Movie Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

This film had a lot to live up to – and succeeded (to an extent). I had read some lukewarm reviews before seeing it, and was disappointed. This was especially off-putting considering the trailer practically had me salivating and I’m not even one of those extreme, diehard types.

This was by far the scariest film so far. The scene with Bathilda Bagshot, the Death Eaters’ gathering at the very start with ‘special guest’ Charity Burbage, Ron’s splinched arm… I’m not quite sure it was appropriate for the littler HP fans. That being said, I think the more gruesome bits added a bit of depth and realism – staying true to the darkness of the 7^th book. What I did find interesting was how the film-makers interpreted the Tale of the Three Brothers. The shadow puppety thing going on imaginative and quite cool.

In hindsight, I made the mistake of reading the 7^th book a few days before I saw the film. I thought it would help jog my memory, but all it succeeded in doing was making me more aware of all the parts in the book that they cut out. Not a good thing having my subconscious screaming at me for 2.5 hours - ie. Wormtail’s non-death. I was also acutely aware of the parts that the filmmakers had added in, like the scene with Harry and Hermoine and the radio in the tent after Ron leaves. (Though I thought that was quite sweet and touching, and added a bit more to Harry's character than just brooding and painful scars... literally and figuratively). The film was also a bit sexier with the raunchy scene with Ginny asking Harry to 'zip her up' and Ron and Hermoine at the piano in 12 Grimmauld Place. But the filmmakers milked every drop of sadness out of Dobby’s death. I thought Dobby’s extra lines at the end when he confronted Bellatrix/Narcissa were a bit overkill, but I guess a lot of people would have considered that the most emotional event of the whole book.

Sexy.

One thing which did bother me was Rhys Ifans who played Xenophilius Lovegood. I had a very clear picture of him in my mind whilst reading the book, and Ifans did not look at all like what I expected. This was slightly off-putting for me, and I guess it highlights a problem with film adaptations of books – readers will have their own version of how the scenes should be played out visually. (Same thing goes for Mundungus Fletcher)

Rhys Ifans... not the Xenophilius I was expecting.

I guess if you judge this film as a self-contained entity, it kinda sucks. There is no time for lengthy explanations as to why – everything just happens. The plotline isn’t always coherent (especially to those who have forgotten what happens in the book) and I didn’t feel any sense of natural flow. But if you see it for its purpose – as a time-filler between the 6^th film and the last installation – it’s quite good. The film is true to the book, appropriately dark and dramatic and well-acted.

Edward Darcy gives it a 7. I’d give it a 7.84 out of 10. (A bit arbitrary I know, but 7 is not enough, 8 is too much, 7.5 is slightly not enough… hence the 7.84)

~ Hurley Who?