I could actually respect the decision not to review the movie on the grounds the first two are soulless cash grabs. I've only seen the first one (had no interest after that), and while I drool at the concept of a 1920s NYC with a secret magical underworld, the one that shows up in that flick is even more ersatz than the New York New York casino in Las Vegas. Given the reams of ancillary material detailing the non-European wizarding schools that popped up on Rowling's website in advance of the first movie, I think there's a solid critique to be made concerning her general lack of familiarity with anything beyond the borders of the UK, or beyond Western Europe at best. Her understanding of American culture is nonexistent, and I have to imagine the same goes for South American, African, and Asian magical folklore.
But no, easier to join the troon brigade and whine about hurt fee-fees. Man, fuck Bob.
That's pretty much why all of /tv/s discussion boil down to: "only asian character; names her Ching Chang; what did she mean by this?"
The HP universe has the same problem as Star Wars in that, despite the vastness of the universe, SW adventures only happen in a desert planet or a Death Star. That's why, despite all the limitless possibilities of the Wizarding World, everything happens in London, the English Country Side, an English Boarding School, etc.
Do you want to make an american harry potter extension? It's going to be closer to horror than adventure: wendigos, the jersey devil, skinwalkers, etc. Hell, make references to HP lovecraft and make vague hints that there are Old Ones lurking around. Or maybe do what Gaiman did with American Gods, have multiple sects and societies living in the US which hate each other with such a passion that the concept of a wizarding USA is insane. You don't even have to make it up too much - the Voodoiene Queens can put on an act and say "we do it for fun, english-boy. If the muggles believe in the Loa, the Loa smiles some more on us"; or have actual demon worshipping witches be living in sisterfuck, OH that tell the protagonist, "what's with your wands, taxes and regulations? we are still praying how we did centuries ago, it's you who lost your way". Spice it up with Chinese sorcerers and their fumanchu shit. Their mythos have a million gods, to them some english, noseless freak wanting to become a lich should not be a surprise, "Is he splitting his soul? how crude, godhood is attained through meditation and losing one's self but sure we can give you something so you can knock the lich down a peg".
Maybe even have (((blood mages))) building golems and selling them to the highest bidder? Why? Because handrubbing.
My point is that Rowling's world is very, very small and narrow. What do wizards want? What do men that can fucking reverse time actually want or need? Why even build a school? What do you need a school for magic for? Prussian style schools are made to contidion kids to the 8 to 5 grind but what does a Wizard need with a 9-5? And why is it that every wizard in every country is just Merlin?
I believe that the biggest issue with Rowling's cosmology is that there is no cost to magic. Sure, you spend time memorizing spells and wand movements but what is the price you're paying? Are you siging a contract with other entities? are you selling your soul? Can you sling spells all day long until your throat is dry? Does your wand gets worn down with each cast? Do you cast from magic points? You can make a scarcity free society with just one mage and one wand and there's never any deeper thought put into it.
To summarize my spergery: it's still a nice read when you're 12 but by the age of 13 you better start reading Dragonlance; and the world is not big enough to make 17 movies out of it.
