The Definitive Ranking of the Harry Potter Film Franchise

By: Julian Mancini and Patrick Messina*

*(But mostly Julian Mancini)

Geez. Did we really did just stoop to the level of a Buzzfeed cliffhanger headline? Yes we did. But if you’re reading this anyway, you might as well take a look at our ranking of one of the highest grossing, most beloved, and most widely enjoyed film (and book) franchises of all time.

#1. HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE (Film 1): The movie that began it all. Based off J.K. Rowling's best-selling books about the Boy Who Lived, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Philosopher's Stone in Great Britain) was released in 2001, directed by Chris Columbus and produced by David Yates. The movie does justice to the book and has a mix of happy moments and scary ones. There were great characters and music, but the manner the protagonist was introduced and its magical story made it great. Throughout the movie series, Harry Potter proves to be a wizard of incredible power and kindness, but when we first find him, he is living in his aunt and uncle's cupboard under the stairs. Soon enough, he is offered admission to Hogwarts on the eve of his 11th birthday, July 31. He discovers how his parents died: Lord Voldemort murdered them, but failed to kill him. Harry is placed in Gryffindor, meets Ron, Hermione, and his nemesis Draco Malfoy, and plays Quidditch. He is confused by his teachers, especially his Potions professor Severus Snape and Defense Against the Dark Arts professor Quirrell. At the end of the movie, Harry is forced to indirectly face his greatest enemy, Lord Voldemort, who is concealed under Quirrell's turban. Much like its hero, this movie succeeded and created a foundation for more movies to come. –PM

#2. HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN (Film 3): Best movie of the series; this movie totally shifts gears with a new director, Alfonso Cuaron, and the tone of the movie is darker and grittier than the first 2. Harry becomes independent from the school and questions his family's past in the 3rd movie. He returns to Hogwarts, fearing for his life at the hands of the Dementors and notorious escaped-criminal Sirius Black. Gary Oldman's portrayal of Sirius was outstanding. In the end, Harry, and most of the audience, is shocked to discover that Ron's rat Scabbers is really a man who betrayed Harry's parents. Harry's development into a young adult was well-done. Sirius tells Harry the truth: he is Harry's godfather and he helped the Potters until their death. Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson showed their acting chops in changing roles –PM

#3. HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE (Film 4): This movie isn’t only in third because it did anything wrong, because it really didn’t have any bad characteristics about it; it just got beat for first and second by the charming one that started it all and the emotional one that introduced so many beloved characters, hated adversaries, and interesting plot elements. This movie is the most action-packed of the series, featuring fire-breathing dragons, mer-men, and the biggest plot twist in the eight-movie saga, which changes the course of the story moving forward. This fantastic action and its related visual effects are combined with the young, awkward teenage charm that made you love the first three films, a huge cast of lovable and/or hate-able new characters, and the presence of a certain growing maturity in the films’ three main characters that makes them even better protagonists than before. It was the end to the lightheartedness present in the early films and it makes the characters and the audience realize that the wizarding world really is more than meets the eye. It’s got the vampire dude from Twilight if you’re into him, in addition to David Tennant and several other fantastic actors. This one is beat by Sorcerer’s Stone and Prisoner of Azkaban almost by obligation, but once you get past that obligation you will surely enjoy it the most of all eight movies. –JM

#4. HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2 (Film 8): When I began writing this with Pat, his first reaction to my own ranking of the eight films was “You put Deathly Hallows 2 that low? I agree that it wasn’t the greatest of the films, but it was much more liked than Order of the Phoenix.” But alas, for the same reason that I think Avengers, a love letter to Marvel’s most dedicated fans, will never be the greatest of the MCU films, I do not believe that Deathly Hallows Part 2 deserves to be that high on our list. To fans of both the books and their cinematic counterparts, the movie delivered. Did it totally make up for the lack of the action, fun, and amazing visuals that the series is known for in the previous two films? Not really. But the film does bring the long-awaited final showdown between Harry and Voldemort, along with many other beloved characters, some extremely emotional scenes, and one of the most epic movie battles of all time: the battle of Hogwarts. Other than a few twists at the end, the movie doesn’t bring many surprises; it’s exactly what any fan of the movies wanted and expected from the final chapter of the series. It was predictable in almost every way, but it still made moviegoers from kids to adults squeal with delight during the films memorable action sequences (which can’t be beat by Goblet of Fire’s) and emotional dialogue (which is still slightly inferior to even that of even Part 1). This end to an era, while adored by all, was really just a compilation of mediocre levels of all the different elements that made any of the previous films great, such as the charm of Sorcerer’s Stone and Chamber of Secrets, the mystery and emotion of Prisoner of Azkaban and Order of the Phoenix, etc. In the end, though, it was a great film that everyone except Lord Voldemort himself would enjoy. –JM

