to read or not to read...? judging from the comments here, this review seems better left unread. thanks!

so i read that review up there, && i cant believe it! the things that happen in this film could be squeezed into another?! how is that possible?! i guess since he or she isnt a harry potter fan thats how shes able to think that. he/she is so lucky though! i would KILL to go to a screening of OoTP! i cant wait. =]].

Wow what a dim witted review, the climax he said was bad. Wow! So he thinks building up the strength of a villain and developing his character is a bad thing...ok.

if she thought umbridge was boring she better not read the book.. i personally didnt like the book at all.. jk was going thru a writers block when she wrote the book which seemed to come thru when i read it. she didnt make good choices i felt... half the book was about cleaning up a house.. other half was about a bad teacher.. it makes it look like a typical walt disney story.. like bad teacher being beaten by chalk dusters in the end.. the only thing i like about the book was harrys character developement. he became more real.he wasnt saintly and well, a pansy ass. thought gwarp was another intolerable part of the book. and the whole story about the giants was like a sinbad story.so overall i dont have hopes for this movie.it will be just ok...

This guy is a right prat. He hasn't read the books. He doesn't know anything. Hence the review made me angry. Anyways, I'm maaaaad excited for this movie....it's going to be great.

I don't think this guy was the best critic. He wants them to take out Grawp? I hope this isn't because they changed the ending in which he is essential....that would suck. I doubt they changed it, though or they WOULD have taken Grawp out....I'll keep my fingers crossed....

Why did they let this retard review the movie? He doesn't even LIKE Harry Potter .. someone has AT LEAST read the books should have done it. darn

Its an okay review, positive on some aspects! But it does, and the person even admits this, that he isn't a major fan like us and hasn't read the books! So i hope the producers haven't taken his opinions on it's own merit! I think this film will be the best and I'm glad its 2 and a half hours! :)

I am so mad at what that girl had to say! Jo has mediocre writing?!?!?!??! Is anyone else mad at this but me? And yeah the movie does look to be good, but why a PG rating? Is anyone confused? I don't understand why she would be excited to see the movie but say she dislikes the books? If she hasn't even read the rest how can she criticize Jo's writing and furthermore the movie takes alot of the canon from the book and leaves it out so I don't know how she can base her opinion on Jo's writing if she went and say THE MOVIE. I don't think we should take her word for credit becasue she obviously doesn't know what she's talking about, and she basically insulted us when she said that Jo's writing is mediocre and that there is no way it can be an amazing series. Grrr.....

omg i cud punch that person who wrote that in the face

Nice work there Hermes. I'm sure it'll look good when it's all properly rendered (plenty of time for that, too). I don't suppose you'd have anything to do with the new project down at Leavesden that features anthromorphic humans, would you?

I think I'll wait for a review by someone who has read the book, as many of the points that the reviewer brought up against the film would not bother someone who had e.g. Umbridge and Grawp. Umbridge has to make you annoyed and Grawp has to be in it. Anyways, its gonna be the best spring/summer I've ever had, with all the movies that are coming out (OOtP obv., PotC3, Spiderman 3 & Simpsons Movie) and the long-awaited-yet-also-a-l ittle-dreaded final HP book. Many "YAY!!!!"s.

B+?? So, what is the best grade like like??

About the pg rating---I checked both MPAA.org and filmratings.com and imdb.com, and none of them have the ratings yet. It must have been just a "rating" WB gave the movie in order to give it some sort of rating. PG is not official yet. Most likely it'll be pg 13 like OotP. I agree, it'll be the best summer ever!!! Don't forget shrek 3!

This guy didn't even read any of the books past 2! How can he judge a movie off of a book if he's never even read it! GRRR! It was an interesting review but it made me mad because some of things needed to be the way they were because it was in the book like that! I'm not gonna mention anything specific from the review so it spoils it for others, but this guy had a really lame review!

I loved the review, because I'm happy for Evanna. I don't care if the guy hasn't read the books. Tom Felton hasn't either, and hardly anyone complains about that. The films are not the books. It's a whole differnt medium. You just have to wonder, since Jo has so much control, why she is approving certain things. But that's a sidenote. I'm just happy for Evanna Lynch. I had my doubts aobut her, and I'm completelyy ashamed about them now. She is AWESOME.

