I was disturbed. I have heard the "what about Snow White and the Wiz of Oz" arguments and they don't hold water. The older movies were fairy tales. The stories were not as "modern" as the Potter series are. I have told my children fairy tales as I am sure many of us have but I have always told them the truth about the tales, that they are not true and that they are make believe. That is what made them fun. The movies of these tales follow the traditional fairy tale patterns with "Once upon a time" beginnings and "Happily ever after" endings. Potter doesn't.
The HP stories play upon reality more than they do fiction. They are targeted to reach kids on a level that is all too real to them. Real situations are used. Real problems are used ( peer pressure, not liking a teacher, homework, or whathave you ).
I know that kids are smart and I am not underestimating their intelligence and their abilities to sort fact from fiction. I wasn't on the "Pokemon is evil" bandwagon nor anything before it. However, I was disturbed at Tolken's ability to integrate reality with fantasy on such a level. Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn tales were about children who lied, stole and so forth but there was a "normalcy" to them. They more aptly did justice to "boys will be boys" rather than mystifying juvenile behavior.
Whether a child is 5 or 15 there remains the ability to impress them with examples found in stories and movies. How many of us can say that when we were younger we read a certain book or saw a certain movie that left a lasting impression on us or, in some cases, that changed our lives, our way of thingking or believing?
I went into this Potter stuff agreeing to be completely objectional. I came out of it deciding that it was not for MY kids. I try to be very discerning over what I allow into my home and what I allow my kids to be part of. Not because I am a religious fanatic but because I feel that, regardless of what experts may say, my children are impressionable and "real" sorcery isn't something that I wish for them to become impressed with.