films in the whole Harry Potter franchise, worst to finest!
11. Unbelievable Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)
(Picture: Warner Bros.)
It ought to go with out saying, however Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is the worst movie in the whole Potterverse franchise, and it is not very shut. The Crimes of Grindelwald misses on nearly each entrance. J.Okay. Rowling’s script is a multitude from begin to end, attempting to herald a ton of concepts however with no clue easy methods to naturally weave them into the story that began within the first movie.
Not solely is there an excessive amount of occurring, however there’s an excessive amount of occurring for what looks like a really, very very long time. The film would not ever need to finish.
The performances, for essentially the most half, are the brilliant spot of the movie. Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, and Dan Fogler stay a superb trio, carrying over their chemistry from the primary film. Zoe Kravitz is superb, as at all times. However the focus of the movie is Johnny Depp’s Grindelwald, and he delivers one of many worst performances of his profession. All he manages to do together with his bland, uninspired efficiency is remind everybody simply how nice Colin Farrell may’ve been.
10. Unbelievable Beasts: The Secrets and techniques of Dumbledore (2022)
(Picture: Warner Bros.)
Crimes of Grindelwald is the one genuinely dangerous film within the Harry Potter franchise. Its sequel, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, will not be pretty much as good because the mainline Harry Potter movies, but it surely’s not a foul film by any stretch.
The Secrets and techniques of Dumbledore is one thing of a course-correction for the Unbelievable Beasts sequence. Steve Kloves was introduced again to the franchise to assist Rowling write the screenplay and his presence alone improved issues tremendously. From a narrative perspective, Secrets and techniques of Dumbledore is loads simpler to observe than its predecessor, and the whole lot strikes at a brisk tempo.
Jude Legislation and Mads Mikkelsen are pleasant as Dumbledore and Grindelwald, respectively. Mikkelsen had a tough activity, taking up for somebody as well-known as Depp, however he did properly to make the character utterly his personal.
9. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and techniques (2002)
(Picture: Warner Bros.)
A number of actually nice stuff occurs in Chamber of Secrets and techniques. The Tom Riddle storyline is superb. Moaning Myrtle is a pleasant facet character. The Basilisk is such an amazing monster. To not point out we get some early improvement in Harry and Ginny’s story. Sadly, the film would not do fairly pretty much as good a job with any of these items because the e book does.
Chris Columbus was an ideal match for the primary Harry Potter, however at instances he appeared out of his aspect within the second go-round. Not was it a easy journey about youngsters in a brand new, fantastical world. Issues began getting darkish, and the franchise may’ve used a special director to convey Chamber of Secrets and techniques to life. It additionally may’ve used rather less time. Chamber of Secrets and techniques is the longest movie of the franchise and there is simply no purpose for that to be the case.
Nonetheless, any film that opens with a flying automobile and a killer tree goes to no less than be enjoyable every so often.
8. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Half 1 (2010)
(Picture: Warner Bros.)
The rating for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 deserves an asterisk. Total, the Deathly Hallows story is customized fantastically for the display by David Yates. It is simply that many of the nice stuff from that e book exists within the second half. The choice to separate into two separate films was at all times going to doom Half 1 just a bit bit.
Issues get off to a really thrilling begin within the first Deathly Hallows, however many of the movie is setup and filler. It units the stage for the ultimate installment of the sequence and chews up the minutes as a way to make that movie actually soar.
Bonus factors to Deathly Hallows: Half 1 for ending on the saddest cliffhanger attainable. Dobby’s demise is completely gut-wrenching every time you watch it.
7. Unbelievable Beasts and The place to Discover Them (2016)
(Picture: Warner Bros.)
The mess that the Unbelievable Beasts sequence has turn out to be in the previous couple of years usually makes individuals overlook simply how gratifying the primary film truly is.
There is a whimsy to Unbelievable Beasts and The place to Discover Them that Harry Potter followers had been lacking. The entire world of the movie is stuffed to the brim with pleasure and untapped potential. For essentially the most half, Yates and his group did an amazing job exploring that uncharted world, viewing all of it by means of the optimistic and keen eyes of Eddie Redmayne’s Newt.
Unbelievable Beasts works so properly as a result of it balances the sunshine and darkish to great impact. There is a enjoyable journey available all through the movie, however Colin Farrell turns scenes terrifying on the drop of a hat. Actually gratifying stuff throughout.
6. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fireplace (2005)
(Picture: Warner Bros.)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is one other title, like Chamber of Secrets and techniques earlier than it, that was higher executed as a e book. The Triwizard Match is without doubt one of the finest and most exhilarating occasions in the whole sequence, and the film model was in the end a bit disappointing.
