Anthony's Film Review
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)
The first part of the final Harry Potter installment is presented well enough on screen...
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (of 2) was a movie that I was both looking forward to and feeling a little worried about. Why the former? Because Deathly Hallows is the finale and perhaps the darkest entry of the series. Why the latter? Because David Yates, who directed the fifth and sixth HP movies (Order of the Phoenix and Half-Blood Prince, respectively), directed Deathly Hallows. If you've seen my reviews of the preceding two Potter movies, you'll know that my feelings about the director are mixed. While those two movies were OK, I couldn't help but notice how those movies felt dull as a result of Yates's direction.
I can now say that it's still noticeable in this movie. There are scenes that are done slowly for emotional effect but are perhaps overdone, which prevents constant progression of the story. At the same time, the scenes of interest were more interesting than those of the two preceding movies. I'm willing to give the director just a little more credit this time, enough to generously give the movie a slightly higher rating of approval. If you keep this in mind, you may be able to sit through this movie, whose running time is about 2 hours and 20 minutes.
The movie begins with a clearly somber mood. Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) and his clan of Death Eaters have grown in power. Their dark influence has infiltrated almost everything, even threatening the Ministry of Magic. For Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint), and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson), no place is safe anymore, including their homes away from the Hogwarts magic school. What's interesting here is that most of the characters in the series make appearances, as if all the forces of good and evil are being united for an eventual final showdown.
The story mainly involves Harry, Ron, and Hermione on a quest to defeat Lord Voldemort once and for all. Previously, Harry learned that Voldemort split his soul into pieces and stored them in various objects, called horcruxes. Defeating the dark lord would require destroying the remaining horcruxes, including a locket that the trio works to track down. But the task is easier said than done, as the method to destroy a horcrux, not to mention the location of the other horcruxes, remains a mystery. Along the way, the title of the movie becomes clear. Harry, Ron, and Hermione soon learn about the Deathly Hallows, a set of three legendary objects of great magical significance. The one who possesses them will become a very powerful wizard.
Like I said, this movie isn't too bad. I can identify several good scenes. In the beginning of the movie, there's a thrilling sequence that involves Harry and six Harry imposters flying in the air as Death Eaters attempt to ambush their trail. I also enjoyed how Harry, Ron, and Hermione sneak into the Ministry of Magic without getting detected by the Death Eaters. Then there's the various action scenes that, although very quick, give the movie some needed jolts of excitement.
So if there's one good thing about Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, it's that, even though it's not the best Harry Potter movie, it's not the worst movie in the series. The finale of any story needs to be intriguing to draw the audience in. Although Deathly Hallows: Part 1 feels slow at times, it does pick up a little. In fact, the final scene does a good job marking the transition from Deathly Hallows: Part 1 to Deathly Hallows: Part 2. It definitely keeps the audience interested enough for the grand finale of the Harry Potter saga. I know I'm eagerly waiting for it.
Anthony's Rating:
For more information about Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, visit the Internet Movie Database.
In addition, check out my reviews of the following:
The Harry Potter Films
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