Every Harry Potter Movie, Ranked from Worst to Best
#8: “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” (2007)
Top 10 Harry Potter Movie Mistakes Spotted By the Fans
The fifth book in the “Harry Potter” series is the longest. And yet the movie version of “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” is the second-shortest in the franchise. That does not bode well for quality. Even the worst movie isn’t bad, though – it features perhaps Daniel Radcliffe’s best performance, and introduces us to a slew of new characters. But if we’re getting into the nitty gritty, so many cut aspects of the book negatively affected later films. If you didn’t read the books, you might not understand the scope of Snape’s relationship with Harry’s parents. More importantly, you might think Sirius Black died via killing curse, which is drastically different from the book. They just didn’t make the right changes.
#7: “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” (2002)
Top 10 Differences Between Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Movie & Book
When Chris Columbus was brought on to direct the first “Harry Potter” movie, he seemed like an excellent choice. He was good with kids and had experience making them feel comfortable on set. But by the franchise’s second installment, fans were ready for something a bit more exciting. “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” – despite its Voldemort reveal and giant snake antagonist – is probably the most boring “Potter” outing. And with a film that comes in at a whopping 161 minutes, you can’t afford to be dull. Outside the ending, nothing too thrilling happens in this movie. And after the first film, Columbus’s visual style just wasn’t cutting it anymore.
#6: “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” (2005)
Top 10 Harry Potter Movie Moments REDUX
The fourth “Potter” installment is another book-to-film adaptation that suffers greatly from numerous storytelling choices. The “Goblet of Fire” movie has great action sequences, and captures the British boarding school vibe very well. But it removes numerous side characters, such as Ludo Bagman and Winky the house elf, therefore removing the huge weight those characters bear on the plot. Plus, the film’s big reveal – that “Mad-Eye” Moody is actually Death Eater Barty Crouch Jr. in disguise – is apparent from the jump. One of the earliest images in the film is Barty Jr. casting the dark mark. When we see Mad-Eye make some of the same facial expressions, it’s so obvious it’s almost insulting.
#5: “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” (2009)
Top 10 Worst Decisions Made by Harry Potter
The sixth “Harry Potter” book is one of the darker entries in the Wizarding World. While the characters have been spending the last few books growing up, Albus Dumbledore’s death is a signal to readers that all innocence is lost. But the movie adaptation chose to spend more time focusing on a different aspect of growing up – puberty. “The Half-Blood Prince” is definitely the horniest of all “Potter” adaptations, and so much of that teen angst lends itself to a fun time at the movies. But by focusing on the funnier aspects of the book, the creators end up foregoing so many of the darker aspects of the story, rendering Dumbledore’s eventual demise jarring in the wrong way.
#4: “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1” (2010)
Some fans might consider the seventh movie in the franchise lesser “Potter,” but we maintain that part one of “The Deathly Hallows” is one of the better book-to-movie adaptations. Not only that, but it allows its three young leads a chance to prove just how much they’ve grown as actors over the course of the films. Harry, Ron, and Hermione spend most of the movie by themselves, camping their way across the English countryside. All that time spent alone allows us to see so many nuanced and empathetic interactions between the Golden Trio. Most of the plot issues in the film are left over from what previous installments left out; we don’t want to hold “Part 1” accountable for other movies’ failings.
#3: “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2” (2011)
Some might argue that the final installment of the “Harry Potter” franchise changed too much – and they’re not wrong. From Harry’s confrontation with Severus Snape, to his final showdown with Voldemort, to Ron and Hermione’s first kiss. Plenty of aspects of the story were changed from book to movie. But even with those changes, one thing that “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2” gets right is the weight of the emotional stakes. Although some things unfold a little differently than fans expected, director David Yates absolutely nails the feeling of the thing. It’s hard to finish out a series, but he did a pretty great job. Plus, as far as fantasy/action movies go, you could do a lot worse than “Part 2.”
#2: “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” (2001)
Harry Potter as a Rube Goldberg Machine
Time to go back to where it all started. Although we might not love what Chris Columbus did with the second “Harry Potter” movie, his first outing as director is nothing short of magical. With so much anticipation surrounding “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone,” it could have been so easy for things to go wrong. But the way the filmmakers rendered magic onscreen – from Hogwarts, to spells, to fantastical creatures – is everything we could have dreamed of. Production design aside, we couldn’t have asked for a better cast. Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, and Daniel Radcliffe perfectly embody their characters, and are bolstered by British acting royalty.
#1: “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” (2004)
Top 10 Saddest Harry Potter Moments
If we’re being honest, we’d sit down to watch pretty much any “Harry Potter” movie – even the ones we don’t think are so great. But if we had our choice, we would always go with “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.” The third installment of the franchise is the first one that feels like something more than just a kid’s story. It’s got the advantage of being adapted from one of the better books, but it also has a distinct visual style we can’t get enough of. Plus, the film features the introduction of beloved characters Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. Casting Gary Oldman and David Thewlis in those parts was a stroke of genius, and their talent really makes the movie sing.