#5. HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX (Film 5): The conclusion of Goblet of Fire begins the second stage in the Harry Potter series. While the first half of the films tend to appear as “coming-of-age” films about friendship; learning lessons in dealing with grief, conflict, and peer pressure; and shenanigans at basically the most dangerous school in existence, the second half takes Lord Voldemort’s quest for ruling…all wizardry [I think?] (which was merely a subplot hinted at in the first three)…and turns it into the main story arc that delegates how the plot will work. Order of the Phoenix begins that arc while simultaneously showing our protagonists’ growth in maturity. The first scene of the film quickly draws the viewer in, serving as a reminder of the evil aura that has begun to surround the “Boy Who Lived.” The story deals with the aftermath of Goblet of Fire’s final act, introduces Harry’s lame love interest (and luckily for viewers doesn’t dwell on it), and concludes with a fantastic final battle that tears the wizarding world in two. The film began the darker, grittier latter portion of the series, a direction that was necessary for the Voldemort arc and to maintain their grasp on their maturing target audience. –JM

#6. HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS (Film 2): This movie took some of the magic of the first movie and continued it, but Columbus and his colleagues did not reach full potential in this installment. The story centers on the magical school's past. We are introduced to Dobby the house elf and fully meet Mr. Malfoy, an important player in the series. A basilisk roams the halls and kills those who see it directly and petrifies those who see it through a medium. Gatekeeper Hagrid is blamed for the events, but his name is eventually cleared. Some of the moments concerning the mystery of the chamber within Hogwarts castle were dull. Professor Lockhart provided the comedic relief throughout the novel and movie, and all of the other cast returned. The trio of friends are perfect again, but I felt something was missing. Harry saves the day once again against the memory of Tom Riddle- Lord Voldemort himself 50 years before. This movie received fairly positive reviews, but Harry Potter novel fans were a little disappointed. –PM

#7. HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 1 (Film 7): The necessary evil of Half-Blood Prince needed to be followed by an action-packed pick-me-up to revive the audiences who had taken a rest during that yawn-inducing flick. Deathly Hallows Part 1 is not that film, so anybody watching the marathon can go back to sleep before the finale. The film can easily be compared to the recent Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1, which gave me the exact same impression when I watched it. And perhaps this is how all two-part saga finales will end up: a first part with slow action but necessary plot information, most-likely with an added catastrophe at the end, and a second part that can jump right into the action and wow audiences with its spectacular, shocking, jaw-dropping finale. The three heroes embark on their quest with very limited trusted allies, and must deal with bumps in their road toward the defeat of Lord Voldemort in addition to bumps in the strength of their friendship. The film concludes with a sad shock, which is the cliffhanger that the filmmakers know will draw audiences to the series conclusion. –JM

#8. HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE (Film 6): I remember seeing Half-Blood Prince in theaters with my father, and I believe this was the only film of the series that I did see during its theatrical run. I had read the books and seen prior films, so, being too young to drive, I dragged my slightly reluctant father, who had zero knowledge of the film possibly apart from the title, to the theater to see it. However, as soon as the title flashed onto the screen, I was able to comprehend the tone of the film that would follow: dreary. Dull. Drab. Disappointment. While the film does introduce the new ongoing quest that the main characters will be embarking on in the final chapters of the series (the horcruxes), the movie is also a total bore, focusing mainly on Ron and Hermione’s stupid love triangle and other hard-to-watch teenage dramas. You must watch this one to continue to Deathly Hallows, but it has an uninteresting storyline and a bleak color palette that can only be described as so gray and dismal that it makes Man of Steel look as vibrantly colorful as a Van Gogh. Walking out of the theater that day with a barely-enthused expression on my face, I noticed my father’s own expression, which was absolute confusion. My conclusions: the film is a necessary evil, and these later movies are in no way standalone films. –JM

So that’s what we think about the series. Agree? Disagree? Leave us some comments and share and tell us what YOU think.

Follow Julian and Pat on Twitter @junicusmaximus and @Patty_Mess for more movie related opinions, news, and rants!