All 8 Harry Potter movies ranked from worst to best

Not every movie in a franchise is made the same. That’s certainly the case when it comes to the Harry Potter movies. There are eight in the whole franchise, and while we still want to watch them in order of release, there are some we just end up enjoying more.

Everything started with Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (or The Sorcerer’s Stone if we’re working with the North American title). We met a young Harry Potter, who learned that he is a wizard. Imagine having someone the size of Hagrid save you from terrible guardians.

The movies took us through the seven years of UK high school, ending with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, as Harry had to face off against He Who Must Not Be Named for the very final time. Now, which movie is the best out of the lot? This is just based on the movies, and we won't factor in the book storylines as we rank from worst to best.

8. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

It has to be the penultimate movie, which was a whole bunch of moving around trying to find the Horcruxes. The book itself is long, but splitting the movie into two parts like this just made the entire story drag. It doesn’t help that Harry, Ron, and Hermione find themselves on a directionless hunt. They are literally just trying to figure out things as they go with nobody to turn to for help, and they’re only 17 and 18!

This is one of those movies that acts as a set-up for the next one. Released on its own, it’s boring, but when you put it with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, it does have its purpose. However, it still makes it the worst movie of the lot.

7. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

When it comes to the earlier days of Harry Potter, the second movie is the one that doesn’t really stand out for many reasons. The best part is learning about how Moaning Myrtle ended up dying in the bathroom and getting to know more about the Wizarding World. And to be fair, we do need the exploration of the world that Harry is now in.

One of the downsides is that there’s just a lot of Ron being, well, Ron. He constantly complains, and he is far too obnoxious for how bad he is at magic. If you’re a fan of Dobby the elf, you’ll love his introduction, but for me, he’s a character that I could do without seeing.

6. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

Okay, I hate to put the first movie in the franchise so low down on the list, but the truth is, it’s not the best. Now I do feel bad for saying that the acting is cringeworthy because it’s a bunch of children, but I am happy to see how the group grew as actors as the franchise went on. Hermione is just a brat that I didn’t think I’d come to actually like.

The problem for me is that it takes a little too long to really get into the action. There’s a lot of focus on introducing Harry to the wizarding world, and while that is important, it needs action at the same time. I’m not ashamed to say that I fell asleep during this one three times before finally being able to watch it all the way through.

5. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

This is where I find the ranking difficult, because there are so many excellent elements of all the remaining movies. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 certainly brings some big moments, including the epic Battle of Hogwarts. There are so many elements that are wrapped up within this story, and it’s needed considering it’s the very end.

The problem for me is that some of the storylines seem a little too rushed. We only get a few moments to find out that Snape has been protecting Harry this whole time, and there just wasn’t enough time spent on McGonagall leading the students in battle. I also don’t think there was the right amount of time spent on grieving the loss of students. This is all personal, though, and it’s a downfall of it being the last of the Harry Potter movies.

4. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

There are some crucial moments in all Harry Potter movies, but Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is the most crucial movie of the lot. That doesn’t mean it sits at the top of the list, though, but it does bring some intriguing and essential elements, such as the Dementors and the time turner. The Wizarding World grew exponentially from this point, and none of these elements were wasted when it came to saving the lives of so many.

At the same time, we got to see Harry’s family grow. Little did we know at the time that he would start to lose them all after this, but Harry had a glimmer of hope that he wasn’t left all alone all those years ago. Plus, seeing Gary Oldman take on the role of Sirius Black was everything we needed at the time. He nailed the madness and the caring side of this character.

3. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

While this is a politically charged movie, it also helps to see that not everyone was on the side of good or evil. Some people were just cruel and abusive. Yes, we’re looking at you, Dolores Umbridge! There are a few slower moments here and there, but there are also some important teases buried within the lines. This is one of those that you need to watch a few times to really take it all in.

The fight scene toward the end is impactful. While there had already been a death in the series, this was the first time that it hit Harry on a personal level. He had to say goodbye to his uncle, who had made such an amazing impact on him already, and was going to take him in. It reminded us that there was more heartbreak to come before Voldemort was finally taken down.

2. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Another impactful death is the next of the Harry Potter movies on this list. It’s all about Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which ended with that death that absolutely nobody wanted to see. We also get to see how Harry, Ron, and Hermione are growing up, as the two boys bring comedic relief with their struggles with romance.

One of the elements that puts this movie toward the top is the way the story of Voldemort is woven into the fabric of the rest of the story. It doesn’t feel like we’re taken out of the main plot for too long because of it, and that’s how you need to do backstory. The buildup to those ending scenes is tastefully done, making you relax just the right amount before you’re heartbroken.

1. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

I know that people are going to question me for this. How could I possibly think that Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire belongs at the top? The truth is that when it comes to movies that I want to watch again for the action and the feeling that something is finally happening, this is the one that I will choose to watch. This also builds the world considerably through other schools around the world to give that global element to the universe.

Trying to figure out how Harry’s name ended up in the pot adds mystery, and then watching him just survive when really the adults should have protected him creates a sense of survivalism that is needed for later on. Cedric Digory’s death is also the most impactful one of the entire series, because it’s the first. It opens up a new world for us and Harry, giving us a chance to see that Luna Lovegood isn’t all that crazy; she’s just seen a lot. Plus, we get Voldemort officially back, but nobody wants to believe it.

All Harry Potter movies are currently available to stream on Max.