The end is neigh. This is Lost all over again man...
If the first two Harry Potters were the series' blockbuster and Prisoner of Azkaban was the art piece, Deathly Hallows Part 1 is the character study of the Harry Potter films. I wouldn't say this was the best Harry Potter film because I still feel Goblet of Fire is tops but Deathly Hallows Part 1 has certainly amped the artistry of British filmmaking and thespians to a whole new high. Burn Twilight! Burnwith my Inflamari charm!
So for those who are retarded, this is only the first half to J.K Rowling's finale book Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows with the concluding second part to premiere next year. This film is all on Harry, Ron and Hermione and one long ass camping trip. We follow the three as they go on a perilous journey to find and discover the remaining Horcruxes which houses Lord Voldemort's souls and in doing so makes him mortal again.
Now in the book, this portion of the movie only takes up the first 200 pages of the 800. Part 1 can't help but be the prelude to the big finale it is but David Yates and the cast has done an absolutely phenomenal job of stretching those 200 pages into a spectacular 3 hour film of heavy drama performances.
Part 1 squeezes in the final character developments, ties up continuity plot lines and brings audiences on one final nostalgic trip down the series to show how far the three main characters have come before pulling out all the stops in the final film. I feel Part 1 out of any of the previous films has given Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint the chance to prove their worth as actors. The three of them carry this film. We literally have 1 hour 30 minutes of just the three of them talking to each other in the woods. And it is so compelling, so well written and performed beautifully by the three.
We have Harry Potter, a boy who has tremendous weight of responsibility and the burden of blame for the people who have died in his cause. Ron Weasley, the guy who will always be known as Harry Potter's sidekick, living in his shadow, destined to be second to the Boy Who Lived. And Hermione Granger, the strong female who seals the bond and keeps them together albeit the prejudice of her being a Muggle born. All these and so many other elements brought out and developed in full dramatic force for the pleasure of the audience. The drama that Part 1 has is unbelievably intense. If I didn't know any better, I would say this would be the series' best chance of being nominated for an Oscar in writing or acting.
And the cinematography is really breathtaking. I mean gorgeous! A visual opus of real, no green-screened or special effected British mountain sides and plains. I love the idea of them shooting everything on locations instead of doing everything against a green screen like them cheap Americans because it does translate that reality to the screen with better performances and visuals.
My only problem is that beneath the fantastic performances and visual effects, Part 1 really doesn't have a strong narrative. Mostly due to the fact that this is merely the first 30% of the book, the film is anticlimactic and does drag after awhile. It's like that build up episode to a series finale on television where the audience is hoping for something to happen and right where things get good, the screen goes black and the words say "to be continued" well that's exactly how Part 1 was and it may put some people off about the film.
But I think it has done swimmingly as the build up to the epic final I know awaits the world in July. I await that moment with baited breath..... cause I'm jacking off to a picture of Emma Watson. So so so HOT!
RATING: 8/10
