The first entry into the Harry Potter film franchise, and arguably the worst. OK, so it isn't technically that bad of a film, and when it was released in 2001 it was eaten up with delight by a young generation of readers, all of whom were eager to see the wizarding world come to life before their eyes. The film was exciting, unique, and - sadly - the source of much disappointment for thousands of 11-year-olds who failed to get a letter from Hogwarts that summer. But let's not forget that this isn't just 'any old film'. The Philosopher's Stone is an adaptation of the most popular children's book in recent years, and a book that is so inescapably special that it deserves far more than a two-and-a-half hour, frustratingly puerile page-by-page imitation. The magic (if you'll excuse the word play) of the book is decidedly absent on the big screen, and it's unfair to attribute that solely to the awkward performances of an inexperienced cast. In its defence, The Philosopher's Stone has an awful lot of world-building to trudge through before it can even get to the good stuff, but whatever excuses it may have, it's a straight-up poor adaptation. As hard as it tries, no amount of sparkly special effects or catchy theme tunes can save it.
