Movie Info
Movie Name: Harry Potter and the Deathly—Hallows Part 1
Studio: Heyday Films
Genre(s): Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Action/Adventure
Release Date(s): November 18, 2010
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Wait…after this movie and the next movie we’re all going ot have to find new jobs?
Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) is dead…Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) is now rising to power…and Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint), and Hermione (Emma Watson) are on the run. They need to find a way to kill Voldemort and the Horcruxes could be the key. As the search continues, Harry and his friends realize there is something else at play. A mysterious symbol begins to show up…what does it mean and could it be key to defeating Voldemort?
Directed by David Yates, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 is the first of the two part adaption of J. K. Rowling’s final novel in the Harry Potter saga. Following Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and like every Harry Potter movie, it opened to record breaking numbers and proceeded to rule at the box office. The film received Oscar nominations for Best Art Direction and Best Visual Effects.
Harry Potter, you complete me!
The movie changes everything about Harry Potter. There is no Hogwarts, there are no classes, and there is no Quidditch. Most of the movie is spent with Ron, Harry, and Hermione wandering around, and sitting around on the tale of the elusive Horcruxes. Smartly, the movie brings back a lot of old characters for the film and is a real throwback to the other films.
The problems with this film is the same problem with the book. By breaking her format, J. K. Rowling changed expectations of the movie. It isn’t a “Harry Potter” movie…there are just Harry Potter characters in it. The plot also leads to way too much sitting around. Harry, Ron, and Hermione just sitting in the woods. The movie does do a better job keeping it moving, but still it is sometimes dull.
Seems like everyone wants a piece of Harry Potter nowadays!
The other problem is that J. K. Rowling can’t kill anyone. ****Spoiler Alert**** In this movie (and in the book), Hedwig, Mad Eye, and Dobby are killed. It is a bit of a bummer about Hedwig, but Mad Eye’s off camera death is pretty pointless and emotionless. The only death in the whole series that Rowling gets right is the most annoying character Dobby (even Dumbledore’s death is pretty weak). It actually is kind of sad and has some emotion.
The movie has some good scenes but the best design has to be in the telling of the Deathly Hallows story. It is read from The Beetle and the Bard by Hermione and features some slick animation that really is interesting. With the release of a book version of The Beetle and the Bard I’d love to see the other stories put to art like this.
The Deathly Hallows is a so-so film. It isn’t my favorite in the series but it is a good lead up to the final part. Like many of the Harry Potters, it looks great and has nice directing…it is too bad however that it isn’t back up with a great story. Smartly, Part 1 and Part 2 were film in unison and the fans weren’t forced to wait for ages for a conclusion. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows–Part 1 was followed by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows—Part 2 in 2011.
Related Links:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
