Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

[Vanilla]

"The longer we stay here, the stronger he gets"

[Noctis]

One of the most personal and touching films I've seen.

The acting is absolutely spectacular in this movie. I'm so glad the trio stepped up their game because the movie would have collapsed had they not been up to the challenge. Emma was absolutely phenomenal; I was really impressed with her performance. Nuanced, poignant, and deeply affecting. She has come a very long way, and I'm grateful that she stepped up her game. Rupert was great. You could always tell in the past movies that he had potential, and it was certainly shown in this one. We get to see a very different side of Ron. Daniel gave a good performance, but he was the weakest of the three.

Sure enough, we get to the middle, which has been criticized by some. To me, a lot of the past movies in the series failed to capture a lot of the emotional resonance that were in the books. With Deathly Hallows 1, during the middle sequence, we are rewarded with some of the most beautiful, touching, and poignant moments in the series that define our heroes. Deathly Hallows 1, above all else, is a coming-of-age tale, as our heroes that we have come to know and love change and develop into adults. A magnificent and highly moving evolution that was, unfortunately, sometimes sorely missing in the previous outings. Deathly Hallows 1 proves why we fell in love with witches and wizards, and it's because they're just like us, dealing with the same internal conflicts we all have gone or are going through. It really struck a chord with me (and millions, I'm sure) because it painted a bleak portrait of how responsibility and adulthood is not what it's cracked up to be.

The cinematography (filmed by Eduardo Serra) is absolutely gorgeous and stunning to look at. I was in awe at the breathtaking beauty of England's countryside. Some shots were utterly inventive and were dazzling. The production design is absolutely staggering, and Alexandre Desplat's haunting score blends in with the movie perfectly ('Obliviate' is one of the best tracks in the series).

Yates and Kloves captured the essence of Rowling's very dark story with grace and potency, creating a movie that is extremely faithful to the source material both thematically and in content. This is by far the most satisfying movie in the series, and easily the most mature. I personally cannot see how any fan could be disappointed in it.

A+

Edited May 6, 2012 by Noctis

[AniNate]

I wish I could review this without having Part 2 in the back of my mind, as I was just totally excited for it to come out after seeing this. I was really impressed that Yates found a way to make an hour of camping not boring in the slightest, and the script was as lively as it could possibly be under the grim situation the characters were in.

In hindsight I kind of wish they had found a different director for Part 2, because Yates is really more in his wheelhouse with dialogue-driven films like this than with the epic action sequences that I really wanted to see in Part 2 and didn't get.

A+

[Noctis]

I wish I could review this without having Part 2 in the back of my mind, as I was just totally excited for it to come out after seeing this. I was really impressed that Yates found a way to make an hour of camping not boring in the slightest, and the script was as lively as it could possibly be under the grim situation the characters were in.

In hindsight I kind of wish they had found a different director for Part 2, because Yates is really more in his wheelhouse with dialogue-driven films like this than with the epic action sequences that I really wanted to see in Part 2 and didn't get.

A+

I agree that Yates' direction was much more suited for DH1.

[Noctis]

You haven't even seen the movie.

[Heretic]

The best Potter movie, without a doubt.

[Water Bottle]

The first film in a long while that managed to capture the magic of the first two films, while at the same time setting up an excellent conclusion.

B+

[Noctis]

Who the fuck gave this an F? What on earth?

[CJohn]

The first part of a masterpiece.

[RichWS]

I gave it a C+. It hits some nice moments and it's atmospheric enough, but it doesn't stand as its own film. It spins the wheels and gives us no payoff, with the second act being painfully slow. Ultimately, I don't want half a film.

[Noctis]

I gave it a C+. It hits some nice moments and it's atmospheric enough, but it doesn't stand as its own film. It spins the wheels and gives us no payoff, with the second act being painfully slow. Ultimately, I don't want half a film.

Shameful! The second act is incredible.

[Heretic]

Why has this got 3 F's? HATERS.

[Warhorse]

I gave it a B, it was a bit overdrawn with the whole moping Hermione bit, but once that got out of the way, it picked up. But, I just can't help but feel that these last two movies would have been better in a better director's hands.

[Travod]

Seeing it after DH2... It sucks in comparison. Way down my list.

[Gopher]

The best single film to come out of the Potter canon. Some scenes here were so hauntingly beautiful.

[CoolioD1]

I'm down with counting Deathly Hallows as a single film from now on... But it's definitely true that the first half is superior to the second.

[The Creator]

This is hands down the greatest film in the series. It's a spectacle on more than just a technical, visual, artistic, or cinematographic level; it's wonderful in terms of acting and storytelling. Some have criticized it for excessively dragging in the camping sequences, but I refute these claims. The story is more perfectly paced than any Harry Potter film, and each moment offers some new and intriguing development to the character(s) or to the plot itself. It features the strongest acting in the series, with an amazing ensemble of performances from actors who have finally stepped into their characters and gotten a feel of them. Emma Watson is the stand-out of the film, and that is saying something. Watson, who has been a critical part of the series since Sorcerer's Stone, finally radiates as Hermione Granger; she leads the main trio with her intellect and emotion. Radcliffe shows he has gotten a firmer understanding of portraying the titular character, although he is often dwarfed by Watson and other cast members. However, he certainly shows more promise here than at any time in the series before this movie. Even Grint shines at times, especially as we witness him deteriorating in light (or lack there of) of the locket's evil grip.

Among the supporting cast, stand-outs abound all around. Rickman and Fiennes, the series finest actors, receive mere cameo performances, and yet they're powerful in their own rights. Bonham Carter is as wicked as ever as the vicious Bellatrix. And kudos to the actor (whose name elludes me) who played Xenophilius Lovegood; he really captured the character beautifully and poetically.

Aside from acting, and awesome directing on the behalf of David Yates, who finally proves he can make a Potter film terrific, the film also boasts beautiful cinematography and art direction, with dazzling set pieces and settings, and effects that inspire awe for their sheer magnificence and breathtaking clarity. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I features some of the most beautiful effects the series, or any movie for that matter, has ever produced.

And to top it off, the movie boasts terrific scenes, some gutwrenching emotional moments of purely divine characterization. My favorite, and one of the two greatest scenes in the series, is the unexpected Harry and Hermione dance following Ron's departure. "O' Children" is a terrifically poignant song, so fitting for the series as a whole, that its use in the scene makes it a memorable and mesmerizing scene. The Tale of the Three Brothers animation skit is excellently executed as one of the greatest and most unique scenes in the series. Of course, Godric's Hollow is absolutely touching, and the Ministry of Magic infiltration is exciting. The film features some of the best humor in the series as well, but it is the dramatic and emotional moments that strike home. It's a powerful and dark portrayal of the Harry Potter universe, one unlike any of the films before it.

A+ (Best in the series)

[Dementeleus]

B / B-

[Totem]

A+ One of the best of the year

[Heretic]

Just watched this on TV. It easily places in my top 10 films of all time. There's just something about it that gives me a feeling no other film in existence does.It's incredible. Sorry, but DH2 doesn't come close.