'mediocre writing of Rowling' ... is this person mad?! they havn't even read the books and they can make a comment like that?! crazy, rele wish ppl would stop pre-judging things before experiencing for themselves. despite their 'nagative attitude' on the review,ithe film sounds great. Umbridge is supposed to be the most annoying character ever and too long? how is that possible... if they have a negative view on the film, thats fine and ppl are allowed different opinions. just think they have talked a lot here when not knowing the facts of the book (obviously if not read them...) & criticising when they don't know the sull story. can't wait for the film myself, saure it will be brill! & yeah, rele mediocre writing - the series isn't at all sucessfull...??! or was i wrong in thinking it has inspired millions o f both adults and children to read again... JK you have created a world for us all to escape and give us hpoe & thats a great thing!

Okay, that review only made me ANGRY, though I do appreciate it. That kid has never read the books, and kept saying what a horrivle author JKR is. I didn't like when they said they thought the entire plot should have been squeezed into the other films. HELLOO, for us as harcore fans, this is the most important of the movies so far! I can't wait to see it and prove this kid wrong. [It makes me sad when people like that get to see sneak peeks, and we have to wait when we're the only ones that really care]

oh & that's right, the baddy just pops up at the end of each book - how annoying, no sotry at all is there?? doenst show that courage, friendship, love are some of the most important and valuable things - must imagined all those things too eh?

Well, I was excited to read this review as I can't wait for July to roll around, but the review itself wasn't that great in my opinion. I forget that a lot of people only watch the movies and never read the books. I appreciate the facts that were given but I don't understand how someone can criticize a movie's plat (AKA the fact that Voldemort continues to return and escape defeat) without understanding why. Voldemort's role is really one of the main plots in the book and his continual returns are the whole point! True fans know that book 7, and inevitably movie 7 will tell the final story. So although I am excited that we will finally begin to hear more about OOTP I hope they are not all like this.

interesting review, it is difficult to take a review at face value from a guy who obviously could care less about HP and has never read any of the books... I wanted to punch my computer screen when he made the comment toward the end of the review, how he is "getting tired of the confrontations with voldemort at the end of the film where he is not completely destroyed"... this level of misunderstanding is so unforgivable it is maddening. are most other nominal fans of the series that ignorant as well?

Oh my, I couldn´t even bother to finish that Crappy review. If I could choose, Emerson should have been able too see the film and write the review ;) and not this "filmgoer" who CRITICISES Jo´s writing and who´s only read the first TWO books! Oh, and a couple of the idiot´s comments that somehow caught my attention; " The character of Harry Potter is actually interesting in this film", " getting tiring that Voldemort isn´t completely defeated", " Not much happened in the film"....Grrrr...

I love how there are a bunch of geeks on this board who can't even fathom the fact that not everyone worships the ground JK Rowling walks on. JK Rowling's writing is far from perfect. Just because you're in love with the series, doesn't change that fact. Hell I'm a total Potterphile and yet I realize that there are great limitations in Rowling's style over all, which were glaring to me in the sixth book especially (pairings notwithstanding - I really don't give a crap who ends up with who). In terms of the guy's review...I can understand why he'd call for more editing - although most fans would sit through a Potter movie even if it was 4 hours long, editing usually does help to give the movie a cleaner, more put together feel, rather than adding in unecessary things for the sake of length (which also may have been a part of the problem with Dead Man's Chest, another movie I loved). I can't wait for the Dumbledore vs. Voldemort fight and Harry's impending bad assery. I also really love how, when he mentioned who he loved, he mentioned the trio minus Hermione. lol I was hoping she'd improve her performance over GoF, but maybe it's a no go. Anyway all in all I appreciate his review, unlike some fanbrats on this board.

Just a few thoughts: a) The parts this so-called 'critic' doesn't like (as Umbridge or Grawp) are easily explained if you have read the books; b) having read only Book 2 makes him unable to assess Harry's evolution as a character, nor can he understand why Voldemort is almost-defeated-but-not every time; c) His/her words make me think his idea of a good movie is 'Battlefield:Earth' and other Razzies' favourites of the sort; d) His/her writing style could take a leaf out of J K Rowling's book; honestly, how can he/she have the nerve to criticise her writing, when his/her own shows a vocabulary of 150 words, at most?

the guy really needs to read the books in order to understand... well everything.

