J.K. Rowling, one of the most influential authors of this generation, plans to release yet another film based on the Wizarding World she created more than two decades ago. With another installment in the ever-expanding “Fantastic Beasts” universe slated for November, there is no better time to look back on — and provide a definitive ranking of — the stories that started it all.
“Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”
When the third installment of any story is released, the results often fall into one of two categories. They either fabulously flop, like “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “The Godfather,” or provide the best and most refined iteration of an already familiar story.
“Azkaban” thankfully falls into the latter, standing among the likes of “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” and “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” as the best installments in their prospective narratives. With the introduction of beloved characters like Sirius Black and Remus Lupin, “Azkaban” fleshes out an already loaded roster of unforgettable characters. Sitting at a comfortable 345 pages, Harry’s third adventure dives right into the excitement, pushing the limits of could have become a repetitive story.
Brandon Hill | Argonaut
The film version, directed by Alfonso Cuaron, also changed the game in terms of HP movies. With a bleaker color pallet, revamped wardrobes and even a brand-new Dumbledore, “Azkaban” broke free from its “children’s movie” label and set a much grimmer, yet more intriguing tone for the rest of the franchise.
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”
There’s something to be said about a franchise that can chug along for a decade and still deliver a perfectly poetic ending. “Deathly Hallows,” delivers on all fronts, with the most action-packed scenes in the franchise, heart-breaking moments and a satisfying conclusive victory.
Much like the recent “Avengers” film, “Deathly Hallows” begins with an assumption the reader is up to speed, and that fast-paced narrative takes off like a Firebolt into a wild ride of adventure.
Director David Yates proved he knew the best way to tell an HP story, splitting the densest novel into two films.
While the move was judged as a cash-grab at first, “Deathly Hallows” does exist better as two stories. Yates took the moodier, darker first half and created a character piece focusing on the challenges facing the group dynamic between Harry, Ron and Hermione. Then, Yates gave everyone what they wanted: an action-fest conclusion that only builds off its novel counterpart.
Subtract an awkward hug from Voldemort, and Yates put together the best two-part film ever.
“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”
While the fourth and fifth installments introduce Harry to the world of teenage angst, “Half-Blood Prince” took it to an entirely new — and hilarious — level. Novel six sees Harry battling his desire for a normal life with the looming battle with Voldemort, as he and arch-nemesis Draco Malfoy coexist on different planes, both struggling to accept and grow into their predetermined fates.
“Half-Blood Prince” harkens back to the Potter novels of old, with Harry navigating both Voldemort’s past and the difficulties of being 16 years old. Quidditch is back, friendships are forged and it’s the last gasp of childhood for The Boy Who Lived before his next, and final, grand adventure.
Alan Rickman, the actor behind Severus Snape, deserved an Oscar for his tortured portrayal of Hogwarts’s best triple-agent. Yates’s second film perfectly balances humor and grief, while serving up the most somber ending a Potter story has ever seen.
“Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”
Despite three impeccable stories, the Potter franchise was ready for a change of pace by the time “Goblet of Fire” rolled around. Rowling, as always, delivered. Harry is quickly plunged into the fight of his life in the Triwizard Tournament. While other students study for classes, flirt and fight, Harry spends his academic year battling dragons, navigating the depths of the Black Lake, and eventually comes face-to-face with a reborn Voldemort.
Visually, “Goblet of Fire” takes a sharper turn than the Knight Bus behind schedule, with many of the actors sporting 70’s-era hair (not that it’s a bad thing). The advanced visual effects bring the many magical creatures to life a
nd still hold up to this day, impressive for a 2004 movie. To cap it all off, the introduction of Ralph Fiennes as Voldemort gives the Potter franchise the most memorable villain in cinema since Darth Vader.
“Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”
“Order of the Phoenix” is the longest novel, and yet it doesn’t need to be. While the conclusion does provide some of the best constructed action scenes yet, the rising action takes about 200 pages longer than it should. Nevertheless, the emotional highs and lows hit harder than any of “Order of the Phoenix’s” predecessors, and the audience is treated to an exquisite coming-of-age story that proves growing up in the Wizarding World isn’t that different than the Muggle one.
Yates’s first crack at a Potter film outlined the director’s biggest strengths. He trimmed the fat of the 766-page behemoth and produced a succinct story that doesn’t sacrifice too much. Meanwhile, Imelda Staunton shines as the easily hated Dolores Umbridge, with her high-pitched squeals and soft, poisoned-honey giggles seemingly taken straight from the book.
“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”
The one that started it all. The book that simultaneously sparked my curiosity in literature while launching one of the world’s most successful franchises. “Sorcerer’s Stone” still holds that immeasurable charm that makes other fantasy novels aimed at young adults look paler than Nearly-Headless Nick.
While the sheer intensity and plot development of the later books shuffles this introduction down the list, it’s hard imaging a world without this transformative tale.
Luckily for audiences, Rowling’s say in the casting of Harry, Ron and Hermione gave audiences everywhere the most lovable group of protagonists the silver screen has ever seen.
“Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”
Let’s get something straight. I love every one of these stories, and would not be the same person today without them. But if rankings must be done, then there must be a bottom-feeder, and “Chamber of Secrets” borrows too much from its successful predecessor to climb any higher. However, re-reading, Dumbledore’s infamous “responsibility” line almost made me cry, so there is something to be said about the immeasurably high quality of all of Rowling’s novels.
The film version, meanwhile, upped the ante on every aspect of “Sorcerer’s Stone,” but did not do enough to grow the franchise. Audiences had to wait until the third installment for that.
While the films provide an imaginative window into the Potter universe, nothing can compare to the immersive experience of diving into a novel as high a quality as Harry Potter. These timeless stories remain at the top of the shelf, and will continue to entertain young minds for years to come.
Brandon Hill can be reached at [email protected]