From the sets to the story to the whole tone of the film, this is an almost literal adaptation of J.K. Rowling's beloved children's book. Columbus manages to capture the delicate magic of Rowling's book, about a young wizard named Harry Potter, while simultaneously crafting a very solid piece of Hollywood filmmaking. It's the smaller touches, transposed in whole from the book, that make the film as good as it is. So why didn't the film electrify me like Rowling's book? There's none of the obvious Hollywood downgrading that so often accompanies an adaptation like this, but it is what it is, and that's an adaptation. If you're one of the few who haven't succumbed to Pottermania yet, read the book, then take in this well-done companion piece.
D: Chris Columbus; with Daniel Radcliffe.