It's not often a movie lives up to its hype - and this one has been hyped relentlessly - but Harry is worth the wait.

 

Like 100million others, I have been spellbound by JK Rowling's wonderful world of witches and wizards, living side by side with us "muggles".

 

 

And such is Potter's appeal that grown-ups won't be embarrassed to see this "children's" film without any kids in tow.

 

The private screening in London was full of drooling adults, almost mouthing the dialogue and certainly laughing like drains at all the jokes, even though they clearly knew the punchlines.

 

Of course, the story is a great opportunity for the special effects boys to do thier stuff, which is outstanding - particularly durring quiditch scenes.

 

For those who have ben living on a different planet recently, quiditch is the wizards' sport, played on broomsticks hundreds of feet up in the air. It's fast and furious and looks very dangerous.

 

These wizards really do play rough. Kids seem to drop out of the air like stones.

 

When Harry's bewitched broom began to buck him off I was willing him to stay on.

 

Daniel Radcliffe, who plays Harry, is a cracking little actor with a fabulous smile that lights up a room and he really makes you care about the boy wizard.

 

When Harry is a baby, wizard teacher Professor McGonagall, played by Dame Maggie Smith, says: "He'll be famous. A legend"

 

Well, Daniel has already begun filming the sequel and will obviously become rich and famous.

 

But all the child actors shine. Rupert Grint, 13 and 11 -year-old Emma Watson, who play Harry's pals Ron and Hermione, are completely believable.

 

In fact, all the casting has been inspired.

Robbie Coltrane was born to play Hagrid, the hairy giant with the soft centre, and Richard Harris as Professor Dumbledore is every bit as good as you expect.

 

My own favourite was Alan Rickman being completely OTT as the Potions Master, Professor Snape.

 

If you thought he was camp as the Sherif of Nottingham in Robin Hood, you aint seen nothing yet.

 

There were some seriously scary moments and villainous Lord Voldemort - or "You Know Who" as the terrified wizards call him - is set to become the stuff of every child's nightmares.

 

Someone who kills unicorns to drink their blood was never going to be on your christmas card list but Voldemort really makes you feel the fear.

 

We don't see his face until the end, but  his hooded presence, which grows in menace throughout the film, makes Darth Vader seem like a pussycat.

 

Inevitably, some of the characters have been squished.

 

Neville (the boy who keeps losing his toad) barely  registers until the end. John Cleese has but a cough and a spit as Nearly Headless Nick and Rick Mayall's poltergeist Peeves has been cut out. Some scenes do feel a bit rushed, although parents should be warned that the movie is two and a half hours long.

 

But it goes by in a wave of a magic wand and even a child with the attention span of a stunned bee will be transfixed.

 

My only complaint was that at the begining, Harry looked too clean and healthy considering he'd lived in a cupboard for 11 years.

 

The scar on his forehead - recieved in a battle with Lord Voldemort - also seemed to have been drawn with a felt-tip pen.

 

But these are mere quibbles.

It is rare to find a favouritebook transllated on to the screen successfully but this film will satisfy the most nit-picking fans.

 

When Professor McGonagall predicts Harry's fame she says: "I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter Day in the future."

 

I know where I'll be on Harry Potter Day - that's November 16, when the film finally appears in British cinemas.

 

I'll be queuing for tickets to see it all again!