Firstly, this is NOT your children's Harry Potter. The first-part of the seventh installment of the Harry Potter franchise is definitely aimed at the reader's who grew up reading the novels. The film is dark and gritty from beginning to finish and definitely doesn't hold the same light-hearted charm as it's predecessor's. It's very hard to be critical of such an acclaimed franchise, especially one which may just be the most succesful movie franchise in the world. To view this film and understand it's content one needs to have seen 6 other movies and it is probably beneficial to have already read the seventh novel, as many already have. The movie picks up where it left off - the wizarding world is in jeopardy since Dumbledore's death and everyone knows that Voldemort's rise to power is near complete. The very opening sequence sets the very dark and sombre mood for this film. The great thing about the seventh-installment of the Harry Potter franchise is that it breaks from the formula of the first sixth. Hogwarts is the farthest thing from Harry Potter's mind as he finds himself, Ron and Hermoine hunting for a way to destroy Voldemort. The quest leads the trio to finding out about the mysterious Deathly Hallows, powerful gifts granted to three brothers by death, which used if inappropriately would lead to an early grave. The only problem is that Voldemort is looking for the very items himself and it would be thought that the first to uncover all three hallows would definitely have the upper hand in the final showdown.
The movie was well directed, produced and acted. I found myself thoroughly entertained for the most part, but I can't find myself on one extreme or the other. I didn't hate it, but I can't say that I loved it. I found a few faults that could have easily been fixed to make this film as great as its predecessor. The first flaw is the length. Part 1 nearly 2 and a half hours. The reason that the film was split into 2 was so that fanboys wouldn't have anything to complain about as all the little details of the book could be fit in... this however proves to be a tedious task, at times I felt like I was watching the super-extended version of Lord of the Rings which highlights an extra 60 minutes of walking. There was a lot of filler, and not all of it necessary to the plot... most of it leading the person next to me to a) almost fall asleep and b) the jag-offs behind me to talk through parts of the film. The second big flaw in the film is found in the character of Dobby the house-elf. While loveable in the novels Dobby comes off as an obnoxious little twat that needs to be kicked in the face. His character is so much like Jar Jar Binks from Star Wars Episode 1 that I just wanted him dead. They could have saved a lot of time by cutting out a lot of Dobby and saving me a huge head-ache.
Fanboys are going to love it or hate it... but in all honesty - I'm not a big fan of fanboys... for anything. They're just so annoying; as they proved to be once again at this film. Imagine this. I was at a screening 4 nights prior to the release with a theatre of nearly 500, jampacked. There were even people sitting on the stairs. Half of the theatre was dressed up in Harry Potter'esque costume... and just wouldn't shut up during the film, clapping and cheering and whistling and hooting and hollering at the most mundane things. At one moment Harry Potter takes off his shirt to jump into ice cold water and the guy behind me starts cheering. At another moment where Harry and Hermoine share a semi-nude kiss people started shouting at the screen. Seriously, can't fanboys shut up and just an enjoy a film?
Anyways - I'm done my rant about fanboys... the film? A solid performance by Daniel Radcliffe and cast... hopefully Part 2 takes it over the edge.
3.5 wands out of 5.
