Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows the seventh and final adventure in the Harry Potter film series is a much-anticipated motion picture event to be told in two full-length parts. Part 1 begins as Harry Ron and Hermione set out on their perilous mission to track down and destroy the secret to Voldemort's immortality and destruction-the Horcruxes. On their own without the guidance of their professors or the protection of Professor Dumbledore the three friends must now rely on one another more than ever. But there are Dark Forces in their midst that threaten to tear... them apart. Meanwhile the wizarding world has become a dangerous place for all enemies of the Dark Lord. The long-feared war has begun and Voldemort's Death Eaters seize control of the Ministry of Magic and even Hogwarts terrorizing and arresting anyone who might oppose them. But the one prize they still seek is the one most valuable to Voldemort: Harry Potter. The Chosen One has become the hunted one as the Death Eaters search for Harry with orders to bring him to Voldemort...alive. Harry's only hope is to find the Horcruxes before Voldemort finds him. But as he searches for clues he uncovers an old and almost forgotten tale-the legend of the Deathly Hallows. And if the legend turns out to be true it could give Voldemort the ultimate power he seeks. Little does Harry know that his future has already been decided by his past when on that fateful day he became the Boy Who Lived. No longer just a boy Harry Potter is drawing ever closer to the task for which he has been preparing since the day he first stepped into Hogwarts: the ultimate battle with Voldemort. [show more]
Fans of Harry Potter will know that the final book in the series is something of a departure: Harry and his friends spend most of their seventh year away from Hogwarts. This stark change of setting provides an overwhelming change of tone and pace to this film - the seventh of eight in the Potter theatrical saga - and it feels largely that this is the reason that it works so well.
After the death of Dumbledore at the end of movie six, Deathly Hallows Part 1 follows Harry, Ron and Hermione in their search for the Horcruxes: the hidden items containing fragments of Lord Voldemort's soul. If this brief summary of the plot means nothing to you, then it's likely that the film won't either. Seven films down the line, the writers have done away with making any attempt to welcome new viewers; anybody new to the series would likely feel completely alienated from the very first reel. Though, why anybody would choose to dip in now, I'm not quite sure.
The central trio here are forced to grow up. No longer surrounded by the security of Hogwarts, they are truly alone in their quest. Their loneliness, and at times, hopelessness, provide a stark thematic change to the movie, and frankly it's a breath of fresh air. The last two films almost felt as if they were a means to an end - the routine of the school year played out in each installment left the most recent entries feeling tired. Indeed, the sixth movie gave the distinct impression that its raison d'être was simply as a lengthy warm-up for the final showdown.
In growing up, so too do the performances of the main cast, most notably Emma Watson, whose bone-dry comic interpretation of Hermione Granger is a wonderful thing to behold. She's come a long way in the last ten years: her hair has deflated (thank goodness) and she's tuned herself into a finely nuanced young actress. However, the focus on the core three means that little screen time is dedicated to the terrific supporting cast. Maggie Smith is nowhere to be seen, and as has been the case recently, Alan Rickman's deliciously wicked portrayal of Severus Snape is a blink-and-you'll-miss-it affair.
The film clearly defines itself as a road movie, and in doing so it feels entirely different to any other entry in the series. The pace is far slower, dedicating more time to character development and less to the showy special effects of previous installments (though I don't doubt that there's plenty to come in part two), and the whole affair has a general feeling of foreboding - even dread. This is decidedly not a children's film - to the extent that I was concerned in the cinema that the kids present might not be able to withstand the film's lengthy two and a half hours. However, the hallmarks of classic Potter are here: right down to John William's original score being twisted into an uneasy and haunting soundtrack.
Much has been said about splitting the final book into two film adaptations. While I'm grateful that this decision has afforded the filmmakers more time to faithfully devote to the story, it does mean that Part 1's ending invokes a feeling that sits somewhere between titillation and frustration. I could easily have sat for a further two hours to see it to the end. Simply, I was left wanting more.
The penultimate film in the Harry Potter saga delivers a completely new experience: this is unlike any Potter movie we've seen before, but it just works. It's refreshingly adult and provides plenty of moments to reward those who've seen the series through. I'd say that this ties with Prisoner of Azkaban for the title of best Potter film. But of course, it's only part one, so the filmmakers have some sizable shoes to fill if they're going to end the series on a high. Roll on July 15! I can't wait to see how it ends.
After the outstanding sixth instalment in one of the most successful film franchises of all time, part one of the two-part finale is an underwhelming and overlong drag. Director David Yates strips away at the sparkling panache he gave Order of the Phoenix and Half-Blood Prince and opts for a moody, gritty and, you guessed it, darker style. And fair enough, as this is only following the tone of the books, which undeniably grow darker as the story of 'the boy who lived' draws to a conclusion.
But if you start The Deathly Hallows Part 1 expecting a big fantasy epic you'll most probably be disappointed. With the adaptation of the book spread over approximately five hours (this instalment clocks in at 150 minutes), scriptwriter Steve Kloves for once doesn't have to rush the necessary talky explanatory scenes that have in the past muddled non-fans and enraged purists. So there are many extended periods of talking between Harry, Hermione and Ron - the trio whom we have spent nearly ten years watching and loving.
The Deathly Hallows is the only book in the series which does not have the usual Hogwarts academic-year structure. The film starts off, as usual, in the summer holiday following the previous school year. But there is something very different about the tone of the opening. Instead of the usual jolly Harry Potter theme (which still does subtly reoccur) we are greeted with a moody and menacing score. New composer Alexandre Desplat doesn't quite match the heights he reached with his Twilight: New Moon score last year, but he's certainly an inspired choice and serves up an aptly restrained and darkly melancholic new theme as we see our three main characters prepare for the troubling times ahead. Harry sends his Aunt and Uncle away to safety. Hermione erases her parents' memories and removes traces of her existence from the family photos. Ron stares sullenly into the distance from the doorway of his recently repaired house (it was blown up by Death Eaters in the last film). They all know that they will not be returning the Hogwarts. They will be tracking down the remaining Horcruxes - the multiple parts of Voldemort's soul that he scattered across the world. Destroying all of these is the only way the Dark Lord can be killed; or at least that's what the newly deceased Dumbledore claims.
But the change in structure, tone and pace results in a patchy collection of emotional scenes (mostly focusing on the strains on the trio's friendship as they travel across Britain) and typically excellent set pieces. Harry, Ron and Hermione are constantly under threat as they begin the first part of their treasure hunt for the missing Horcruxes, especially since the Ministry for Magic has been taken over by Voldemort's henchmen. These include the poisonous Professor Umbridge (marking the welcome return of Imelda Staunton), who oversees the rounding up of magic folk, subjecting them to a Nazi-esque regime where they have to prove a clear line of magical blood in their family or risk being labelled undesirable 'mudbloods'. It is this cruel discriminatory word which Hermione gets involuntarily tattooed onto her arm during a particularly nasty torture scene towards the end of the film. This is at the hands of Helena Bonham Carter's nightmare-inducing Bellatrix Lestrange; one of the most sadistic of Voldemort's followers.
The film's biggest problem can be found in the lead actors. Although they have improved immensely since 2001's first screen outing, Radcliffe, Grint and Watson don't have the acting ability to make the many talky scenes of very human emotion seem at all believable or compelling. It is very easy to care about the characters through fearing the baddies that surround them, but when they open their mouths and are allowed to really sink into their roles they somehow lose their credibility.
This makes for an occasionally mind-numbingly dull 150 minutes of cinema. Although the word 'cinema' is a little too grand for this offering, as The Deathly Hallows Part 1 feels at times more like a very long made-for-TV drama with some high production values. Kloves's script also sticks slavishly to the book (in my view probably the weakest novel in the series), although does allow some room for a rather touching moment between Harry and Hermione. Dispirited, tired and frightened, they try to rekindle some sense of joy by dancing to music on the radio. It's a scene that could have fallen flat on its face, but somehow it works and adds a more sensitive layer to an otherwise bland and drawn-out adventure story.
One can only hope that the final part, set to hit cinemas in the summer of 2011, will rekindle some of the magic and put this enormous beast of a franchise to bed. It's been a fun ride, but I fear weariness may be found more readily than thrills as the story of Mr Potter limps and stumbles to a close.
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Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows the seventh and final adventure in the Harry Potter film series is a much-anticipated motion picture event to be told in two full-length parts Part 1 begins as Harry Ron and Hermione set out on their perilous mission to track down and destroy the secret to Voldemort&39;s immortality and destruction-the Horcruxes On their own without the guidance of their professors or the protection of Professor Dumbledore the three friends must now rely on one another more than ever But there are Dark Forces in their midst that threaten to tear them apart Meanwhile the wizarding world has become a dangerous place for all enemies of the Dark Lord The long-feared war has begun and Voldemort&39;s Death Eaters seize control of the Ministry of Magic and even Hogwarts terrorizing and arresting anyone who might oppose them But the one prize they still seek is the one most valuable to Voldemort Harry Potter The Chosen One has become the hunted one as the Death Eaters search for Harry with orders to bring him to Voldemortalive Harry&39;s only hope is to find the Horcruxes before Voldemort finds him But as he searches for clues he uncovers an old and almost forgotten tale-the legend of the Deathly Hallows And if the legend turns out to be true it could give Voldemort the ultimate power he seeks Little does Harry know that his future has already been decided by his past when on that fateful day he became "the Boy Who Lived" No longer just a boy Harry Potter is drawing ever closer to the task for which he has been preparing since the day he first stepped into Hogwarts the ultimate battle with Voldemort Region 0 PiP - Maximum Movie Mode The Last Days of Privet Drive - Maximum Movie Mode Hagrid&39;s Motorbike - Maximum Movie Mode Death Eaters Attack Cafe - Maximum Movie Mode Creating Dobby and Kreacher - Maximum Movie Mode Magical Tents! - Maximum Movie Mode The Return of Griphook - Maximum Movie Mode The Seven Harry&39;s On the Green with Rupert Tom Oliver and James The Burrows Shed The Dursley House Dudley and Harry The Granger House Ministry of Magic Lifts Tent Rabbit chase in the Forest Montage Ron & Hermione skimming stones Godric&39;s HollowHarry Nagini Battle The Frozen Lake Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 Behind the Soundtrack The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Promotional Trailer Dan Rupert and Emma&39;s Running Competition Actors Daniel Radcliffe Ralph Fiennes Emma Watson Rupert Grint Helena Bonham Carter Alan Rickman Bill Nighy Tom Felton Maggie Smith Michael Gambon John Hurt Rhys Ifans Bonnie Wright Jason Isaacs Brendan Gleeson & Miranda Richardson Director David Yates Certificate 12 years and over Year 2010 Screen Widescreen 2401 Languages English - DTS-HD Master Audio (51) Additional Languages Spanish ; Czech ; English Audio Description Subtitles Icelandic ; Czech ; English for the hearing impaired ; Danish ; Finnish ; Norwegian ; Castilian Spanish ; Swedish ; Slovakian ; Arabic Duration 2 hours and 26 minutes (approx)
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