Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows: Part One (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
Well, folks ... looks like it's all over for Harry Potter film fans with 'Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows'. Oh, wait ... not it isn't ... this is just PART ONE! Whether the decision to split the final book into 2 films was strictly artistic, strictly financial, or a combination of both - I must say, I'm pleased with the decision, thus far. Part 1 begins as Harry, Ron & Hermione (Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson) set out on their dangerous mission to track down & destroy what keeps Voldemort immortal - the rest of the 7 Horcruxes. On their own, far away from their families, Hogwarts, their teachers, or revered Professor Dumbledore, the 3 friends must rely on their skills & each other to evade the dark forces that are around every corner.
All the while, the wizarding world has become a terrifying place for all enemies of Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes). The dark forces are taking-down opposition, & taking-over control; killing the Minister of Magic (Bill Nighy), capturing said Ministry, as well as Hogwarts - now run by Severus Snape (Alan Rickman). That's all fine. But the one thing Voldemort needs most of all is Harry Potter. Harry 'The Chosen One' Potter is ferociously hunted by the Death Eaters with orders to bring him to Voldemort alive. Desperate to find the Horcruxes before Voldemort nabs him, Harry searches for clues all over the land (with his 2 pals). During his search, he uncovers an ancient, nearly-forgotten tale - The Legend of the Deathly Hallows. If the legend is for real, then Voldemort could potentially obtain all the power he needs to fully return. Can Harry race against time, find the Horcruxes, & extinguish them before it's too late?
Gone are the days of the 1st 4 Potter films where self-contained stories made up the narrative. Gone is the magic & wonderment of Hogwarts. What now exists is a long, continuous narrative strand of bigger, grimmer things to come. I still struggle with the expansive, structure-free framework of these scripts - preferring a beginning-middle-end plotline - but it is what it is, now. There are some criticisms I've read that this film, because it's a Part 1, has no big payoff. That may be, but this film is rock solid as a standalone piece of art, & it has made me look forward to how the final film will pick-up & play-out.
I feel like director David Yates is finally hitting a stride. Here, he creates a strange, but potent atmosphere. And I like how he constructed the action set pieces; however fleeting they were. Yates also got help from a superb technical team (Eduardo Serra's gorgeous camerawork, Stuart Craig's mind-blowing art direction, stellar costume & make-up work, Alexandre Desplat's epic-yet-subtle musical score, some awe-inspiring visual effects), and most importantly ... improved, multi-dimensional performances from Radcliffe, Grint, & especially Emma Watson. All 3 of them really moved me. Fellow thespians, Brendan Gleeson, Helena Bonham Carter, Jason Isaacs, Helen McCrory, Julie Walters, et al, continue to enchant, as they always have.
Some of my film highlights include: Hermione erasing her parent's memories of her to protect them; a Ministry of Magic heist involving polyjuice; an impromptu dance scene btwn. Harry & Hermione in a tent; a fantastic animated sequence showing the Tale of Three Brothers (I mean, WOW); and a riveting scene involving our 3 heroes, Dobby the house elf (Toby Jones), & the Death Eaters. You know, I typically like a little light to peak through the darkness; but this is one bleak film; dark, quiet, & reflective. That said, I'm surprised by how much I didn't miss the lightness/whimsy that won me over in the 1st 4 films. Sadness & desperation permeates the screen. And that's because the trajectory of what's happening & what's to come deserves that morbidity & gravitas.
The most impressive aspect of this film (for me) is that: while little happens in the middle hour (where our threesome strategizes, argue, reconcile, & ward-off enemies in the wilderness) ... I was still glued to the screen. Furthermore, I noticed a distinct lack of music being played in the background. This gave the film a very stark, direct sense of reality that tuned me in even more. And so, though these films (more than ever) may come across as gobbledegook to those not well-versed in Potter folklore, & though there's an obvious unfinished feel to the production (I could have gone for an intermission & sat back down for Part 2), I still think 'Deathly Hallows: Part One' will give fans what they want. From the 1st creepy scene to the emotional last one, I sat immersed. Fear, action, humor, magic, profundity, a sense of loss ... this movie has it all; it just takes it's time unfolding. Everything is building to the final confrontation btwn. Harry & Voldemort, & I can't wait!
