HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS Part I movie review by Gary Murray (with Mark Walters weighing in)

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS Part I movie review by Gary Murray (with Mark Walters weighing in)

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Review by Gary Dean Murray (with Mark Walters weighing in)

It seems that we have been in the world of Harry Potter for decades. The continuing story of the boy wizard and his epic battle between “he who must not be named” has been going on for quite a while. While I can appreciate the unusual directors who have taken the helm of the franchise, my favorite director of the series was Chris Columbus, the man behind the first two adventures. His vision was just a bit more magical. As the adventures have gone along, they have become much more serious. The last one has been set up in two parts and is entitled Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I.

Mark: I also enjoyed Chris Columbus on these films, as he brought a more Steven Spielberg-ish quality to the presentation, which is ultimately what Harry Potter needs to work as a series of films.  I’ve gone on record as saying I heavily disliked the third film, primarily because it is so strange and unlike any of the others.  I will say David Yates (the current director) has managed to resurrect some of the more likable qualities the series started out with.

The story picks up not too far from the last adventure. There is an upcoming war and our three heroes, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermonie (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grunt) are preparing. In a touching scene, Hermonie erases herself from the memories of her parents, hoping to shield them. The rest of the wizards and witches are in protection mode, shielding Harry from the evil Voldemort. With the death of Dumbledore, Voldemort has all the pieces he needs to ascend to power, gaining total control over the Ministry of Magic.

After a daring escape scene where there are a multitude of Harry Potters, it is learned what they must do. There are magic charms called Horcruxes that are the key to Voldemort’s power. Our trio must find them and destroy them using the Sword of Godric Gryffindor. The problem is that no one knows the the location of the objects. Dumbledore has left Ron, Hermonie and Harry items from his will – items that are clues to finding all the missing pieces. Before one can say ‘road trip’, our young adventurers are on a quest.

The path leads them to the Ministry of Magic where they infiltrate using a potion. It becomes a tale of daring-do being in the newly enemy camp. We also get battles with other wizards and the giant snake of Voldemort. Of course there are also the teenage difficulties between friends and lovers, with complications and resolutions between our three leads. This part of the film feels more like a wizardly Twilight. The exercise climaxes with a cliffhanger, letting the audience be filled with anticipation for Deathly Hallows II due next summer.

To be honest, I hate films where one knows going in the theater that the entire film experience will not be shown. Back to the Future Part II and The Empire Strikes Back are two most notable examples. I understand that the makers of this work knew that there would have to be major cuts in order to make one movie from Deathly Hallows but it still feels like an unfulfilled experience.

Mark: Hmmm… to me it felt more like what it was supposed to be, part one of a two-part finale.  Granted, it’s VERY anti-climatic, but I guess this time more than normal I was prepared for that aspect.

The bigger problem with Deathly Hallows is that it is deathly slow. There are some long passages where very little happens. On the building of the relationships between Harry and Hermonie, the film loses its sense of urgency. In the two plus hours it takes to unspool, there is little feeling about the impending doom fated for both mankind and the half-blood wizards. By the unwilling nature to cut out parts that slow the action, the pace of the entire film is choppy at best.

Mark: Here is where Gary and I really start to differ.  I personally hated the last film because of its slow and boring pacing, though Gary seemed to think the last film was great.  This new installment to me felt like an improvement, yet still lacking very much action.  There are definitely long stretches of relationship stuff, which I guess is a necessary evil at this point.  With the final moments on the horizon, there’s still a lot to be said between the leads.  My biggest complaint with this outing was the lack of screentime for some of those wonderful supporting characters, like Draco (Tom Felton is great when he’s used) and Neville Longbottom (Matthew Lewis gets one line and about 4 seconds of screentime).

The performances in Deathly Hallows make up for the pace issues. Our three leads have been doing this for years and know their characters. One has to wonder if they will have much success in their post-Harry Potter careers. The transition from child actor to adult actor is an uphill battle with a ton of luggage. If they can divorce themselves from these roles and create new screen personas, they might make it.

Mark: I will admit, the main three are pretty exceptional here.  Emma Watson gets some fantastic moments, and it’s easy to see she’s got a long career ahead of her… if she wants it.

The adult actors are given little to do here. Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane and Alan Rickman all have parts that are almost cameos. While they all get a line here and there, their use in Deathly Hallows is almost for naught. Of the newer characters Rhys Ifans stands out as Xeonphilius Lovegood. He plays the scatterbrained wizard with a solid freshness that the movie needs to keep the pace going.

Mark: Again, one of my biggest complaints is the lack of proper use for the fantastic supporting characters.  These movies do such a great job of creating these memorable and fun roles, then never fully utilizing them, since they focus so strongly on the main three.  It is perhaps the biggest fail point of the series.

Ralph Fiennes just oozes blackness as Voldemort. This is a seriously evil person and he captures every wicked element needed for the part. One believes that this truly nasty demon could exist. Knowing that a battle between him and our young hero has been seven episodes in the making and the final battle promises to just be the climax one imagines.

Mark: He is pretty terrific, but here he’s shown mostly in quick cuts, and I miss the one-on-one tension between him and Harry, which I’m sure we’ll get loads of in the final film.

The special effects are all top rate, from the explosions to the flying death eaters. The world of Harry Potter that was started by Chris Columbus stays much the same, but it has grown darker with every chapter. With all the scares and deadly deeds, this episode is definitely not a kiddie flick.

Mark: On that we agree, but I like that the films seem to be maturing alongside their audiences.  There’s definitely some dark moments here that are rather intense, and one sexual innuendo that kind of surprised me.  I realize in the context its in it is supposed to be disturbing, but it almost seemed a bit much for these characters.

Director David Yates tried to keep the film afloat while being anchored down by the Steve Kloves screenplay. While the mixture of action and drama comes across as too lopsided, the promise of an epic ending shines in every scene.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I is a film made for the fans and not the casual movie fan. Those who haven’t seen the other movies or read the books will definitely be confused. If you haven’t seen the other works, it is best to go an catch-up on all the films before attempting this outing. But for those who know Dobby from Dumbledore, this will be a magical appetizer to the final course due in six months.

Mark: Personally, I liked this one but didn’t love it.  I still say it’s an improvement over the last outing, at least in terms of being more entertaining.  To judge a Harry Potter movie is not an easy task, once you take the rich tapestry already woven into consideration.  I found myself leaving this film feeling I needed to go back and re-watch them all before I could truly decide how I felt about any of them.  Maybe the real magic of these movies is the audience and fan dedication, which goes beyond just about anything I’ve ever seen in my life… except maybe Star Wars.

Just for fun, HERE is Gary and I disagreeing on the last Harry Potter outing, HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE… on the “old” Bigfanboy.com too.

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About the Author

Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff.