The Harry Potter franchise is something of a cultural touchstone - even if you don't like Harry Potter, or think it's pretty much the lamest thing to have ever been created by a human being in the history of the universe, it's kind of impossible to escape from its large and looming shadow. Sure, the films have since finished, but the legacy of Harry Potter stays afloat through its millions of fans and hey, a bit of magic, too. For the most part, the Harry Potter movie adaptations were good, solid affairs - you could enjoy them even if you hadn't read the books. But there was something of a reoccurring issue that plagued all eight Harry Potter movies - one that was undeniable to even the most hardcore of all Harry Potter fanboys: the cringeworthy nature of many of its scenes. Which is to say, you were never that far away from a moment that would force you to curl up into a ball and die of embarrassment for the actors who were having to partake in the events up on the screen. Why this series more than any other? Who knows? The Harry Potter franchise just seems to invite much cringe-worthiness. Be it as a result of genuinely bad acting skills, then, ill-advised scenes that weren't in the books, or something that can't be explained because it's so damn bizarre, here are the 10 most cringeworthy moments in the Harry Potter saga...
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
