'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1' Movie Review

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 is, as expected, the darkest film of the lot by far. In fact, the setting's so bleak it's almost as though our favorite now-nearly-adult wizards have survived the apocalypse and are fighting against all odds to stay alive in a suddenly completely inhospitable world (think The Road, The Book of Eli) And, in a way, they are. Voldemort and his Death Eaters have taken over and the fun days of learning spells, working with wands, playing Quidditch, and hanging out with their Hogwarts schoolmates are just fond memories. Harry, Hermione, and Ron are on a mission to destroy Horcruxes and save not only the wizarding world but innocent muggles in this next to last edition of the blockbuster Harry Potter franchise.

When Warner Bros initially announced the splitting of J.K. Rowling's final book of the series into two separate films, skeptics immediately leapt to the conclusion it was done to pad WB's coffers. Even those willing to give the studio the benefit of the doubt and believe it was done to as faithfully as possible include every scene from Rowling's last Harry Potter book weren't necessarily sold on the idea of two Deathly Hallows films. But now having read the books and having seen Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 I firmly stand behind WB's decision to break it in two.

This, in my opinion, is the film that's the most faithful to the source material in not only tone but in including material that could have fallen to the wayside without affecting the ultimate outcome of the story one iota. There are small, quiet scenes in Deathly Hallows Part 1 that obviously would have had to hit the cutting room floor - or, more likely, wouldn't have been included in the script in the first place - had there been just one big blowout production to finish up the franchise. Instead, with this two-part finale HP fans are treated to tender moments between our three favorite wizards. Even the few scenes added in that aren't in Rowling's book completely meld with Rowling's vision.

More so than in any other film of the series, Deathly Hallows provides each of the three leads - Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint - a chance to reveal just how far they've advanced as actors over the course of the seven Harry Potter films. Deathly Hallows Part 1 focuses nearly entirely on Harry, Hermione and Ron, and each actor displays a level of maturity and control beyond what was evident in the past Harry Potter films.

Who would have thought way back in 2001 when Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone first introduced us to the youngsters charged with playing the leads in the bestselling book series that Radcliffe, Watson, and Grint would not only have become the fine actors they have turned into, but would have managed to do so without any scandals or breakdowns, and with barely any negative press? Truly, this young cast had millions of reasons to behave badly once or twice but have managed to not only survive but thrive in the circus atmosphere that surrounds major Hollywood films. Despite the incredible amount of fame thrust on them as kids, Radcliffe, Watson, and Grint have handled themselves professionally, displaying their fondness for the film franchise and their ownership of the characters in a way that should make every Harry Potter fan proud. And absolutely none of this praise has anything to do with reviewing Deathly Hallows, but they deserve the praise - even if this isn't necessarily the appropriate venue for dishing it out.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 - The Story

In the first few minutes of Deathly Hallows Part 1, Bill Nighy as Minister of Magic Rufus Scrimgeour informs the world that these are dark times - and that statement couldn't be more truthful. Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) is growing in power and gathering more supporters to his cause. He's also dispatching his enemies with ruthless finality, torturing those who may have information on Harry Potter's whereabouts before sending them to their deaths. And, sadly, not too long after making his dire declaration, Scrimgeour is added to the list of Voldemort's victims. The Ministry has fallen, the wizarding world is ripped apart, and absolutely no one is safe from Voldemort's Death Eaters.

And at the center of it all are the young wizards who must put an end to Voldemort's reign. Harry Potter, declared an enemy of the wizarding world by Voldemort, and his best friends Hermione and Ron are forced to leave the relative safety of their friends and families behind to go in search of Horcruxes. These power items house pieces of Voldemort's soul and if Harry's ever to defeat the Dark Lord, he must find and destroy as many as he can.

Harry's the Chosen One, but there's no way he can survive the dangerous search for the hidden Horcruxes without his best friends. Ron may not be the sharpest wizard in the magical shed, but he's loyal and fierce when called into action. And as both Harry and Ron readily admit, Hermione's the most talented of the threesome when it comes to spells. She's also extremely organized, logical, and has the most incredible handbag on the planet. Together, the three friends stand a chance. Divided, they may fall. When tensions mount and tempers run hot, as happens between any group of friends at one time or another, their quest to save their fellow wizards is in jeopardy. Fortunately, cool heads ultimately prevail as Harry, Hermione and Ron struggle to stay one step ahead of Voldemort and his dark army while edging ever closer to the final battle. With the continuing support of just a handful of friends (including the entire Weasley family and Dobby the House Elf), Harry, Hermione and Ron must face down Voldemort's minions.

The Bottom Line

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 has its share of action sequences, and returning director David Yates uses everything at his disposal to make the scenes as seat-grippingly suspenseful as possible. But what sells this film isn't the occasional battle, it's - as previously mentioned - the emotional connection we have with the main characters and investment we've made in following Harry, Hermione, and Ron's journey over the years.

The title, Deathly Hallows, just sounds foreboding and the feeling of impending doom looms large over the entire two hours and 27 minutes running time. That said, there are some incredibly funny bits thrown in here and there to lighten the mood, mostly delivered with crackerjack timing by Grint as the ever dependable Ron Weasley. Grint's got a real future in comedies, if that's the direction he chooses to go.

The film concentrates on the three teen wizards, with most of the outside news coming through dream sequences, radio broadcasts, and newspaper headlines that flash by quickly onscreen. As with the book, Deathly Hallows narrows the focus of the story to Harry's preparation for his fight to the death with Voldemort. And director Yates and returning screenwriter Steve Kloves make very few false steps (the pacing's a bit sluggish about three-quarters of the way in) as they prepare audiences for the final showdown in Part 2 (hitting theaters next July). But as far as being faithful to Rowling's vision, Yates and Kloves are entirely respectful of her work and of the millions of Harry Potter fans who've been waiting anxiously for the film adaptations to bring Harry Potter to a close.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 lives up to its hype, exceeding expectations and taking audiences on an incredible journey alongside our heroes. Part 1 has paved the way for what's likely to be the best film of the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2.

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A slight word of warning for parents of young Harry Potter fans: There are a few more mature moments (in particular one scene involving an intimate moment between two of the main characters in which there's a fair amount of skin shown) and there are, as there have been in the past, deaths of characters we've come to love. Keep that in mind when deciding if the seventh film is appropriate for younger viewers. However, if they've read the books, then there's nothing that should be too shocking in the film.

GRADE: A-

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 was directed by David Yates and is rated PG-13 for some sequences of intense action violence, frightening images and brief sensuality.

Theatrical Release: November 19, 2010

This review is based on a screening provided by the studio. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.