The wizarding world of Harry Potter has been a worldwide phenomenon since J. K. Rowling put pen to paper in 1997. Since then it has spawned a loving fandom, eight good to fantastic films and a follow-up series of films in Fantastic Beasts which has been hit and miss.
On Rotten Tomatoes critics are given the ‘Tomatometer’ rating which is a more prominent and used percentage in which critics either recommend or dissuade readers to watch a film. The audience score is important though and can fluctuate from the Tomatometer, which is the case for this franchise. Here are all films in the Harry Potter universe ranked by their audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD - 55%
A rotten score for an honestly rotten film, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald is undoubtedly the worst film set in the Harry Potter universe. While a film that was easy on the eye, Crimes Of Grindelwald was less substance and more style with a lacklustre script and subpar story.
It feels like a hollow, set-up film for the next film in the franchise and with a well below average audience score of 55%, it is clear a lot of people agree with that sentiment. It is, by a long way, the lowest-ranked film on both meters and deserves to be there.
HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE - 74%
With over 34 million audience reviews on Rotten Tomatoes (for reference the two Fantastic Beasts films combine for just over 100,000 reviews) comes the fourth film of the series. Goblet Of Fire continues the darker, more mature themes of the third film while still building a great universe and developing characters and the main narrative greatly.
The filmmaking is of high quality and critics believe so too with an 88% Tomatometer score. The acting is solid, the effects are great and the final third has a brilliant sense of dread. With a very solid 74% being the lowest of the main eight Harry Potter films, it is a testament to the popularity and quality of these films.
HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE - 78%
A visually stunning, dark, and ultimately emotional journey takes place during Harry, Ron and Hermione’s last year spent in Hogwarts. With good performances and a packed ending, the film may be slow but it leads fans into the final two films very well and with a solid score in the reviews, it is apparent a lot of fans see it as a solid effort.
The film does drag a lot at points and while, The Half-Blood Prince benefits more from its effects and performers than the finer tuning of filmmaking. It does transition well from book-to-film however and is rewarding for fans of the series to this point which is reflected in the audiences who gave their two cents on Rotten Tomatoes.
FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM - 79%
Edging over The Half-Blood Prince - despite being lower than all Harry Potter main films on the Tomatometer and with over a million fewer audience reviews - is the first of the Fantastic Beasts films. It stands in its own right, not relying on retreading the Potter films and delivers a good introductory movie which, if anything, is hampered by its poor, and also it’s still unreleased, sequels.
It is entertaining and well made, it took from Potter lore well and built a good foundation which was, unfortunately, let down by its first sequel. It fell to decent reviews, never being heralded as above the best of Potter, but is good in its own right.
HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS - 80%
The longest of Harry Potter films is The Chamber Of Secrets, still lingering on the more childish side of things, it is still a good follow up to the first film. It did not quite take the series to a more mature narrative but certainly sent it on its way. It is darker with a bit more development for the characters and is rewarding for Potter fans.
The Chamber Of Secrets has the fifth-highest Tomatometer but a fan collective gives it just a bit less. The movie does have its moments of dragging and the performances, as well as characters, are still quite fresh and immature. For fans who grew up with the film, it is likely to connect more, and with families, and earns its place in the Potter filmography.
HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHEONIX - 81%
Deemed the joint low point of the main Harry Potter series by critics on Rotten Tomatoes, The Order Of The Phoenix is held in higher esteem by the site’s audiences. Squeezing the longest book into the second shortest film was always going to be an arduous task. But, ultimately it was achieved pretty well with a great end product.
The effects are as good as always, the performances are brilliant, it is action-packed and the antagonist in Dolores Umbridge is utterly deplorable. The film is loved by all manner of Potter fan, even if it does not hit with every critic, it still has a large majority on its side and so it should.
HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE - 82%
The audience score is well earned by The Sorcerer’s Stone. It was a brilliant introduction into the franchise, the world, and the characters and, while a bit on the child entertainment side, can be enjoyed by all manner of audience.
The film adapts its source material fantastically, condensing the narrative into an entertaining ride that never feels bloated or stuffed, just fun and a good introduction to the screen for the Harry Potter universe. So, it is no surprise audiences resonate ever so slightly with the film than critics and more so than its first sequel, being the first of the franchise and doing it so well holds a lot of meaning.
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 1 - 85%
Joint with Order Of The Phoenix at the bottom of the Rotten Tomatoes critical opinion, Deathly Hallows: Part 1 it and it is quite clearly just a set-up for that. However, it does so wonderfully, the film is somber and emotional and beyond the levels of maturity, one might expect.
The film looks beautiful and the performances in it match that amazingly. There is so much to adore about the film as it grips fans as they await the climax of its second part. It does not waver from the narrative, almost everything feels important and the fantastic effects are grounded in the film’s great characters as they embark on an emotionally gripping yet satisfying journey.
HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN - 86%
Under the fantastic direction of Oscar winner Alfonso Cuarón, Harry Potter embarks on a fresher, darker, and more mature direction in The Prisoner Of Azkaban. The top two on this list are the same on the critical score and the audience score which is unsurprising, and that is a testament to both these phenomenal films.
The Prisoner Of Azkaban is intricate and bold as well as being visually stunning. The mood and the world are captured beautifully and it truly feels like the first film anyone could watch and get hooked on Harry Potter, a magical quality the first two do not possess. It is often cited at the top of fans’ list of their favorite and that is shown with an excellent set of reviews.
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2 - 89%
Of course, at the top of the list is the jaw-dropping finale to the fantastic franchise. It is powerful, dramatic, emotional, and action-packed, all of which fit into a beautiful package. It is the highest-grossing, the most critically acclaimed, and if Rotten Tomatoes is to be believed, the best of the magical bunch to fans.
Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is phenomenally acted and written, the Battle of Hogwarts is worth the seven-film buildup and everything, whether simple or complex in the narrative fall into place amazingly. The film brings the franchise to a conclusion powerfully and satisfyingly and it deserves its place atop this list and a mirage of others which may rank these incredible films.
