Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), having been raised by his aunt and uncle learns that his parents were wizards and that he's been invited to become a student at Hogwarts', the school for witches and wizards in the United Kingdom.
Harry Potter also learns that he's quite famous in the wizarding world, as he's the only known person to have survived an attack by the evil wizard Voldemort (voiced by Ian Hart in this film). This attack has left a lightning shaped scar on Harry Potter's forehead.
Harry Potter makes several friends while attending Hogwarts', particularly Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson).
Harry eventually discovers that Voldemort isn't as dead as everyone thinks he is, and that Voldemort is after the Philosopher's Stone (Sorceror's Stone in the American version), which Voldemort hopes will help to restore his body. Harry eventually faces off against Voldemort, who is sharing the body of Professor Quirrell (also Ian Hart) in order to survive. Quirrell doesn't survive this encounter, but Voldemort's spirit is able to escape.
Review-
My synopsis doesn't really do justice to the story, but then again one can either watch the film or read the book again if one wants the full story.
The first film was directed by Chris Columbus, who best known work prior to Harry Potter was the Home Alone films. This film sticks very closely to the book, which in this case isn't necessarily a good thing.
Of all the Harry Potter films, the Chris Columbus films are the least interesting. Columbus was very meticulous about being true to the books that it allowed for very little variation. Not everything from the books is needed for the films.
However, Columbus did have experience in directing younger kids in films, not just in the Home Alone films but other films like Adventures in Babysitting and Mrs. Doubtfire. While perhaps less creative than later Potter directors, having someone at the helm like Columbus who knew how to handle younger kids on a film production must have been a boon to the producers of the film series.
As the three main leads, Radcliffe, Grint and Watson handle their parts well. The other standout among the younger actors in this particular film is Tom Felton, who plays Harry's nemesis Draco Malfoy. Felton provides just enough menace to the role that one can understand Harry and Draco's mutual dislike for each other.
The older actors generally handle their parts well. It's interesting journeying back to the early Harry Potter films to see Richard Harris playing Dumbledore. Richard Harris' Dumbledore seems less accessible or more remote than Michael Gambon's portrayal. Gambon is also much more active in his portrayal, which is somewhat to be expected. Sadly, after being cast as Dumbledore, Richard Harris would only live to play the character in the first two Harry Potter films. Harris would pass away just prior to the film's release in movie theaters.
Casting Alan Rickman as Severus Snape was pure genius, however. Sometimes certain actors are simply meant to play certain parts. If ever there was a part that was meant for Alan Rickman, Severus Snape was that part. Maggie Smith was also an inspired choice for the stern, but caring Minerva McGonagall.
Of the various Harry Potter adaptations, Philosopher's Stone sits somewhere in the middle. It isn't terrible, but it doesn't exactly soar either. However, the film's popularity guaranteed that the sequel films would be made, many of which are far superior to this first film.
