Slicing the final installment of the Harry Potter saga rings pretty hollow. In the ranks of Harry Potter fans there are varying opinions on what should have made it into the previous films, what they’re upset about seeing changed or abridged, and even which films do the best job of bringing the books to life. Most fans though are in agreement about wanting to see as faithful an adaptation of the books as possible, and so it seems odd that suddenly Warner Brothers wants to split a book in half to bring us a final chapter that’s somehow more complete. So why didn’t they do this with all the films from the start? It might be because while there’s more in those books than could ever fit into one film, there’s not quite enough to split into two.
Reeling from the death of Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry and the rest of the well-intentioned wizards left in the world are scrambling to deal with Voldemort’s mounting influence in the world. For Harry, moving from one place to another is a harrowing task and all of his focus is increasingly devoted to finding and destroying the horcruxes that will finally spell the end of Voldemort. After a disastrous wedding, Harry, Hermione, and Ron hit the road (by teleporting, naturally), jumping from one secluded location to another tracking down the horcruxes and the sword that can destroy them (courtesy of a little basilisk infusion – also good in coffee). Half-time arrives after a thrilling escape from Bellatrix Lestrange and the Malfoys, with the trio’s strength of will refueled and Voldemort in possession of a new weapon.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 doesn’t suffer in direction and acting like the first two Chris Columbus-helmed entries, but there is a noticeable issue with pacing. As much as the necessity exists to let the final resting place of the Harry-Hermione-Ron come to be, and as much as those sequences in the tent build up a sense of desperation, the fact remains that the sequences go a bit overboard with teenage angst and simmering conflict. They make it very clear that the horcrux they carry with them for the first half of the film (because they don’t have the capability to destroy it – yet) has a negative effect on the mood and mindset of whoever’s wearing it, but in doing so they regress the trio’s relationship back to the earlier tiresome days of a moping Ron, an exasperated Hermione, and a monotone Harry. The series grew out of that formula by the fourth film (though Azkaban benefitted from it, being as moody as it was), but the camping sequences of Deathly Hallows feel compelled to revisit them. It’s unfortunate and only makes the pacing of these scenes more irritating. Luckily, this isn’t all that the Deathly Hallows is, so there’s more positive to say about the film than negative.
By the fifth Potter film, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson had matured into incredibly capable actors (for their age) who could finally provide balance to the incredible supporting cast of European all-stars like Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman, Bill Nighy, Ralph Fiennes, Gary Oldman, Jim Broadbent, and Maggie Smith. Radcliffe, Grint, and Watson have to carry the majority of Deathly Hallows, and save for a few scenes where the dialogue gets a little soapy and a few stumbles in delivery, they pull it off terrifically. In fact, the weakest player this time around is Helena Bonham Carter, as the final act’s big villain. Yeah, she’s kooky and seems to have fun with the part, but the whole final piece feels half-baked and it makes the film’s “to be continued” ending that much harder to digest. It’s a natural problem to have when you split a story that was never meant to be split, but I suppose it’s as good a spot as any. It just feels awkward, like an abrupt stop in a sentence.
Deathly Hallows has plenty of special effects moments that look spectacular in HD, and even when there’s not a huge action sequence in play, the film’s reliance on the party’s trek means there are lots of sweeping landscape shots that have their own beauty. Director David Yates continues to create visually and aurally stimulating versions of the Harry Potter on the screen, and Deathly Hallows is definitely worth watching in HD.
Blu-ray Bonus Features
Assuming you’re watching the film on Blu-ray and not the DVD or digital copy included with it, you can take advantage of the enhanced commentary that features different members of the cast and crew talking about the creation of the film. It’s a picture-in-picture commentary and it’s one of the best parts of purchasing a film on Blu-ray. It’s easily worth the watch and ranks as the best extra on disc. Coming in at a close tie for second are the amusing round of golf filmed between Tom Felton, Grint, and the Weasley twins (James Phelps and Oliver Phelps) as they discuss having spent the last decade together and the friendship that’s formed out of it and the look at Radcliffe’s septuplet special effects scene (from the opening of the film). Rounding out the set is a fun little extra about a competition between the three leads and a look at the film’s soundtrack.
It’s definitely worth a purchase for those who enjoyed the film but don’t consider themselves Harry Potter fanatics, because for the latter group we all know the Ultimate Edition (or even the huge boxset that will surely include all 8 films) is worth waiting for.
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1" is on sale April 15, 2011 and is rated PG13. Adventure, Drama, Fantasy. Directed by David Yates. Written by J.K. Rowling (novel), Steve Kloves (screenplay). Starring Bill Nighy, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes, Rupert Grint.
