Harry Potter Franchise Ranking

A few weeks ago, Sarah and I decided to watch all of the Harry Potter films. The Harry Potter series is one of my favorite film franchises of all time and probably my favorite book series of all time. I have read the books 3-4 times and just find it one of the best series ever written. The Harry Potter films are also very consistent in quality. There were no bad entries in the franchise until the Fantastic Beasts films came along. With that being said, here are my thoughts and ranking of the eight Harry Potter films and three Fantastic Beasts films.

11. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

The Crimes of Grindelwald is definitively the worst of the Harry Potter franchise. For positives, it does do a good job of expanding the wizarding world. In the Harry Potter films, most of our time is spent on the underaged wizarding world, in this film we get to see the adult wizarding world and how things like the Ministry of Magic and other wizarding jobs operate. This movie also gives a great intro and backstory to Dumbledore played by Jude Law. Jude Law was a great choice for a young Dumbledore and plays the character very well. I also liked how they handled Tina and Newt's relationship and the romance that begins to blossom there. However, the movie as a whole has way too much going on. There are way too many different subplots and characters that it is impossible to keep track of everyone. When we do get a defined plot, the storyline is just way too convoluted and confusing. I have seen this movie multiple times and still can't really explain what is going on in the story. The movie is just very poorly written and shows that just because someone (J.K Rowling) can write a hit book series, doesn't mean they are capable of writing a screenplay.

Score: 6/10 Grade: C+

10. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

The Secrets of Dumbledore is very similar to The Crimes of Grindelwald in quality. However, there are a few things in this film that give it a slight edge. I really liked the general premise of the movie in that it feels very much like a political thriller in the wizarding world. That was a very interesting direction to take the story in and when it does that, the movie works rather well. I also really liked the dynamic we see between Dumbledore and Aberforth and a bit of background on their relationship. Finally, I thought the replacement of Johnny Depp with Mads Mikkelsen was a great choice. I don't have issues with Johnny Depp as an actor but I just felt he was miscast in the role of Grindelwald. Mads Mikkelsen is a much better choice and really fits in the role. Unfortunately, just like the previous film, the plot of this film is way too convoluted and goes in way too many different directions. The movie makes a point in saying that their plan can't make any sense or Grindelwald will catch on. However, by doing this, the movie comprises a cohesive story for one that is just all over the play. Finally, this movie cements the fact that Newt is the wrong person to be a leader in this film. At this point, the series isn't even about him and his creatures and he just feels out of place. In the end, this film is just another example of J.K. Rowling's inadequacies as a screenwriter.

Score: 6.2/10 Grade: C+

9; Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a significant improvement over its two sequels but still not at the level of the rest of the Harry Potter films. What I like about this film is that we get to see an expansion of the wizarding world. We are introduced to all of these different kinds of magical beasts that Newt looks after and all of the different things they can do. We also get to see how the American wizarding world operates and how their terminology compares to that of the British wizarding world. The best thing about this movie is the two main characters, Newt and Jacob. Newt is such a charming character that you can't help but like him and hope he succeeds. He doesn't have any big ambitions and just wants to care for his animals. That aspect of the film is what makes the film fun. Jacob is also a fun character as he is a muggle thrown into the wizarding world. He supplies a lot of laughs and is just such a likable character. The thing that keeps this movie down is the dramatic tonal shifts. You'll have a scene where Newt is trying to track down his animals which is all cute and fun but then cut to a scene that is all about child abuse and a giant monster killing people. It feels like two completely different movies crammed together. This movie also tries to force connections to the Harry Potter movies. Overall, If this movie would have solely been about Newt and his creatures it would have been so much better but instead, they force all these connections to Grindelwald from the Harry Potter books which hurt the film a bit.

Score: 7/10 Grade: B

8. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

Diving into the actual Harry Potter films, The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 is the weakest of the bunch. With that being said, it is still a good movie, something just had to come at the bottom. The movie delivers a lot of exciting sequences. The Ministry of Magic break in and the beginning chase comes to mind. As it is part one of the finale, it needs to go big to pay off important plot points and mostly delivers on that. We also get to spend a lot of time with our core trio without the distraction of school stuff. This movie gives them a lot of time to grow and we really get to see how they operate as fully-grown wizards. This movie a lot goes into a lot of backstory of Dumbledore as well as Harry's birth that really add to the overall story. What keeps this movie at the bottom is purely the fact that it is an incomplete story. This movie is the first half of a book and thus is all exposition and set up without much of any resolution. Books are not meant to be split in half as that's not how stories are written and this movie shows the consequences of that. Due to that, there are parts in this movie that are rather dull as the movie stretches things out a bit to make sure it has enough for a second film. In the end, while this movie is still good, it is not a complete story and feels a bit dull. As a part of the finale it is great. As a stand-alone movie, not so much.

Score: 7.2 /10 Grade: B

7. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

The Half-Blood Prince is definitely the weakest of the complete book adaptations, though it still has quite a few positives. This film probably has the most laughs out of any of the films. Ron and Harry deliver some standout moments. This movie also gives us some great Dumbledore moments as we get to see him spend some more time with Harry. This movie also has a darker tone which is really effective in portraying Voldemort's return and his rise to power. This movie also gives some very emotional moments with an ending that really gets you in the feels. One thing that hurts this movie is that The Half-Blood Prince was probably my least favorite book as I was just not a huge fan of the story. I am also not a huge fan of the hormonal Harry that we get in this film. This film also cuts so much out of the books to the point where there are some noticeable gaps in the story in the movie. For instance, there are several more memories in the book that Dumbledore shows Harry that share important plot points yet are cut in the movie. Also, the half blood prince potion book plotline is trimmed down so much that it doesn't really get the payoff it needs. In the end, I still enjoy this film but it just has too much source material to really deliver this story to its full potential.

Score: 7.5/10 Grade: B

6. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

The Order of the Phoenix has many of the same issues as the Half-Blood Prince. From a story standpoint, this entry is probably my favorite story in both the books and the movies. I really enjoy the addition of the Order as it includes many of my favorite characters such as Sirius, Lupin, Tonks, and Mad-Eye. I also really like this movie for its darker tone and having to handle the reality that Voldemort has returned. This also plays a role in the tension at Hogwarts as many of the students are divided as to whether Voldemort has actually come back. Another great thing about this movie is that it gives some of our side characters such as Neville, Ginny, and Luna, more time to shine and really allows them to grow as wizards. This movie also does a great job of developing Sirius and Harry's relationship. It really grows them into a father-son relationship and by the end of the movie, you really want them to be a family. Unfortunately, just like The Half-Blood Prince, this movie doesn't come close to covering all of the needed material established in the books. For some reason, even though this was the longest book, it ends up being the shortest movie which just seemed like a really odd choice. It also just leaves out way too much from the book that could've been added to the runtime to make it a 2.5-hour movie. Even without reading the books, you can tell the movie is trying to rush from plot point to plot point to try and fit in as much as possible. Overall, while this is still a solid movie, there was just way too much to fit in and not enough run time to do it in.

Score: 7.7/10 Grade: B

5. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

The Chamber of Secrets is the first of the group of films that I consider peak Harry Potter. I really enjoy the mystery aspect of this story in which we have to follow Harry, Ron, and Hermione as they try to figure out what has been harming the students. This movie is also old enough that it relied on practical effects more so than CGI which I think makes the movie look so much better. It just has that old-school movie magic feel that most of the movies in the franchise don't seem to have. The movie also does a great job of expanding the world of Harry Potter. In the first film, we get a glimpse of the wizarding world but have most of the time spent in Hogwarts. In this film, we get to dive more into everyday wizarding life as we are taken to the Weasley home as well as shown various methods of travel in the wizarding world. We also get a glance into the role of the wizarding government with the introduction of the Minister of Magic as well as Lucius Malfoy. Finally, this movie is also one of the few that has a John Williams score which just makes the magic feel that much more real. The issue I have with this film is actually quite the opposite of that of the previous few in that I felt that the movie was a bit too long. This movie is the second shortest book but is somehow the longest movie and some parts of the movie just feel a little bloated. In the end, this is a great follow-up to the original film but just feels a bit disproportionate in run time compared to other films in the series.

