all of the Harry Potter movies ranked
Well, it's been 13 years since the last book was released, and nine years since the last movie was released, but here we are still obsessing over the Wizarding World and all it's magic!
*WARNING - SPOILERS AHEAD*
From the elaborate theme parks to the week-long movie marathons, the quality of these stories stay with the audience. The very first movie hit theaters right after the fourth book was released to the readers. Miraculously, the movies never lost their quality. They didn't just stop being good after the first or second movie, it stretched throughout all eight movies! Keep in mind, these rankings are solely the film itself, not how it is compared to the movie re: what was left out, what was kept, etc.
With that being said, let's get started...
8. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Being the longest movie in the franchise, running at around 161 minutes, you know this movie will have its flaws. Director Chris Columbus did his best to try to fit (almost) everything from the book into the film. After the first light-hearted (for the most part) and magical movie, this film sets a darker tone for the audience. Now, I'm not saying this movie is bad, I'm just saying that it is the most-drawn out of the eight.
There is still so much to like in this movie though! First, Columbus perfected Dobby by making him one of the most loved...and mischievous...characters in the franchise. He also does a good job at connecting Hogwarts' to the pureblood wizards and Tom Riddle's past. Even though the Chamber of Secrets is an enjoyable movie to watch, it still does not measure up to the magic in the other films.
7. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
The movie itself is amazing, but I have one word to sum up the reason I listed this as #7...UMBRIDGE. I think all Harry Potter fans can agree that she is the worst character in any movie franchise. Even though she is the most hated Harry Potter character, all fans can agree that Imelda Staunton played this role perfectly and may have one of the best performances in all of the films. Staunton created the feeling of disgust, fear, and annoyance within the film which fit perfectly when wrapped into the entire film.
The introduction of the Order shows Harry two things, #1 Harry is not alone in his journey, and #2 Harry honestly has no clue what is happening outside of the Order because information is being withheld. The return of Sirius Black tugged on many fans heartstrings, but his return did not end in a happily ever after scenario. Not only were the fan's heartstrings tugged, but their souls were completely shattered in two after his awful death in front of Harry. I also think every fan wanted to yank Bellatrix's curly black hair off her head when she taunted Harry by yelling, "I killed Sirius Black! I killed Sirius Black! You coming to get me?"
In my opinion, this movie has one of the best scenes in the entire series. The Order of the Phoenix reaches its climax in the storyline when Voldemort returns to fight Harry in the Ministry of Magic, but one thing stands in his way, Dumbledore. This scene has every viewer on the edge of their seat as Voldemort and Dumbledore battle each other with fire, water, killing spells, and even shattered glass. It never fails, when I watch this scene I hold my breath until the very last piece of shattered glass falls to the floor and Fudge comes into the room. It's no wonder they kept this director until the end of the films, he did incredible in the final scenes.
6. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 1
It's truly hard to judge a movie that is only half of a story, but since it is here we go. The first half of the movie is very compelling and interesting, but the second half of the movie starts slowing down and turns sluggish. I personally think that this is because of Harry, Ron, and Hermione transporting from one place to another on a directionless hunt as they continuously argue with one another. This is needed so that the storyline can advance in the Deathly Hallows Pt. 2, but it gets very tiring to watch in one movie.
This film fits perfectly in line with every other movie, but looking at it as a standalone film is very different. This does not fit well as a standalone because it leaves many different desired endings unanswered. The directors did do many things right though, Ron and Hermione were able to start expressing their feelings for each other, we learned the story of the Deathly Hallows and the Three Brothers, we meet Dumbledore's brother and learn his backstory, and the lead-up to the final battle at Hogwarts.
R.I.P. Dobby *insert crying face emoji*. This was one of the saddest deaths in the film because Dobby was one of the most loved and innocent characters in the franchise. I honestly still cry every time his death scene happens and the characters gather around his grave.
5. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
This movie contains some of the happiest and darkest scenes in the series. The Half-Blood Prince is the funniest in the series because of the romantic comedy, Professor Slughorn, Harry and Ron's encounters with girls, and Ron's fall off the back of the couch. This was actually not planned whatsoever, while playing the part of being overtaken by a potion, he accidentally falls off the couch and Harry and Slughorn just look at him and then look back at each other. Directors decided to keep this in the film after rewatching it over and over and laughing at the accident.
Now we have the dark scenes...this story builds up the Dumbledore's tragic death Snape's "betrayal" of Hogwarts, Voldemort's backstory, and the introduction to the horcruxes for the next film. This movie can having you go from laughing to crying at the blink of an eye. One of the final scenes of this movie once again tugs at viewer's heartstrings after Dumbledore's death because student body and professors all gather in the courtyard and raise their wands to say goodbye to their beloved professor.