I'll go read it now, sounds good! P:S: I turned into a teenger today!

Oh and another thing - WHO IS STUPID ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY BELIEVE THAT SOMEONE HAS TO READ THE BOOK BEFORE BEING ABLE TO CRITIQUE THE MOVIE? He wasn't called into a MOVIE screening to critique a BOOK. Obviously he's there to critique the movie as it is. Need I remind some of you guys that these movies aren't just created for us fans who already know the books in and out. The movie's job is to also convey the story logically to those who haven't gotten around to reading it or *shock* may not even want to read it ever. If being a fan of the book was a requirement to actually watching and reviewing the movies than we wouldn't get HALF the professional reviews we do when these movies come out. Honestly people, I don't mean to sound so pissed off but I'm a fan too, so please don't give us all a bad name with your mindless rabid wanky comments. People who criticize Harry Potter do NOT = the devil. And btw magicgirl_rulz_4eva (lol) Happy Birthday! My birthday was on the 1st. March babies rock!

I think the whole point of this comment page is to place your personal comments. I don't think any of the fans here believe that those who do not read the books are any less than those that do, but instead we were just a little disappointed to read the first review from such an inexperienced HP fan.

stop being such a kill joy!!!! he shouldnt be critizizng the movie..hes not a fan...he doesnt understand teh amazing world of harry potter.......i really cant wait to see this...its sounds amazing!!!!!!!!!! i reallly want another preview!!!!aaahhhhh GIVE US ANOTHER PRIEVIEW I CANT WAIT ANY LONGER!!!!! this summer is gonna be awesome!!! harry potter movie and premiere, the finjal book release....finished skool...rock concerts!!!wwwoooooooo

Wow it's awesome that they're doing screenings and that we get to read a review! Too bad the review wasn't too terribly eloquent... and too bad the reviewer really wasn't a Potter fan... I'd really love to hear what a real fan of the series thinks of the movie. His comment that he hates that Voldemort comes back at the end again and is not destroyed is just ignorant. I mean, of course he isn't going to be destroyed. In case you have been living under a rock, there are going to be SEVEN books in the series, which means the main villain has to survive until the seventh. Anyway, someone who could actually appreciate the movies as interpretations of the books should get to see the movie and review it. :)

::rolls eyes::they didn't even read the books.I'm ignoring it.I do hope the film is good though! :)

Aside from feeling a blatant sense of outrage that this goon got to see and "review" the movie before all of us, this at least got me excited for OOTP! Yeah! Oh, and J.K. Rowling is the best author ever. End of story.

oh noooo. no no no. this guy was a jerk and he had not even read the books! hes got no clue about how any of it should be done. im not going touch on any of the "subjects" or "points" or whatever but i will say this. WHY DONT THEY ROUND UP A BUNCH OF US AND LET US JUDGE. we are the ones who will go see it, right? and i think it would make more sense to let us say what is good, what is bad. no some random old fart who ahahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. no bad words. but honestly!

wow, 2.5 hrs doesnt seem like enough time, i really thought this movie would be closer to 3 hrs anyway, not gonna read it, i dont wanna know too much...i can wait for july...i think!

I did not like that review. Someone that has knowledge of the series should have been able to review it. I reallyyyy hope the scene with Fred and George leaving Hogwarts made it into the movie! But I wonder what would happen if it's included, since Peeves isn't going to be in any of the movies.

Ok people - you CANNOT believe what this lame guy said. He hasn't even read the books!! i think people need to find out what they think of the film themselves and not read crappy reviews from non HP book believers. :)

lucky the ones who saw it.

hpbutterbeer - No LOL! Christian Bale isn't in the Harry Potter movie, they are filming the new Batman film "The Dark Knight" at Leavesden. Okrim - I'm doing alright, yeah they are planning to film in september. Yeah I hope so too! ;-P Sadly I have no idea when the next trailer will come out. Possibly they will release the trailer then; I can't wait to see 300 though, I've heard from the crew it will be brilliant. Gerard Butler is a nice guy too, I've met him at Pinewood on Tomb Raider 2 & The Phantom of the Opera.

It's a bit disappointing that they didn't find a critic who was a fan, because the review was poorly written. I mean, no one wants to know the thoughts of the movie, coming from someone who read only ONE book! >.< Here's to hoping someone else comes out of the shadows and gives us a TRUE review...

