Harry Potter Movies

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My 11-year-old son wants to watch them. Should I let him? If yes, should my 9-year-old son be allowed to do so?
 
captainmike said:
My 11-year-old son wants to watch them. Should I let him? If yes, should my 9-year-old son be allowed to do so?
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The first two, yes for the 11, probably for the 9 (unless he’s unusually sensitive, which I was at that age).

The latter three, no, because a) they’re scary and b) they stink.
 
Very much depends on the kids, especially the younger kids and the later movies - are they the “I had a bad dream” cannot sleep for a week or are they the “let’s stay up and watch Godzilla” kind 🙂 My son was the Godzilla kind - so, he was not afraid of the fairy tales like HP movies.
 
Watch them yourself and judge. In my opinion, the first two Harry Potter movies were bad anyway. The time would be better spent reading the first two books of the series. (I just remember really being bored and disliking the movie adaptations of those two.)
 
RobNY said:
Watch them yourself and judge. In my opinion, the first two Harry Potter movies were bad anyway. The time would be better spent reading the first two books of the series. (I just remember really being bored and disliking the movie adaptations of those two.)
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But not of the third, directed by Alfonso “never read the series” Cuaron? His psychotic aversion to establishing shots rendered that film unwatchable.

Or the fourth and fifth, where they apparently took the line “the plot is none of the audience’s business?”
 
I’m not worried about them getting scared. I’m concerned about anti-Christian messages. That’s what I need advice on.
 
captainmike said:
I’m not worried about them getting scared. I’m concerned about anti-Christian messages. That’s what I need advice on.
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There’s nothing of the kind in anything Harry Potter.

Don’t buy the hype.
 
I personally don’t feel that there is any anti-Christian messages in the movies or the books. While at first glance it can appear that way, the main characters do attend a magic school, if you know the stories than you would easily find more the Christian themes.

What I would recommend is first read the books with your kids. The books are much better and you can easily stop to point things out to them. Then let them watch the movies, but again watch with them. There maybe things you disagree with or whatever, and if you read and watch the series with them that you can point those things out.

Historybrat
 
captainmike said:
I’m not worried about them getting scared. I’m concerned about anti-Christian messages. That’s what I need advice on.
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Nothing Anti-Christian at all. the only ones that claim they are have never seen the movies or seen the books.
 
Hastrman said:
But not of the third, directed by Alfonso “never read the series” Cuaron? His psychotic aversion to establishing shots rendered that film unwatchable.

Or the fourth and fifth, where they apparently took the line “the plot is none of the audience’s business?”
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I actually thought the fifth one came out not so bad, albeit heavily edited and cut down from the book.

I, quite frankly, don’t remember 3 and 4 too well. I only commented on the first two because I remember greatly disliking them (but not much else).
 
I agree that the first two were the best. And there is no “anti-christian” message in the books. The only issue is presenting the practicing of magic to children. So, recite some Deuteronomy, and they shouldn’t come off to bad. DON’T read the books first. Otherwise, you’ll absolutley ruin the movie viewing experience. Better to find out the good stuff later, no?
 
captainmike said:
My 11-year-old son wants to watch them. Should I let him? If yes, should my 9-year-old son be allowed to do so?
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Hi, I understand your concern. I have 8 children, the first 4 are boys ages 12, 10, 9,8. They just started watching Harry Potter on cable,the older ones, forget which channel. I watched it with them. I thought is wasnt ant-christian but i did explain to them, when I saw them casting spells with there pretend wands, that there are people who do practice these things for real but it is not from God. They stopped playing this way.

I personally wouldnt let my children see it in a theater or read the book on it. This is much more intense and can make a bigger impression on them. Watching on tv didnt seem as bad and I was there to explain anything. I think it is very important that the parent be involved and monitor when and how something is watched.

God Bless.
 
Hi–I don’t know if you’re aware of the USCCB’s movie review & rating system. If I’m really unfamiliar with a movie, sometimes I go there first to get the basic premise, see what rating they’ve given it, and then make up my own mind.

Here’s their rating system:
  • A-I – general patronage;
  • A-II – adults and adolescents;
  • A-III – adults;
  • L – limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. L replaces the previous classification, A-IV.
  • O – morally offensive.
For example, here’s the review & rating for “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.”
 
7 of mine watch all 5 without issue.
**The 4 year old used to watch them all, but now dislikes the some of the dark (as in literally it’s dark, not lighted) scenes, so he goes upstairs and calls from the rails, “Have they turned the lights on yet?!” about every 2 seconds until someone says the lights are on, then he leans headfirst through the rails to check for himself and if he agrees, he runs back in to avoid missing any more of the movie than neccessary.😃 **
 
I recommend the books rather than the movies too - much more exciting, some excellent and intelligent wordplay AND actually getting a kid to read are all good things! 😃 The books** are** better than the films, but there’s nothing wrong about the films.

Nothing anti-Christian about HP, in my view. If your kids decide b/c of the books/films they want to be witches/wizards, ask them: “Has an owl brought a letter of invitation from Hogwarts to you? No? Then I’m afraid you can’t - you weren’t born with the gift” 😃
 
Go for it and don’t read the books first.
I read the books first and after 4 movies, I’m still disappointed with the movies:( That’s why I skip the last one, waiting for the DVD.

Actually, you can interpret it to be a Christian movie, how a mother’s love is powerful to protect the son. How we should treat others with love, especially family members (The Dursleys & Harry), etc. Or even teach why certain things are incompatible with the Church teaching, etc. It’s just my opinion. 😃

Nowadays, I prefer to watch DVD if I watch it with my younger sister, so that I could pause and explain it.🙂
 
Go for it!! I am a HUGE Potter fan, and actually there are things in the movies and the books that could opse a possible link to messianic symbolism! (Book 7 contains a definate clear one! I will not explain here due to spoilers!)

I will advice that your 9 y.o. probably should stay away from the last one for just a few years. The movies kind of progress in material with the age of the potter kids. They are 15 in them, so as you can imagine it’s really dark and rather violent. There is also a scene in the 3rd movie that could cause a little shock. I would alomost reccomend letting them read the books, and set a day every year to watch a movie, and let them progress with the kids. It’s kind of cool the way rowling wrote them!
 
If I were going to spend weeks reading a long book series to my children, it would be the Lord of the Rings rather than Harry Potter. I read the trilogy to my now grown sons, and they still remember it with pleasure. I read the first HP book to my younger kids but didn’t bother with the rest and they haven’t objected. There are plenty of great classics which would be better than HP. (Heidi, the Oz books, Robin Hood)
We just finished Treasure Island, kind of a disappointment. But it worked for putting them to sleep.
 
I’m a huge Harry Potter fan (as some of you can see by my username), but I would recommend that the movies only be seen by kids 9-years-old and up because of some of the violence and the dark nature of the later books. I made the mistake of my then 5-year-old to watch the 2nd movie, and he was scared for a week!

I echo the other posters in declaring that there are many pro-Christian themes in the books - especially the 7th one! 👍 Evil in these books are not held up as a higher standard…which falls in line with classic storytelling.
 
our current pope has spoken out against them!!! it was reported on ewtn.i have thrown ours out.i used to watch them with my 6 year old.satan is no fool he starts off slow through compromise
 
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