The Goblet of Fireplace movie remains to be fairly good, it simply would not seize the match, or its opponents, as absolutely as e book readers would’ve appreciated. A number of the precise match feels prefer it’s on fast-forward all through the film. The set items have been fantastically designed, and lots of the visitor characters have been completely forged. They have been simply underutilized.
Goblet of Fireplace does, nevertheless, introduce two of the Harry Potter franchise’s greatest standouts. Robert Pattinson’s Cedric Diggory is flawless and the efficiency helped launch him into superstardom. This movie additionally represented the debut of Brendan Gleeson as Mad-Eye Moody, an absolute scene-stealer all through the whole sequence.
5. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
(Picture: Warner Bros.)
The sixth installment within the Harry Potter sequence manages to be each its lightest and darkest. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is genuinely humorous. There are factors the place the teenaged protagonists even veer into rom-com territory. However, the movie can be darkish and devastating when it must be. Yates balances the tones fantastically in his second of what would turn out to be a number of entries within the franchise.
Half-Blood Prince can be bittersweet, in a manner. The early films have been principally about Harry’s time at Hogwarts. Followers liked spending time with the characters exploring the halls of that fortress. Within the Deathly Hallows movies, the battle with Voldemort turns into an all-out warfare. Half-Blood Prince bridges that hole, and serves as one thing of a farewell to Hogwarts simply earlier than the motion actually ramps up.
4. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
(Picture: Warner Bros.)
Director David Yates’ first entry into the Harry Potter sequence succeeds on a number of fronts, however maybe none greater than the movie’s impeccable casting. The Order of the Phoenix has so many memorable characters, and the movie adaptation does a superb job in bringing all of them to life in fantastic methods.
Evanna Lynch is completely good as Luna Lovegood. There is a purpose she grew to become one of the vital beloved characters in the whole franchise, and Lynch has loads to do with it.
The unquestioned MVP, nevertheless, Imelda Staunton as Dolores Umbridge. The lady is past terrifying each time she’s on display, however she appears utterly harmless and unassuming. There are such a lot of layers to Staunton’s efficiency and she or he rapidly establishes herself as among the finest villains within the sequence.
3. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)
(Picture: Warner Bros.)
Chris Columbus could have overstayed his welcome with Chamber of Secrets and techniques, however the Dwelling Alone director was absolutely the good option to kick off the Harry Potter movie sequence.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is a superb coming-of-age story that introduces followers to a hidden world of magic and mischief. It is far more household oriented than later entries and Columbus completely nails the tone. From that very first shot of the candles floating within the nice corridor, it is clear that the movie is pulling again the curtain on one thing you have by no means skilled earlier than.
It is unattainable to speak about Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone with out speaking concerning the greatness of John Williams. The best composer in historical past had already created numerous iconic movie scores earlier than becoming a member of Harry Potter, but by some means managed to do it once more.
2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Half 2 (2011)
(Picture: Warner Bros.)
Bringing such a beloved sequence to an finish was at all times going to be a tough problem, particularly with an ending was as huge and stunning because the one featured within the Harry Potter books. Luckily, Yates and the group delivered.
The primary Deathly Hallows film does a whole lot of the bottom work, consuming up the exposition time that enables Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Half 2 to maneuver as successfully because it does. Nonetheless, the set items and results are grander and extra spectacular than the rest within the sequence to that time. From a technical perspective, it is nothing wanting masterful.
Deathly Hallows: Half 2 is a real blockbuster in each sense of the phrase. It is an enormous film that retains you on the sting of your seat from begin to end, making it one of the vital rewatchable movies within the franchise.
1. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
(Picture: Warner Bros.)
Honest apologies to Chris Columbus and David Yates, however Alfonso Cuaron is way and away the perfect director to helm a Harry Potter film, and he proved his immense expertise with Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. It does assist that he had the great fortune of adapting the perfect of Rowling’s e book sequence, as properly.
Every shot in Prisoner of Azkaban is expertly crafted, guiding your eyes to see precisely what Cuaron wants you to see to ensure that the movie’s huge twist/payoff within the third act to land. That complete twist is so properly executed, which is tough to do once you’re coping with time journey and alternate timelines.
Prisoner of Azkaban additionally contains lots of the franchise’s finest performances. Daniel Radcliffe is on high of his recreation all through the movie. Gary Oldman’s Sirius Black makes a direct influence on the whole sequence, bringing the load and gravitas that the movies wanted as a way to spring into the extra action-packed sequels to come back. And let’s not overlook David Thewlis as Remus Lupin, essentially the most complicated and underrated character within the Harry Potter franchise.
Source 2 Source 3 Source 4 Source 5
