--- title: "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/harry-potter-and-the-philosophers-stone/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/harry-potter-and-the-philosophers-stone" critics_score: 66 critics_reviews: 16 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001): what the critics said Critics' score 66 from 16 reviews: 9 positive, 6 mixed, 1 negative. ## The Independent Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 5 November 2001. The film is a remarkably solid piece of work with rich production values and headlong adventure, balancing flighty magic with grounded angst in an old-fashioned story of courage and belonging. [Read the review](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/harry-potter-and-the-philosopher-s-stone-9175053.html) ## Radio Times — Andrew Collins Rating 4/5. This CGI-packed fantasy adventure is more than just a big-budget movie adaptation – it’s a cultural phenomenon. Daniel Radcliffe makes a likeable Harry and the cast breathes life into the characters, though there is a lack of emotional core and the film is too long. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-ormjku/harry-potter-and-the-philosophers-stone/) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Rating 4/5. 16 November 2001. The film is a richly accomplished entertainment spectacular and the quickest, zappiest two and a half hours in the cinema. It is tightly respectful of the book with staggering special effects and strong performances from the young cast and supporting British actors. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/books/2001/nov/16/harrypotter.jkrowling) ## The Telegraph — John Hiscock Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 5 November 2001. The film succeeds triumphantly in meeting the challenge of adapting the book faithfully. It is a visual and emotional treat with impressive effects, though some book details are omitted. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/4726359/Magic-is-the-only-word-for-it.html) ## The Times — Kevin Maher Rating 4/5. 29 October 2021. The 20th-anniversary rerelease holds up remarkably well with a gorgeous fairytale innocence and ingenuous acting from the young cast. The Quidditch scenes feel synthetic but the final confrontation remains disturbing. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/harry-potter-and-the-philosophers-stone-2001-review-emma-watson-rupert-grint-daniel-radcliffe-j7svbdtpf) ## Time Out — BC Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 3 December 2021. The boarding school stuff is terrific and the lessons quick and funny; Quidditch is as fast as Top Gun but then becomes incomprehensible. A long, engrossing feast for children that kids will love. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/harry-potter-and-the-philosophers-stone-2001) ## Empire — Alan Morrison Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 16 November 2001. A faithful adaptation that thrives on recognition of the book's elements, with excellent set pieces like the Quidditch match and near-perfect casting, though the long runtime may test some young viewers. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/harry-potter-philosopher-stone-review/) ## Total Film Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 16 November 2001. The film gets many details and effects right in a cozy, faithful adaptation with strong adult casting, but the child actors are uneven; it is a rewarding and charming franchise starter. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/harry-potter-and-the-philosophers-stone-review/) ## Screen Daily Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 11 November 2001. Chris Columbus's rendition is a well-made, likeable picture that will please the books' fans, but from a strictly artistic viewpoint it is not particularly exciting and only intermittently succeeds in echoing the magic of seminal children's fantasies. The excessive running time may prove trying. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/harry-potter-and-the-philosophers-stone/407464.article) ## The AV Club — Scott Tobias Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 16 November 2001. Columbus sticks closely to the source material and benefits from a strong cast, but overdoes the wonder with excessive effects and score while the long runtime drags the episodic story. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/harry-potter-and-the-sorcerers-stone-1798192818) ## Los Angeles Times — Kenneth Turan Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 16 November 2001. The film is a remarkably faithful but risk-averse adaptation that delivers what fans want yet falls short of cinematic poetry or passion. The critic praises the visual recreation of Hogwarts and Diagon Alley, the young cast, and Robbie Coltrane as Hagrid, while lamenting the lack of bold choices. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-archives-harry-potter-sorcerers-stone-review-20170626-story.html) ## Sight and Sound Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). The film is conscious of its vast market and keeps things bland, with only Alan Rickman standing out. It will captivate younger children but is oddly anticlimactic overall, with cuteness but no epic sweep or emotional edge. [Read the review](http://old.bfi.org.uk/features/ultimatefilm/chart/details.php?ranking=11) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Kirk Honeycutt Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 9 November 2001. The film faithfully adapts the book with strong visuals that establish the wizarding world and credible young leads, but feels overly cautious and lacks creative spark beyond its production design. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/harry-potter-sorcerers-stone-2001-review-946999/) ## The New Yorker — Anthony Lane Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 12 November 2001. The film is an enjoyable but unadventurous adaptation that does its job without surprising or moving viewers deeply. The critic singles out the strong child performances, especially Emma Watson as Hermione, and Alan Rickman's Snape for praise, while noting it lacks the book's emotional resonance. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2001/11/19/nobody-beats-the-wizard) ## Slant Magazine — Ed Gonzalez Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 29 October 2001. Columbus trivializes the emotional core and delivers a heartless greatest-hits package of set pieces undermined by a relentless score and bland direction, though some details and sequences show promise. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/harry-potter-and-the-sorcerers-stone/) ## HeyUGuys — Steven Neish Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 6 July 2011. The critic finds the film overly faithful to the book with pedestrian direction that sacrifices some character development and momentum for completeness. They single out the enchanting introduction to the magical world, impressive CGI, perfect casting and John Williams score as making it accomplished family entertainment that lays solid foundations for the series. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/hogwarts-revisited-harry-potter-and-the-philosophers-stone/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/harry-potter-and-the-philosophers-stone.md