Okay, Hear Me Out: 'Return to Hogwarts' and the Director's Intent... Or Lack Thereof?

So, I just finished watching 'Return to Hogwarts', and while the nostalgia hit me harder than a bludger to the face, something felt...off. As a director-focused viewer, I'm always thinking about authorial intent, ya know? What was the point the director was trying to make? And, honestly, I'm not sure this special had one. No director is credited, which makes sense in some ways, but also raises questions. This wasn't just a collection of interviews; it was edited, structured. Someone made choices. My theory? It WAS a conscious choice to not have a clear directorial stamp. Maybe HBO Max figured the franchise's popularity was enough, and didn't want to impose anyone's specific artistic vision on it. They just wanted raw emotion and behind-the-scenes glimpses, letting the cast and the pre-existing films speak for themselves. Which, fine, I guess. But it's a bit of a cop-out, right? I mean, even just a subtly guiding hand would have been nice. Like, imagine if Alfonso Cuarón had stepped in to shape it! A guy can dream, I guess. Think about that scene where Emma Watson and Rupert Grint are talking, really emotional... the editing felt almost too 'clean'. Like, they were hitting specific beats for maximum fan reaction. I'm not saying it wasn't genuine, but it lacked a certain… nuance that a strong director might have brought. It's like they were afraid to let certain moments breathe. Overall, I enjoyed it, don't get me wrong. Seeing everything together made me so emotional. But from my perspective, 'Return to Hogwarts' felt like a missed opportunity. It could've been great, but it ended up just being... good. Kinda falls into the "fan-service" category which isn't the worst thing EVER, but I expected a liddle more.