10 Ways Rewatching All 8 Harry Potter Movies In Order Changes How You Look At The Films

The Harry Potter movies are some of the best films in the fantasy genre, with numerous spin-offs expanding the universe’s scope. It’s unusual to have a series of films with so many entries, which allows audiences to connect with the cast and story in a unique way.

We see beloved characters grow up and share in their adventures despite a powerful, looming threat. It’s easy to spot these things the first time you watch the Harry Potter movies, but you notice so much more during a rewatch of every film.

10

The Series Tone Dramatically Shifts

It’s no secret that the Harry Potter movies get increasingly darker in tone. However, you only appreciate how fast the situation becomes dire if you watch the movies in sequence.

In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, the wizarding world seems whimsical, limitless, and joyous. We see cracks forming in the second movie, and it’s all downhill from there.

The Death Eaters and Voldemort are a tangible threat from the third movie, and their plans quickly escalate. Many characters die or get injured, and the world starts to feel smaller as the Ministry of Magic refuses to announce that the Dark Lord is back.

The series feels like it quickly reaches “dark fantasy” territory, where light-hearted scenes take a back seat.

9

Minor Artifacts Have Great Importance Later

Many items that seem to have little value outside a single movie are often integral to the grander story. In some cases, they are even essential to defeating Voldemort.

We see those items as early as the first movie. Harry’s invisibility cloak turns out to be one of the Deathly Hallows. Tom Riddle’s diary in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is actually a Horcrux.

The Sword of Gryffindor isn’t a minor artifact per se, but it is instrumental in Voldemort’s downfall. Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint), and Hermione (Emma Watson) encounter many magical objects during their adventures, and it’s fun to see where they reappear during a rewatch.

8

Harry, Ron, And Hermione’s Character Traits Are The Only Constant In The Series

Harry, Hermione, and Ron all grow up and gain experience throughout the series. They all become formidable magic users in their own right, but their motivations and character traits remain oddly static.

Harry tackles every situation head-on and survives most encounters through sheer bravery and luck. Hermione is incredibly smart, and the group would quickly perish were it not for her encyclopedic knowledge of magic.

Last, but not least, Ron is loyal. He’s not as brave as Harry or as smart as Hermione, but he holds the group together, and they wouldn’t make it without him, and that’s a trait he carries with him throughout their journey.

7

Background Characters Get Their Chance To Shine

While our heroes’ character traits don’t change too much through the movies, many background characters grow and get their chance to shine.

The most obvious example of this is Neville Longbottom (Matthew Lewis). He starts as a timid student in the first movie. We see him training to defend himself in later films, and he speaks against Voldemort in the final movie. He also defeats the Dark Lord’s snake, Nagini, with the Sword of Gryffindor.

In a roundabout way, Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) also grows. He comes across as a bully with an evil streak in the earlier films. We later see him questioning his allegiance to Voldemort, despite immense pressure from his family.

6

Snape Constantly Protects Harry Throughout The Series

Severus Snape (Alan Rickman) is such an enigmatic character in the movies because we never know his true intentions until the end. He also protects Harry on multiple occasions, despite never receiving a word of thanks.

This relationship is most obvious in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Hermione and Ron believe Snape is jinxing Harry’s broom during a Quidditch match. In reality, he’s countering a spell by Professor Quirrell.

During the third movie, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Snape instinctively puts himself between Lupin in his werewolf form and the students. He also attempts to teach Harry Occlumency to protect his mind from Voldemort.

5

Tragic Scenes Hit Much Harder

Harry has a miserable time in the movies, and several tragic scenes hit much harder after a rewatch when you already know he doesn’t get a happy ending until the end of the eighth film.

Sirius Black’s (Gary Oldman) death is a gut punch, even if you know it’s coming. The scene hits doubly hard when you realize Black is one of Harry’s few remaining ties to his family.

Dobby’s death in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 reduced cinema audiences to tears. It hits even harder after rewatching the movie when you understand the house elf only acted in a way he thought would protect Harry. He ultimately pays for that loyalty with his life.

4

Draco Malfoy’s Parents Are Responsible For His Behavior

Draco plays the part of the stuck-up school bully well in the earlier films, and his pivot to assisting Voldemort makes much more sense when we observe his relationship with his parents.

The Malfoys are proud of their ‘pureblood’ status and are desperate to appease the Dark Lord. It’s clear that Draco is an unwilling participant, but has no one to turn to. His reluctance is also on full display when he hesitates to kill Dumbledore.

We see several awkward exchanges between Draco and his parents in later movies, which make his actions in the earlier films make more sense.

3

Dumbledore Is Not Perfect

Dumbledore is introduced to the audience as a formidable wizard, perfectly suited to the role of Hogwarts headmaster. In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Sirius exclaims that Voldemort is afraid of Dumbledore, highlighting his power.

Despite his strength, Dumbledore is also flawed, and we don’t really see it until the later movies. For example, he did not understand the dangers of teaching Tom Riddle at Hogwarts, and his plan to distance himself from Harry in The Order of the Phoenix backfired. Dumbledore also fails to stop the Ministry from assuming control of the school.

He’s a legendary wizard for a reason, but is not beyond making mistakes.

2

The Wizarding World No Longer Feels Safe

In a similar vein to the series’ shifting tone, the wizarding world becomes a perilous place in the later movies. It’s a stark contrast to the earlier films, where it seems like a place everybody would love to live.

The mood takes a dramatic turn during Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, growing increasingly oppressive as the story continues.

We see the full extent of the chaos in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, where it seems Voldemort has control over the Ministry of Magic. The later movies show the extent of the panic and paranoia in the wizarding world, making it seem dangerous no matter who you are.

1

Snape Deceived Almost Everyone, Including the Audience

We’ve already noted that Snape protects Harry on multiple occasions, but his character is so much more complex than just a guardian from afar. If you watch the movies back-to-back, you’ll notice that Snape deceived almost everyone.

Sirius Black, in particular, never got on with Snape despite both being in the Order of the Phoenix. On the Death Eaters’ side, Bellatrix forces Snape to make the Unbreakable Vow to prove his loyalty to the Dark Lord.

The only person who seemed to know Snape’s motives was Dumbledore, who vehemently trusted him throughout every movie. His intentions are never revealed to the audience until Nagini fatally injures him.

Viewers get a bittersweet revelation during the final Harry Potter movie that Snape wasn’t the betrayer we thought he was during the previous seven movies.