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Harry Potter and The Philosophers
Stone
Director: Chris Columbus (2001)
Distributor: Warner Bros. Certificate: PG
The Harry Potter phenomenon is weaving a spell across the land, having been magically transformed from the printed page to the big screen. The prediction that the film version of the first of J. K. Rowlin’s books and its related merchandising could gross a
billion dollars is, of course, based less on crystal-ball gazing and more on hard-headed marketing strategies. What child will not want something Harry Potter related when Santa arrives this Christmas? That said,
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone has translated well into film if its ability to keep its audience (of all ages!) spellbound is a measure of success.
In case you have yet to be Pottered ~ in which case you will not know your Hagrid from your Hedwig, or your Quirrel from your Quidditch, and Hogwarts will be a farmyard issue ~ the essence of the story is this. Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) lives with his appalling aunt and uncle and his spoilt cousin Dudley. When he was a baby, Harry’s parents were murdered by the evil Voldemort. Harry carries a lightning-shaped scar on his forehead as a legacy of Voldemort’s attack but has no knowledge of the event or the real fate of his parents.
Harry’s parents were in fact wizards, so at age eleven he is invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The Dursleys, who are Muggles (non-magical people), attempt to prevent Harry from accepting the invitation but are foiled by Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane), the Keeper of the Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts. Hagrid informs Harry of his wizard identity and ensures that he embarks for the school aboard the Hogwarts Express.
Harry soon finds pals in fellow first years Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson). Together they discover some shocks and surprises as they adjust to life in a magical school with a full wizard’s curriculum and where ghosts and dragons, a three-headed dog and a troll are nothing out of the ordinary. The film takes on a darker shade as Harry, Ron and Hermione uncover a plot to steal the Philosopher’s Stone. Hidden at the school for safe-keeping, the stone has the power to give its owner eternal life. The intrepid threesome set out to ensure that it does not fall into the wrong hands. Their adventures culminate in an encounter between Harry and Voldemort. For the second time in his life Harry survives an attempt on his life and Voldemort is vanquished (well, until the next time).
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A good cast ensures that the film does not have to rely on special effects (impressive as they are ~ look out especially for the Quidditch match, the sport of wizards). Radcliffe, Grint and Watson are excellent as the children and Robbie Coltrane’s larger-than-life Hagrid is a lot of fun. In addition, characters such as the sinister Professor Snape (Alan Rickman); the stern but fair Deputy Head, Professor McGonagall (Maggie Smith); and the all-wise, Merlin-like Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore (Richard Harris) all make a significant mark on the film. |
THROUGH THE LENS OF CHRISTIAN FAITH
The moral to the tale is that, in the end, good wins out over evil. It is never an easy path to follow, is sometimes risky, and always costly as Harry, Ron and Hermione discover. But, as Dumbledore explains to Harry following the defeat of Voldemort, it is the power of love that will always triumph in the end. That is surely good news for Muggles and, perhaps, the reason why Harry Potter has caught the imagination of millions.
While there are no direct Christian references in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's
Stone, a number of parallels are present. For instance, Voldemort symbolises the forces of darkness and the consequences of the selfish quest for power. He is a heartless deceiver who will stop at nothing to achieve his ends. Voldemort is defeated not by Harry's magical prowess but due to the power of love that lives in the young wizard. That love is a result of the self-sacrifice made by Harry's mother in saving her infant son from Voldemort. A central Christian belief has always been in the victory of good over evil through the power of sacrificial love. It is demonstrated supremely in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, through which even the bonds of death are overcome.
Also evident in Harry, Ron and Hermione are selflessness and loyalty to each other that involves risking everything for the safety and well-being of the other. Christians see such an other-centred approach as a hallmark of discipleship, the outworking of Christian love in practice.
Where the film is controversial in some Christian circles is in its apparent endorsement of wizards and witches and the suggestion that there is good and bad magic. Yet while it is right to acknowledge the dangers of the occult, the Harry Potter phenomenon is not something that Christians should ignore. An informed response is surely better than a 'though shalt not read or watch Harry Potter' approach.
C. S. Lewis, the great Christian writer whose work included The Chronicles of
Narnia, once counselled against the equal and opposite dangers of an obsession with and a disbelief in the devil. (Incidentally, Lewis' stories are packed with magical places and characters including a witch). Perhaps that his how Christians should engage with the Harry Potter issues. The occult themes may be a little uncomfortable and open to question. They certainly do not have to go unchallenged. But the victory of love provides a great platform from which to connect with the reality of a God who
is love. If magical stories can be a means of directing people to the reality and truth of the gospel message surely it is better to grasp the opportunity than let it vanish into thin air.
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