The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

After 10 years and eight films, the cinematic saga of Harry Potter has come to an end. I've never read the books, but after so many hours on screen I grew attached to Harry, Ron, Hermione, and their quest to best evil. There are a lot of familiar themes and archetypes in these films as well, which is part of what draws audiences in.

Typically, when you're talking about a film series there are two routes — the first is the standard trilogy. All three films have individual stories, but they're part of a larger narrative. Consider the original "Star Wars" films, where there was great inter-connectedness between the films and the way the characters grew. The other pattern is films with sequels — each chapter a new journey on its own with little or no inter-connectedness.

So the question with Harry Potter, seeing as it has eight films, is how does it fit into these molds. In analyzing the films and the characters, I actually think the series fits nicely into the original "Star Wars" mold. Here's what I mean.

Think about the original "Star Wars" trilogy. We had three central characters — Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Han Solo — plus a variety of supporting players. We had a chief mentor — Obi-Wan Kenobi — and a mysterious dark figure who isn't quite what he appears — Darth Vadar — then the true villain — The Emperor — who wasn't in the first part of the series but emerges as truly evil at the end.

It's not hard to match that up to Harry Potter. Consider this — Harry is the Luke Skywalker, with Hermione and Ron serving as Han and Leia. Then you have Professor Dumbledore as the Obi-Wan role and, I'd argue, Professor Snape in the Darth Vadar role. That leaves Voldemort to play the true villain, the Emperor role.

Though there are eight films, I think you can easily see the typical pattern of the original "Star Wars" trilogy, it's just stretched out a bit more. The first three Harry Potter films — "Sorcerer's Stone," "Chamber of Secrets," and "Prisoner of Azkaban" — fill the first part of the trilogy. They introduce the characters, who are young and have a lot of growing to do. They establish the world, the characters in the world, and build a hook moving into the future. Some of it is boring and a little rough, but it's where you start getting a feel for Harry and his pals.

The next three films — "Goblet of Fire," "Order of the Phoenix," and "Half-Blood Prince" — serve as the middle of the traditional trilogy. There is character growth, the complexity of the inter-personal dynamics changes, the stakes get higher, friends are lost, and the story gets darker. You can really see the darker turn from the climax of "Goblet of Fire" through "Order of the Phoenix," which is clearly the darkest film of the series. And, of course, you see great friends lost as the darker forces grow stronger.

Finally, the "Deathly Hallows" films serve as the final part of the trilogy. The core characters — Harry, Ron, and Hermione — have grown stronger through all they've experienced and the interpersonal stories fully develop. We get the final pieces of the story, the redemption of a character feared lost (Snape), and the final showdown between good and evil in the midst of a grand battle for the future of the wizarding world. I mean, when Harry and Voldemort battle they even fire red and blue streams at one another (kind of like the lightsabers and blasters in "Star Wars"). There is a reason that the screenwriting guide — "A Hero's Journey" — follows the archetypes in "Star Wars." They work. And J.K. Rowling obviously figured that out too.

So the eternal question remains, which "Harry Potter" film is the best. You can usually tell a lot about a "Star Wars" fan by which order they place the films. For me, the order would be — "Empire Strikes Back," "Return of the Jedi," and "A New Hope." My thought is it will take some time to fully appreciate where the "Harry Potter" films fall. Even this last week, while re-watching the whole series in preparation for the finale, I found my appreciation for the films changing. But, for now, here's my order:

1. "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" — This was the first of the films that instantly sucked me in and that I saw twice in the opening week. It is, in my opinion, a wonderful blend of the light and dark elements of the series.

2. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" — This film is a fitting climax of series, with a beautiful conclusion to the story. More of an action film that previous installments, there is a lot to like in this film.

3. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1" — This film does a great job setting up the end. Though it conveys a bit of the lost in the wilderness feel, there are some great scenes and a very powerful closing. I also love the fact that this film manages to convey strong WWII images and feels — what with the radio broadcasts and the direction evil takes the Ministry of Magic.

4. "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" — This was the first "Harry Potter" film where I knew I was totally in. I love the Tri-Wizard tournament and most of the story in this film. The final act is a little dark, but it really sets up the building conflict. That's why I classify this film as the start of the "Empire" section of the "Harry Potter" arch.

5. "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" — At one point, I would have placed this further down on this list. This film is easily the darkest and, given the child torture sequences, it feels even more grim. That being said, there is some wonderful character development for Harry and, I hasten to add, some interesting ideological work done in this film. I remain torn. I don't appreciate all the story elements, but some of the work done is quite compelling.

6. "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" — This is probably the first "Harry Potter" film that felt substantial outside of being kids' entertainment. Director Alphonso Cuaron does a nice job adding a moody element to this film.

7. "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" — It's not great the whole way through, but there are some interesting moments in this film. The last film to feature Richard Harris in the Dumbledore role.

8. "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" — At this point, I can appreciate the foundational elements in the film but, let's be honest, this is the most like a typical kids' film of the series.