Score: 7.8/10 Grade: B

4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

The Goblet of Fire is the first of the Harry Potter films to have a darker tone. This movie has always been one of my favorites with the movie also being one of the best in the series. I think the darker tone really works for this movie as it begins to establish the looming threat of Voldemort. While he is not technically around for much of this movie, the presence of an imminent threat is still felt throughout the movie. I really like the idea of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. I think it was a very interesting direction to go for the story and keeps things very entertaining. I also like how we are introduced to other wizarding schools in the world. I like how we get to explore the students of both schools and see how they operate as compared to Hogwarts. The movie also gives us the introduction of Mad-Eye Moody who is one of my favorite characters. I just his personality in the film and the way he is portrayed. Finally, I felt this was the one movie that actually manages to accurately adapt the longer book. It still cuts some things, but the story as a whole feels more complete and less like things are missing. The only issue I had with the film is that it does drag just a tad in the middle act of the film. Right around the second task, you can start to feel the length of the movie. Had it been tightened up just a tad, I think it would have been much better. Overall, this film does a great job of adapting a long book and provides the audience with an interesting premise.

Score: 8/10 Grade: B+

3. Harry Potter and the Sorceress Stone

The original Harry Potter film is still one of the best Harry Potter films. This movie does a great job of introducing us into this fantastical world. It also does a great job of fleshing out this world showing us aspects such as Hogwarts, Quidditch, and Diagon Alley. As this movie came out over 20 years ago, it relied a lot more on practical effects. Doing this makes the sets and characters look so much more real and grander in school. It looks so much cooler to have a huge-scale Hogwarts set as compared to a CGI set used more in the later films. The story itself is also quite simple which really adds to the charm of the film. There is no looming threat, just a small story about some kids exploring their school. This movie also introduces the characters that we all love and follow throughout the next 8 films. Harry, Ron, and Hermione are so much fun together and play off each other so well. This film also has a great score by John Williams that really elevates the film. Finally, I felt that this movie is the most faithful to the book with the least amount of material cut out or changed. The main hold-up to this film is that it was the first in the franchise. Since this was new for so many people, the movie doesn't have the polish that the later films have. The studio is still learning how to do the effects and child actors are still learning how to act. In the end, this is a fantastic introduction to Harry Potter and a classic film that is still loved by many today.

Score: 8.5/10 Grade: A-

2. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

The Prisoner of Azkaban is the last of the simple Harry Potter stories before they start getting darker and more complex. The best thing about this movie is the time travel aspect of it. I really enjoy time travel stories and this movie does an excellent job of incorporating it into Harry Potter. The logic of time travel is actually fairly sound without much of any room for plot holes or questions. This movie also introduces us to the character of Remus Lupin who is one of my favorite Hogwarts professors. The movie as a whole just feels a lot more refined than the others. It is more polished than the first two films and doesn't feel as rushed as many of the later ones do. I also like how this movie, yet again, manages to add more to this magical world. In this movie, we get to explore things such as the Knight Bus, Hogsmeade, and Azkaban as well as be introduced to the Dementors. This movie does an excellent job of portraying the frightening aspect of the Dementors and shows them exactly how I pictured them in the book. The only thing keeping this movie out of number one is that it does leave out a fairly important plot point from the book about the Marauders Map and why certain characters know about it. I think including the explanation from the book would add a special level to the story. Overall, this is a top-tier story that not only continues to build the world but also manages to include a logical version of time travel.

Score: 8.7/10 Grade: A-

I. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Without question, The Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is the best of the Harry Potter franchise. This movie is so great as it pulls out all the stops and closes out an 8 film series in a big way. The action and battles in this film are so cool. Right out of the gate, the movie starts off very exciting and does not stop until the end of the film. The Battle of Hogwarts is such an exciting sequence and probably one of my all-time favorite film battles. All of the characters get some moment to shine or some big character arc. Not just throughout this movie, but in arcs that span the entire 8 movie run. This movie also manages to tie plot points together throughout the entire sage showing why some characters behaved in the way that they do. This movie is probably the best example of a series-tying everything together from every single book. Finally, the big final showdown between Harry and Voldemort is just so cool to see. It keeps you on the edge of your set and keeps you excited from beginning to end. Overall, this is not only my favorite Harry Potter film but it is also one of my all-time favorite movies.

Score: 9.5/10 Grade: A