Bumping into about twenty of my college freshers (my students, two days before finals) out past their curfew notwithstanding, I had a great time watching Harry Potter. This movie is darker and funnier than its predecessors and the director sticks to the storyline fairly well.
The movie is very streamlined--no Hermione getting mad at Harry and Ron, no Firebolt getting confiscated, not much Snape/Harry friction--and I have to wonder if people who haven't read the books would understand all the jargon and so forth. Take, for example, the two 12-year-olds sitting next to me in the theatre. (Aside: Where the hell were their parents and why the hell were kids that age at a 12:01 showing?) Neither had ever read the books and they got totally freaked out by the dementors and the werewolf parts, and sat there whispering and text messaging when they weren't actively screaming or holding each other's hands. They'd say things like, "I don't get why he's a werewolf" or "What are those things?" (dementors). Still, it flows quickly and the 2 hr 20 min or so went by really fast.
The cinematography was excellent. The sets seemed different from the last two movies (Chris Colombus, the previous director, is a producer and yet this movie has a very unique feel), where parts felt elven like Rivendale in LOTR. The dialogue was witty and well done. Tension was broken in good places, which is excellent for this movie because, as any reader knows, the climax is really long in this one--it practically doubles back on itself.
Special effects were fun, though I have to admit there was a scene or two where I was a little motion sick from the handycam. Still, it was really good and I would go back again, and again, and again....
Final note: I thought 12:01 showings were for die-hard fans, not little pre-teens and teenagers trying to show off how grown up they are by talking to each other and on their cell phones the entire show. And what's with parents bringing babies to 12:01 showings? There were two and I swear I could've drop-kicked them into the first showing of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire had they been sitting any closer....