Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 Review

Well well...I have only written one other review at 3 am before, and that was for The Dark Knight which, of course, is understandable. I am more writing this review because I feel I will lose some of it as I sleep in tomorrow (or today, technically) because no-class-Fridays are awesome. However, I do digress (as I often tend to) and I really should talk about why I spent the better half of Thursday night in a packed movie theater.

Harry Potter. You may or may not have heard of him. He basically is a really good golfer that had an affair with a bunch of women then...oops sorry my bad. Yeah y'all know who he is, and to be honest y'all know how the story begins, middles (?), and ends. So I'm not gonna give you a lot of detail. Harry Potter ends up killing Lord Voldemort by destroying the Horcruxes he was sent to find by Dumbledore.

Except, not quite yet. See the people in charge of the series decided (wisely, I might add) to split the final film up into two separate parts, a la Kill Bill, though the latter is a much better film. Still, this movie definitely holds up on its own thanks to great character exploration and true humanity, something the Potter movies don't normally delve into, with the exception of the previous film, The Half-Blood Prince. This movie goes through the novel relatively well up until the escape from Malfoy Manor and Voldemort's theft of the Elder Wand from Dumbledore (and stops really at the only place it could). Along the way some key points are left out, the first of which is Harry's departure from the Dursley's. In the book, there is actually a very poignant moment between Harry and Dudley that is surprising and refreshing, yet we get none of that here.

Also I kind of wish Voldemort carried a little more gravitas. He should be this menacing, diabolical, almost Hitler-like character but it's almost like he isn't evil enough or something. It's hard to describe but I feel as if I should fear him more than I do. There are a few other moments skipped over and details left out (one important one being Harry not under disguise during the wedding), but for the most part this is a faithful adaptation. In fact, some lines are directly lifted from the text itself which is also a nice change of pace for these movies...

...except for two major issues I have. First, there is a lot of humor in the movie. I still haven't decided whether I am totally on board with this, because this last installment deals with a lot of serious and more mature issues. I suppose 17 year-olds would make the types of jokes shown and things of that nature, but some of it felt forced and to me, cheapened the experience. For the most part I was completely drawn in, and perhaps watching it with less than a sold out theater might change my opinion, but I wanted a slightly more serious experience.

Also, this pseudo-romance between Harry and Hermione (after Ron leaves) is exaggerated far too much, in my opinion. We do get some very slight temptations in the novel itself, but nothing like what happened in the movie. For the rest of story, and actually for the rest of Harry's, Ron's, and Hermione's life to be believable, this was too much. And seriously, guys, enough with these awkward dance scenes. It basically killed Spider-Man 3 (which I still say, without the dance scene, is actually a great comic-book movie) and it is so cheesy and awkward here in HP. It's basically a waste of 5 minutes of film and develops the characters in an awkward and creepy light.

From the sound of things, you'd think I hated it. Often is the case when I watch movies, but by no means did I dislike this movie. Quite the contrary: I enjoyed it immensely. These movies have become events and the directors and cinematographers treat each book with more and more care (sans most of Order of the Phoenix). There are some truly spectacular sequences in the movie, one of my favorites being the chase through the woods. Here we get some contemporary, mature cinematography against a, for the most part, kids story. I really appreciate how the characters have grown up because we have seen them go through it all on screen (although Harry is starting to look just a bit too old). While the characters themselves aren't exactly in line with Rowling's vision, the actors' own take on them is no less appropriate and interesting. They all are exponentially better than when they started out, and with an all-star supporting cast, one of my favorites being Bill Nighy as Rufus Scrimgeour, the acting really doesn't hurt the movie like it has sometimes in the past. In fact, in some of the camping scenes it's downright good and shows each of the actors' growth.

Also, some of the shots we get to see are exquisite. They really know how to frame the characters now, and the movie develops a style of its own. Despite what I said about the humor, the movie is dark and more grim than the Harry we are used to seeing, and for me that's all the better. Sometimes it's alright for a movie to want to enthrall us and invest in the story and characters, rather than be purely "escapist." In fact, there is a lot of imagery and even mythology in this movie that sort of boosts the experience. The biggest example is the direct comparison of Voldemort and the Death Eaters to Hitler and the Nazis. Officials in the Ministry of Magic even wear red bands around their arms, which is quite obvious to anyone with a 6th grade education, but still a nice touch. And even though I explained earlier that I'd like to fear Voldemort more, he carries a more Satanic image in this movie more than any other. For example, in the near-final frame, we see his menacing face peer into Dumbledore's grave, almost in a "God vs. Satan" image. It could be just my interpretation, but it seemed as though the makers went out of their way to make the comparison.

So it's good. It's not necessarily "surprisingly" good, but it's very good nonetheless. Obviously you need to know your Potter and you will appreciate it more for the same reason, but it's still a very well-made, engrossing film. And the first shot of Dobby standing on the beach after the escape from Malfoy Manor is truly the defining portrait and the one you will remember the most. I can say I definitely recommend this flawed, but great beginning to the end.

It's 10 inches, not much...

4/5