Harry Potter: Ranking Every Movie Ending From Worst To Best
6. The Philosopher's Stone
The finale of The Philosopher’s Stone is unfortunately marred by Harry’s confrontation with Voldemort. This particular scene has not aged well given the questionable effects and the lack of consistency when compared with the version of Voldemort played by Ralph Fiennes.
Nevertheless, the bulk of the finale is well executed. Whilst it’s fun to see Hermione tackle the Devil's Snare and Harry take on the winged keys, the best moment is undoubtedly the giant chess game. This particular scene is one of the rare moments in which the adaptation is head and shoulders above the book.
On screen, these giant chess pieces are intimidating figures. Their brutal takedowns of one another create far more tension than Rowling managed to capture in her original depiction. What’s more, the music heightens the suspense still further thanks to a terrific string section.
All things considered, the finale of The Philosopher’s Stone is a little up and down, but there’s no denying the chess game is one of the best moments of the entire film.