How I rank the Potter films
This is how I rank the Potter films (these are the ones based on Harry Potter. Fantastic Beasts is not included here). There is only the slimmest of margins between all of them, which I will detail in the description. Suffice to say there is no bad film in the franchise, it is a series of films that honestly I don't see ever being equaled for how well the franchise as a whole is.
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- DirectorChris ColumbusStarsDaniel RadcliffeRupert GrintEmma WatsonAn orphaned boy enrolls in a school of wizardry, where he learns the truth about himself, his family and the terrible evil that haunts the magical world.The first film, technically is not one of the best in the series, Columbus has said many times over the years the SFX were rushed and not fully realized. That admission aside, this film ranks as number one for me for the simple reason that without it being as good as it is, there is no Harry Potter series of films. The film is perfectly cast, music by John Williams is top 5 of his illustrious career. Columbus, though author J.K. Rowling had her doubts due to his not being English, setup the franchise perfectly. A magical 9 out of 10 stars.
- DirectorDavid YatesStarsDaniel RadcliffeEmma WatsonRupert GrintAs Harry, Ron and Hermione race against time and evil to destroy the Horcruxes, they uncover the existence of the three most powerful objects in the wizarding world: the Deathly Hallows.The franchise, for the most part, continually got better with each film. Deathly Hallows pt1 and pt2 perfectly ended the film series. Part one gets listed above part two for me because it is an almost perfect example of how to pull off part one of a two-part series finale and still be its own movie, a harder task than closing out a story. Kloves smartly gave part one the bulk of the road trip aspect of Hallows, this helps to give it the 3 act structure needed for it to feel like its own movie. Arguably, the leads; Radcliffe, Watson and Grint, saved their best performances for the last book/films. A near perfect 9 out of 10 stars.
- DirectorDavid YatesStarsDaniel RadcliffeEmma WatsonRupert GrintHarry, Ron, and Hermione search for Voldemort's remaining Horcruxes in their effort to destroy the Dark Lord as the final battle rages on at Hogwarts.As far as series/franchise finale's go, you don't get much better than part 2 of Hallows. Where you had part 1 being a road show, part 2 was all about setting the characters in place for the final show down and what a show down it was. We had several deaths on and off screen, a beloved line from the book recited to glorious applause in the theater. Other studios mistakenly assumed breaking up the final book of a movie franchise it is based on was the way to go. The studios forgot, in their haste to cash in, the source material must support that and the movies must stand on their own. To date, only the Potter films have been able to do this with any degree of success. As aforementioned, the only thing that keeps this from being ranked higher than part 1 is the degree of difficulty it was with making part 1 feel justified being its own movie. A grand finale 9 out of 10 stars.
- DirectorAlfonso CuarónStarsDaniel RadcliffeEmma WatsonRupert GrintHarry Potter, Ron and Hermione return to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for their third year of study, where they delve into the mystery surrounding an escaped prisoner who poses a dangerous threat to the young wizard.Azkaban stands firmly as a turning point for the Potter film universe. The innocence of the first two films is replaced by a story ripe with teen angst and weight. It took me several viewings before this film captured my interest. It is a very different film from the first two and I held that against it for the longest time. It wasn't until I embraced that not only the film was different, it had to be. The kids were teens now, the story had to progress, the whimsy of the first two had to be replaced with a more serious tone. New director Cuarón gave the series a much needed shot in the arm that helped carry the franchise into darker, more adult undertones to come. A no prisoners taken 8 out of 10 stars.
- DirectorDavid YatesStarsDaniel RadcliffeEmma WatsonRupert GrintAs Harry Potter begins his sixth year at Hogwarts, he discovers an old book marked as "the property of the Half-Blood Prince" and begins to learn more about Lord Voldemort's dark past.As far as emotional punches, only the Hallows films bring about more tears than Half-Blood Prince. To date, one of the most watched films in the series by me. Though it ranks 5th in my list, it is simply in this place due more for its placement in the overall series and the added significance the others have than any deficiency with this film's quality. This is the film that Radcliffe, IMO, cemented his place in history as THE quintessential Harry Potter. A full-blooded 8 out of 10 stars.
- DirectorDavid YatesStarsDaniel RadcliffeEmma WatsonRupert GrintWith their warning about Lord Voldemort's return scoffed at, Harry and Dumbledore are targeted by the Wizard authorities as an authoritarian bureaucrat slowly seizes power at Hogwarts.Order of the Phoenix is a film which has the most vile and despicable villain outside of Voldermort in the guise of Professor Umbridge. She is excellently brought to infamy by Imelda Staunton. The shortest film of the series and also the longest book, fans have long bemoaned this apparent glaring contradiction, yet I think it is better for condensing the book's themes and focusing on Umbridge, the growing distrust in Harry and creation of Dumbledore's Army. An "orderly" 7 out of 10 stars.
- DirectorMike NewellStarsDaniel RadcliffeEmma WatsonRupert GrintHarry Potter finds himself competing in a hazardous tournament between rival schools of magic, but he is distracted by recurring nightmares.This is the only film which has over time slipped down my personal list. It isn't because the film is "bad" or anything like that. Just compared to the previous film and those that followed, it is more a teen soap opera compared to the other entries. Wonderful performances as always, even with the introduction of Fiennes as Voldermort, there is just way too much in the way of the romantic pinings for me. A "young and the restless" 7 out of 10 stars.
- DirectorChris ColumbusStarsDaniel RadcliffeRupert GrintEmma WatsonHarry Potter lives his second year at Hogwarts with Ron and Hermione when a message on the wall announces that the legendary Chamber of Secrets has been opened. The trio soon realize that, to save the school, it will take a lot of courage.There had to be a "last" listed film in the franchise. I chose Chamber of Secrets, not because it is any more less of a film than the two ahead of it. When you compare it against all the other films, it has the smallest progression between films of any in the series. We do get improved SFX compared to Sorcerers Stone and the kids are growing into their iconic roles. Nothing at all "wrong" with the film, it just lacks the timeline or story significance that the films ahead of it have. A not so secret 7 out of 10 stars.