| 'HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS' Part One - review! |
| Written by Amy Donohue |
| Wednesday, 17 November 2010 15:56 |
 Ah, even more so than chatter-rings and roll-ups and Tamagotchis, Harry Potter signifies childhood whimsy. Perhaps, in my case, it represents more a refusal to leave childhood behind. Whatever it means - and however a psychologist could read it - 'HARRY POTTER & THE DEATHLY HALLOWS' Part One is here. And it is exciting! Since the book itself is full to the brim with magic, the first installment is the first half of the action. Although, it seemed that this first part covered an awful lot of the book - 25 out of 35 chapters (plus an epilogue). It certainly moves quickly and those of you who haven’t yet read the book might struggle to keep up. There isn’t a lot of time to develop the exploration of Dumbledore’s conflicted background, which in the book encapsulates Harry’s frustration with his deceased headmaster well. Instead Dumbledore’s childhood issues are only briefly covered, with more confusion directed at him from Harry for his lack of instruction. There also isn’t a lot of time for shots of Snape looking dark and tortured, much to my fangirl chagrin. Don’t let this stop you though! The film is beautiful and wonderful and lived up to my high-as-a-Quidditch-hoop expectations.  Quick plot catch-up: Harry, Ron and Hermione are on a totally intense mission to find the remaining Horcruxes after the demise of Dumbledore at major-hunk Snape’s hands (or, uh, wand). Horcruxes are objects which house a portion of someone’s soul in order to allow them to achieve immortality. As Voldemort is greedy, he has created SIX horcruxes which must be destroyed before the trio has a chance of defeating Voldemort... and Dumbledore barely gave Harry any clues as to how to find or destroy the Horcruxes! Cue feelings of frustration and angst! Yet we all know that Dumbledore is the very definition of wise and Harry is The Chosen One, therefore our brave trio will find a way! On a wanky cinematic level, the film is delightful, but bleak to watch. The scenes are thoughtfully framed, showcasing the vast and desolate countryside as a totally subtle metaphor for how alone the trio is. The fairytale of the Deathly Hallows is shown in a slightly dizzying, somewhat Tim Burton-esque marionette segue which made me forget I was watching Harry Potter. For anyone who has ever wished that they were a wizard after reading the books - and don’t pretend you haven’t thought even a little bit about which house the Sorting Hat would put you in! - this installment will make you yearn for a magic-filled life even more. The sets are epic and intense and even when they’re dark and creepy, you’ll wish you were there.  Perhaps the nicest surprise of all though - all three lead actors really have evolved. Daniel Radcliffe (Harry) and Rupert Grint (Ron) still have moments of jarring terribleness. Grint still seems confused at times as to what he is doing on a film-set. This might actually lend itself to his character though - Ron is, at times, reluctant to help Harry on his quest. And Hermione! Oh sweet Hermione! Emma Watson brings dignity and charm to the character, particularly at the start as she leaves her parents. If the inner child in me wants to be a witch and go to Hogwarts, she also wants to be BFF4L with Hermione. As the film relies on the trio much more heavily than in the previous films, this improvement really helps to carry the film. More so, the genuine affection the actors seem to have for each other really anchors the film. Whilst I’ve heard some people argue that the Harry Potter franchise is so good because of its insistence that good will eventually defeat evil, I would argue that it is instead the against all odds camaraderie of the three leads that really connects with audiences. There is a beautiful moment between Harry and Hermione in a moment of particular despair which made my heart platonically flutter. Lovely. And Ron and Hermione’s romance? Full-on adorable. Ron’s lingering stares will make you slightly weak at the knees.  Deathly Hallows is also the sort of film you should take LOTS of tissues to. From the start, all the way till the end credits, I was on the verge of tears. As it’s the first half of the last book, there isn’t an awful lot of resolution. Instead, just like the cinematography, it’s bleak and dark but absolutely enchanting. I tried telling myself Dobby was just some fancy-schmancy CGI technology and not a living creature in his shining moment, yet I bawled like a baby. For those of you who have read the book, the film itself does the emotional weight of it justice. Naturally, there are some adjustments to the book. If you have read the book in preparation for the film’s release (or if you’re cool like me and have listened to the audio book) then you can’t help but pick up on the inconsistencies. However, these don’t detract from the film. I wouldn’t go as far as to say it stands alone from the book successfully - yet it does add some heartwarming lines and moments to the existing material which I felt added to the story. Harry’s line when they arrive in Godric’s Hollow is an inspired addition - listen out for it. All in all, 'Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows' is an emotionally-charged and absolutely wonderful first installment. More than anything, it will make you desperate for the second part. Whilst splitting the book across two films allows them to do the plot justice, July 2011 seems so far away for the last half!  |
