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All the 'Harry Potter' and 'Fantastic Beasts' movies, ranked according to critics

All the 'Harry Potter' and 'Fantastic Beasts' movies, ranked according to critics

Callie Ahlgrim

Our interest in the Wizarding World didn't end when Harry defeated Voldemort.Warner Bros.

We looked at the critic score for each "Harry Potter" film on Rotten Tomatoes and ranked all 10 — including both "Fantastic Beasts" installments — from worst to best.
Critics consider "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald" to be the worst.
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" took the top spot.

Each time J.K. Rowling tells another story from the Wizarding World, millions of people listen. And since the original "Harry Potter" adventures ended, she has chosen to recount her newest series exclusively through film.

"Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald" is the most recent installment in the "Harry Potter" franchise, so how does it stack up against the nine films that preceded it?

We looked at the critic score for each "Harry Potter" film on Rotten Tomatoes and ranked all 10 films from worst to best.

10. "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald" (2018)

Johnny Depp's casting as Gellert Grindelwald was highly controversial. Warner Bros.

Critic score: 40%

User score: 69%

Critics consensus: "'Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald' has glimmers of the magic familiar to 'Harry Potter' fans, but the story's spell isn't as strong as earlier installments."

9. "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" (2016)

Eddie Redmayne's Newt Scamander gets his time to shine in the new franchise. Warner Bros.

Critic score: 74%

User score: 79%

Critics consensus: "'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' draws on Harry Potter's rich mythology to deliver a spinoff that dazzles with franchise-building magic all its own."

8. "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" (2007)

Voldemort's return in the previous film signals a dark tonal shift for "Order of the Phoenix." Warner Bros.

Critic score: 77%

User score: 81%

Critics consensus: "It's not easy to take the longest 'Harry Potter' book and streamline it into the shortest 'Harry Potter' movie, but director David Yates does a bang-up job of it, creating an 'Order of the Phoenix' that's entertaining and action-packed."

7. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1" (2010)

Many fans loved the animated tale of the Peverell brothers. Warner Bros.

Critic score: 78%

User score: 85%

Critics consensus: "It can't help but feel like the prelude it is, but 'Deathly Hallows: Part 1' is a beautifully filmed, emotionally satisfying penultimate installment for the 'Harry Potter' series."

6. "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" (2001)

The first film is widely considered the most light-hearted of the bunch. Warner Bros.

Critic score: 80%

User score: 82%

Critics consensus: "'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone' adapts its source material faithfully while condensing the novel's overstuffed narrative into an involving — and often downright exciting — big-screen magical caper."

5. "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" (2002)

"Chamber of Secrets" is the first time we see the use of Polyjuice Potion. Warner Bros.

Critic score: 82%

User score: 80%

Critics consensus: "Though perhaps more enchanting for younger audiences, 'Chamber of Secrets' is nevertheless both darker and livelier than its predecessor, expanding and improving upon the first film's universe."

4. "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" (2009)

Tom Felton's Draco Malfoy played a major role in the events of the sixth film. Warner Bros.

Critic score: 84%

User score: 77%

Critics consensus: "Dark, thrilling, and occasionally quite funny, 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' is also visually stunning and emotionally satisfying."

3. "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" (2005)

The fourth film dealt with Harry's characteristic life-or-death situations, but also with regular teen experiences. Warner Bros.

Critic score: 88%

User score: 74%

Critics consensus: "The main characters are maturing, and the filmmakers are likewise improving on their craft; vibrant special effects and assured performances add up to what is the most complex yet of the 'Harry Potter' films."

2. "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" (2004)

Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, and Daniel Radcliffe suddenly looked very grown-up in the third film. Warner Bros.

Critic score: 90%

User score: 86%

Critics consensus: "Under the assured direction of Alfonso Cuaron, 'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban' triumphantly strikes a delicate balance between technical wizardry and complex storytelling."

1. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" (2011)

The golden trio's final frame. Warner Bros.

Critic score: 96%

User score: 89%

Critics consensus: "Thrilling, powerfully acted, and visually dazzling, 'Deathly Hallows: Part 2' brings the 'Harry Potter' franchise to a satisfying — and suitably magical — conclusion."