We also see a lot more of Draco in this movie. It shows his internal struggles of going with his family and becoming a full-fledged follower of Voldemort, or staying with his friends and professors at Hogwarts and joining the fight against Voldemort. Not only does he face external struggles by battling the Sectumsempra spell which causes lacerations across the victim's body, but he also has the big internal struggle of trying to decide if he should actually kill Dumbledore. In the end, he is not strong enough to do it and this is when Snape "betrays" Hogwarts and kills Dumbledore himself. *Spoiler Alert* haha Dumbledore and Snape had this plan all along because Dumbledore needed Snape to make Voldemort think he was his follower so that he could gain inside knowledge on his plans for attacking Hogwarts and killing Harry.
4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
THIS ONE IS SO GOOD WOW. Honestly, this should be number one on my list, but when I break it down and actually look at it, #4 fits this movie perfectly. This movie has many different big moments, but I think the most important moment of this entire movie is the first on-screen sighting of Voldemort. The directors were able to break up the dark and heavy content with the Yule Ball and showing the teenagers battle their awkwardness with encounters of the opposite sex.
The arrival of foreign students and new professors keep a constant pace in the films. This film mostly centers around the Triwizard Tournament which contains a grueling three tasks for the four characters to tackle. Throughout these tasks, characters encounter dragons, mermaids in the black lake, and a corrupted maze where Harry and Cedric would soon meet Voldemort face to face. Speaking of Cedric, wow, that was a very sad death. Talk about crying during a death. When Cedric's father comes running out of the stands yelling "THAT'S MY SON, MY BOY.", I don't think there was a dry eye in the theaters. If there was that person did not have a soul.
While the Goblet of Fire has many upbeat moments, it also has its sluggish moments too. Voldemort's return was not as terrifying as viewers would have hoped, but in my opinion, I think that if they were to make it any more terrifying a lot of viewers would not be able to watch the movie.
3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
This movie is a constant fight for the characters. While on the train to Hogwarts, Harry encounters a dementor for the first time and is saved by the one and only Remus Lupin, a new professor at Hogwarts. Little does Harry know, he will soon have big information thrown at him. The entire storyline of the Marauders friendship and the mischievous map they created is woven beautifully into this movie. Mooney, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs are the center of this storyline. We learn of their true identities after being given the information that Sirius Black was framed all of these years because of false information from Peter Pettigrew. This movie had so may twists and turns it kept views on their toes, while also introducing Sirius Black and Remus Lupin, who will become very important. This is why the Prisoners of Azkaban is ranked #3.
2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 2
This movie hits the ground running from the very first scene and doesn't let up until the final scene. Part 2 builds up to the final battle where this entire series began: Hogwarts. Not only do we deeply connect to the characters during this film, but we also connect to their emotions and actions too. The most gut-wrenching death of the entire series happens in this film. The death of Fred Weasley. Most directors would have shown his death on screen with dramatic music and the audience of all his friends and family, but this director decided to punch his viewers in the gut by not showing his death, and revealing his fate afterwards with his friends and family surrounding his covered up body in the Great Hall.
The most difficult action in this movie for the director was to turn Snape into a hero. As I mentioned in my previous blog post "Severus Snape: the Antihero", we learn that he was not such a bad buy at all. The final scene of Snape between him and Voldemort, where Voldemort kills him is very emotional, but it gets even more emotional when Harry finds him. In this final scene of Snape, he hands Harry and flask of memories that show his ongoing love for Lily. This leaves the audience in tears, but shows Harry one important thing, he must die in order to save his friends. It is no surprise that the good side won, but the final battle contains so many important scenes that stick with viewers including Ron and Hermione's kiss, Neville becoming a hero, Molly fighting Bellatrix, Voldemort believing he killed Harry, and then finally Harry falling out of Hagrid's arms shocking everybody around him. It is no surprise this movie was a hit, the directors did incredible on the film.
1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
The Sorcerer's Stone...where it all began and we were introduced to the infamous Wizarding World and all it has to offer. While it may not be as perfect or flashy as the other films, it lays a fantastic foundation for the rest of the movies. We meet the cast, connect to their characters, and are charmed by their performances. Even though it has the lightest tone of the series, it works as a perfect introduction to the world we love. From Ron playing the best game of wizard's chess Hogwarts has ever seen to Harry being sorted into Gryffindor, and the trio's friendship growing, viewers will always love watching this first movie.
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