This is so unfair! This guy doesn't even like the books! I want to read a review from someone who appreciates Harry Potter, not someone who hates JKR's writing style and completely insults it.

i read it, it didnt change my thoughts of the movie i havent seen. the one who wrote the review is EVERYTHING but a professional.

AICN didn't grade it, it was an anonymous letter.

This reviewer obviously doesn't understand that JKR writes for all ages and has a very poor understanding that these movies were mainly designed with children in mind as the main target audience (Granted they are designed to appeal to adults as well). This person is just trying to appear cool to main American & Hollywood society which thinks the fantasy genre is irrelevant. If it was so irrelevant why is it the best selling and the best in fiction since J.R.R.Tolkien's Lord of the Rings Trilogy (which the only to outsell that is The Bible)! JKR is on the same level as Tolkien if not better than. They both understand what they want and what the masses want in a GREAT story! Calling JKR mediocre is like calling Leonardo DaVinci a mediocre painter.

Needia3000 - Thanks! ;-) Anthromorphic humans? I don't really know... I haven't been to Leavesden for a several months. The Dark Knight is slowly starting up (I'm waiting for my department to start up in order to get in.) Anthromorphic you say...where did you hear that? Anthropomorphism as in like Beatrix Potter type or robotic? The only think I can of then, is that it must be a part of The Dark Knight. Well I'll find out hopefully soon anyhow. You've got me wondering now! :-D

2 1/2 hours? Not bad, not bad. I too wish there were more spoilers in that review. xD It's got me all excited. 129 days left...and 137 to the book, I can't take it!!... Obviously I don't agree with some of that reviewer's opinions and I'm sure I won't take exactly the same view of the film as he does, but it was still worth reading and makes it sound good. LOL at the remark about Harry's not being a slouch in this movie (as opposed to what he seemed like in previous ones).

It is so bad that someone who doesn't even love HP gets to critique it; obviously he has no idea what the story plots should or shouldn't be, because ummm he hasn't read the books. It's like asking me to critique Star Wars, it would be horrible because I have no idea what is going on. I would take his words with a grain of salt. GRRR, he isn't very professional nor is he a great writer. (even though he tries to come across as being so sophisticated by bashing JK; im sure using the p word in a critique screams class!) Ugh, anyway, I alsmost wish I hadn't read it-he doesn't deserve to have his comments or opinions read. Why even post that?! Gracious. Don't waste your time, they should have found someone who loves the books as much as we do, and wait on their opinion. Anything for website traffic I guess. :) At least he said Evanna rocked, but "the best" out of the child actors?? Im sure she is awesome, but "the best?" That seems a bit out there considering it's her first movie. Oh well :/ HP=

I disagree with anyone who says Ootp is the worst book. It includes the best writing Jo has ever done, including her finest single chapter - 'The Lost Prophecy' and other fantastic parts like the Snape Occlumency scenes (it's interesting that in the movie they flash to the Worst Memory scene during actual Occlumency rather than it being a Pensieve scene), 'Dudley Demented', all the stuff with Luna, the D.A., it's all fantastic and I find much of GoF and HBP boring in comparison (in comparison, I don't find it actually boring).

An ok review, but it the reviewer woulndn't have made soem of those comments if he/she had read the books. Otherwise the importance of some of the scenes would have been apparent. I'm also wondering about the PG rating. Isn't that a bit on the lower end of the spectrum for this movie. The book has so many dramatic scenes which could be made better by more detailed fighting scenes, and more dialogue that is more in tune with teenagers.

...they could have picked a critic that had ACTUALLY read the book...i mean that was awful hes bashing it and it made me sooo angry........you see someone who looovvesss harry potter should go and review it. i.e me!!!!!!! (hint hint) is he proffesional?? his review was cr*p.....so were his writing skills.......i mean evann the best of the child actors...yes i know she looks great as luna and everything and she is a great actress...but dan and emma, etc have much more experience...not that im bashing evanna or anything........for such a big film that is due out a review before it is due out is pretty important...as it determines who will see it...i mean if people read the review and think it sounds bad then they are less likely to watch it arent they???? this film deserves to be big...people like him just dont understand...next time use a DECENT critic......not some harry potter and jkr basher.....

How dare he callJo's writing mediocre????????????????? ??????????????