Yesterday my wife, niece, and I went to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. I doubt that anything I could say or do would discourage anybody who’s inclined to see it from doing so or encourage anybody who’s not inclined to see it to do so. Consequently, I won’t attempt to review it but just make a few brief comments.
This film is essentially two hours of exquisitely crafted exposition. It is much darker than the other movies, more mature, and less magical. A good deal of the picture consists of main characters standing in magnificently bleak locations in England, Wales, and Scotland talking.
I have little doubt that I’ll see Part 2 when it comes out in July but July is a very long time to wait. It may also prove a risky strategy. If the picture is in the can already, as seems likely, won’t it prove difficult to keep it from leaking out?
Nah. Potter fans are kind of crazy, and extremely numerous. They* will continue to contribute to Rowling’s coffers as long as there are opportunities to do so.
* – OK, we.
I thought there was enough of interest in the movie to enjoy it. The script did a nice job of demonstrating the gathering dread of evil ascendant. It had more than a few nice illustrations of the uncertainty and self-doubt inherent in late adolescence. The last scenes with the heroes were quite touching, too. While I agree there was a lot of exposition, there was still enough action (in the Ministry of Magic, in Godric’s Hollow) to keep things moving forward; it wasn’t all just characters sitting around talking about their feelings.
Son loved it. We will go see it together at an IMAX in a week or two.
Steve
I greatly enjoyed it, and I’m a big fan (I own and have read all seven books at least twice each). I thought it was definitely a step up over the past two movies.
Hopefully I’ll see it this weekend at some point when there are family around to watch the baby.