Having recently watched the final two movies in the Harry Potter series, and witnessing how it all ends at long last, there are a few aspects of the films I feel do not fully exhibit the true potential of the fantastical world J.K. Rowling created. That being said, I have only read the first two novels, which limits my understanding of the entire wizarding lore and may account for a few of the perplexities I happened to have while viewing the movies. That does not, however, exempt me from having an opinion on the current live-action rendition of the novels. As enchanting as many of them were, the films fell short of portraying certain realisms within the imaginative world, a latent quality that could be realized by remaking them all.
To me, having only experienced the world of wizards through the films, some of the most enjoyable moments were in the classrooms, as strange as that sounds. Seeing how a wizard teaches another, and how a younger wizard learns from an elder was innately engaging. As there is a clear dichotomy between the wizarding world and the non-magic, or muggle, world, a wizard is obviously going to be taught differently than us (I’m going to assume everyone reading this is a muggle, like me); so it is only natural that observing the curriculum of a wizard in action sparks intrigue for those of us who apparently lack the qualities of magic folk, neglected from even having a chance to be included in such a fascinating culture, though refrain from holding grudges or remaining bitter about such a trite judgment… All jokes aside, the scenes in the films surrounding classroom environments provided a somewhat relaxed and oddly captivating atmosphere, piquing the interest of those wondering how a young wizard learns and grows.
Not enough of the in-class scenes were included in the films, in my opinion. The first film, of course, had a significant amount of time devoted to establishing the curriculum of a couple professors, though after that the films tended to have hardly one or two scenes within a class, and most of those were abbreviated due to yet another debacle with Harry and his drama-inducing friends. If the films were to be remade, more fully developed classroom scenes would go a long way to further reinforce how a young wizard becomes a great wizard. A television series surrounding Hogwart’s classes would actually be ideal.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, there was an undeniable scarcity of actual magical battles. Without revealing too much from the plot, the most unequivocally intense (and realistic, within imaginative reason) battle was at the end of the fifth movie. Apart from that clash of extraordinary powers, the films failed to portray the inevitable magical duels that would happen daily if wizards actually existed. I don’t solely mean fights to the death, although the ones that were shown lacked certain vigor enough to appear legitimate, but also recreational duels between peers to practice spells or even just for fun. I know if I were a wizard I would want to utilize my powers in duels as often as I could. The films made it seem as though magical competitions were discouraged, which would be utter werewolf scat if magic existed.
Lastly, especially in the first few films, there was an uncanny amount of responsibility and obligation placed on the children. It irked me to no end listening to weathered professors at the “greatest school of magic in the world” marvel at the accomplishments of three eleven year old kids where they shouldn’t have even been involved. Realistically (I know that word is absurd in this context, but just go with it), if three first-year kids were to take on a club wielding, thirty-foot tall troll on their own, they’d, you know, be not alive anymore. There were many instances of incompetence amongst the staff in the films, neglecting to use ANY of the supposed THOUSANDS of spells in their arsenal to deescalate a situation or alleviate a problem, allowing the fabled preteen Harry Potter to showcase that one spell he learned in class earlier to save the day yet again. For example, in the first movie, Neville Longbottom unintentionally rides off on a stray broom, gets caught on a rooftop statue, then falls to the ground breaking his wrist, all whilst the alleged professor of broomstick flying watches in dismay, unable (or unwilling) to use any of the hundreds of spells she probably knows to save that poor wrist from unnecessary breakage.
In later films, there becomes a clear difference in power between the students and the professors, rightfully so. However, this is mostly just hinted to through the admiration of students for their superiors rather than exemplified through actual demonstration of magical prowess. In fact, the head of Gryffindor, Professor McGonagall, literally doesn’t use a spell until the very final movie, aside from turning a bird into a glass goblet in an earlier film, which is not only disgustingly unsettling but also provides no practical use except for crazy cat ladies who haven’t done the dishes in a while. A remake of the films should commit to the virtuosity of the professors from the get-go, instead of waiting till they use a spell halfway through the entire story so everyone can think, “Wow, that professor is actually really powerful! I would’ve never guessed!”
Don’t get me wrong, I love the Harry Potter films and watch them frequently, the fifth and sixth in particular. Though a pre-determined remaking of the films would allow for more continuity and pragmatism out of the gates. Of course, there is only a shade of a rumor going around about a reimagining, though if they were to indulge, there is plenty of room for improvement that would reinvigorate the universal love for the magical world J.K. Rowling has presented us.
