Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 Review

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 1 (12A)

Director: David Yates

Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Ralph Fiennes

So, by this time next year, Harry Potter is done and dusted with his cinematic adventures.  About bloody time too.  

Did that sound harsh?

Sorry, that’s the cinema employee inside me speaking. Every time a new Harry Potter film comes out, audiences gasp in the wonders on screen. Yet outside that darken room and in the real world, cinema staff around the world braces itself for the worst three day opening possible. Sell out screens, loud kids, and a never ending sea of chaos thanks to this magical little wizard.

But, despite the chaos filled opening weekends these films brings, it’s a series that I’ve come to accept and enjoy.

Like my fellow cinematic writer, Byron Pitt, I have not read any of the Potter books. I had no desire then and I still have no desire to read it now.  I didn’t actually start watching the films until Goblet of Fire came about. When I was a young cinema employee, several years ago at University, I honestly hadn’t the slightest clue about Hogwarts, Dumbledore, Voldemort, all that Potter related terminology.  When the first films came out I was distracted by other things like Lord of The Rings, Bond movies, my gradually increasing stack of DVDs.

So ultimately, I did what any cinematic person outside the know would do. Went out and brought the first three Potter dvds cheaply and watched them in the run up to Goblet.

The first two had a sickly near diabetic coma inducing sweet glean to it. Everything with Philosopher Stone and Chamber of Secrets seemed all about the special effects. The child acting from the three young stars always out dwarfed by the older established British cast and I was quite glad I skipped them at the cinema.

Perhaps I should start watching the first few films again because when Prisoner of Azkaban rolled in, I started to enjoy them for the carefree entertaining pleasure they were supposed to be.  This might have been due to the beginnings of the dark storyline and fates that laid ahead for the main characters. Something evil, something lurking behind the corner that threatens everything. Plus with an array of characters, some that don’t survive chapters of the story too, there is something grand about the Potter universe that cinema has captured well. At least every film didn’t end with a massive party.

Hence Goblet of Fire, Order of the Phoenix, and Half-Blood Prince were enjoyable viewings. I wouldn’t go out of my way to watch the Potters every time but I have grown a decent respect for the films. They seem to mature and appeal more to me with each film. With the growing acting ability of the once young kiddie cast melded with the establish crop of British talent, it’s something at least I look forward to when a new film rolls in.

And wouldn’t you know it, we’re about to hit the home straight with the first part since the seventh book was decidedly split into two films. A blessing and a curse as I don’t really want to regard this as a proper film since it’s half the story.

Let me remain positive though, Deathly Hallows Part 1 benefits from some of the things I’ve mentioned above. The impending final battle between Potter and Voldemort is looming and all hell is breaking loose outside Hogwarts. That sense of dread and threat benefits the already entwined feeling of mortality with the characters. You have that gut feeling that not everyone is going to make it to the final scene…or part mind you.

Having the film take place outside of Hogwarts helps too, it escapes the formulaic assumption that about twenty minutes in, we’ll be back at Hogwarts for another school year. By going out on this epic quest, it adds a bit of freshness to the mix, plus that sense of vulnerability and threat even more.

Plus several set pieces keep the entertainment flowing nicely between dialogue heavy moments which Potter fans will gleefully saunter at. Not sure about grown adults who likely have just been dragged along to it. The set pieces are well paced, executed and exciting. Especially the Ministry of Magic break in, got a mix of 1984, Brazil with a little bit of Mission Impossible in there for good measure.

Apart from the set pieces, that grown up feeling the films have lately produced continues to come along nicely with the final films. The acting has improved again. Acting continuously along the best of British like Rickman, Oldman, and Gambon has helped Radcliffe, Grint and Watson.  The chemistry seems so natural now between them as their isolation from the rest of the wizarding world is the focus here. Truthfully, there’s nothing really standout about the acting with Potter, I see it as this big ensemble piece and with certain parts you get certain good moments. Here, we see a little bit more of Ralph Fiennes as Voldemort, who was just sneaking in left and right occasionally since Goblet. It’s a downside that new cast additions, Bill Nighy and Rhys Ifans just seem to come and go with proceeds like glorified cameos.

And since this is not a complete Potter tale with Part 2 coming in July 2011, there was this sense of pause at the end of the film. Yes, the film was good and I enjoyed watching it but I can’t really give a full judgement until Part 2 comes out. As a standalone film, it simply starts putting in the pieces for the final act. I feel if it got partnered with a viewing with its second part as well, then it could be an almighty finale we haven’t seen in movies for a long time.

Don’t get me wrong, Deathly Hallows Part 1 is good fantasy cinema that I enjoyed. I enjoyed it even more as I’ve marvelled at since we’re now miles apart from Potter’s child beginnings.  

I just feel indifferent as a neutral non-Potter fan viewer until that final part.

Eight months is a long time to wait, you know.