All the while, the wizarding world has become a terrifying place for all enemies of Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes). The dark forces are taking-down opposition, & taking-over control; killing the Minister of Magic (Bill Nighy), capturing said Ministry, as well as Hogwarts - now run by Severus Snape (Alan Rickman). That's all fine. But the one thing Voldemort needs most of all is Harry Potter. Harry 'The Chosen One' Potter is ferociously hunted by the Death Eaters with orders to bring him to Voldemort alive. Desperate to find the Horcruxes before Voldemort nabs him, Harry searches for clues all over the land (with his 2 pals). During his search, he uncovers an ancient, nearly-forgotten tale - The Legend of the Deathly Hallows. If the legend is for real, then Voldemort could potentially obtain all the power he needs to fully return. Can Harry race against time, find the Horcruxes, & extinguish them before it's too late?
Gone are the days of the 1st 4 Potter films where self-contained stories made up the narrative. Gone is the magic & wonderment of Hogwarts. What now exists is a long, continuous narrative strand of bigger, grimmer things to come. I still struggle with the expansive, structure-free framework of these scripts - preferring a beginning-middle-end plotline - but it is what it is, now. There are some criticisms I've read that this film, because it's a Part 1, has no big payoff. That may be, but this film is rock solid as a standalone piece of art, & it has made me look forward to how the final film will pick-up & play-out.
I feel like director David Yates is finally hitting a stride. Here, he creates a strange, but potent atmosphere. And I like how he constructed the action set pieces; however fleeting they were. Yates also got help from a superb technical team (Eduardo Serra's gorgeous camerawork, Stuart Craig's mind-blowing art direction, stellar costume & make-up work, Alexandre Desplat's epic-yet-subtle musical score, some awe-inspiring visual effects), and most importantly ... improved, multi-dimensional performances from Radcliffe, Grint, & especially Emma Watson. All 3 of them really moved me. Fellow thespians, Brendan Gleeson, Helena Bonham Carter, Jason Isaacs, Helen McCrory, Julie Walters, et al, continue to enchant, as they always have.
Some of my film highlights include: Hermione erasing her parent's memories of her to protect them; a Ministry of Magic heist involving polyjuice; an impromptu dance scene btwn. Harry & Hermione in a tent; a fantastic animated sequence showing the Tale of Three Brothers (I mean, WOW); and a riveting scene involving our 3 heroes, Dobby the house elf (Toby Jones), & the Death Eaters. You know, I typically like a little light to peak through the darkness; but this is one bleak film; dark, quiet, & reflective. That said, I'm surprised by how much I didn't miss the lightness/whimsy that won me over in the 1st 4 films. Sadness & desperation permeates the screen. And that's because the trajectory of what's happening & what's to come deserves that morbidity & gravitas.
The most impressive aspect of this film (for me) is that: while little happens in the middle hour (where our threesome strategizes, argue, reconcile, & ward-off enemies in the wilderness) ... I was still glued to the screen. Furthermore, I noticed a distinct lack of music being played in the background. This gave the film a very stark, direct sense of reality that tuned me in even more. And so, though these films (more than ever) may come across as gobbledegook to those not well-versed in Potter folklore, & though there's an obvious unfinished feel to the production (I could have gone for an intermission & sat back down for Part 2), I still think 'Deathly Hallows: Part One' will give fans what they want. From the 1st creepy scene to the emotional last one, I sat immersed. Fear, action, humor, magic, profundity, a sense of loss ... this movie has it all; it just takes it's time unfolding. Everything is building to the final confrontation btwn. Harry & Voldemort, & I can't wait!