These Are Dark Times, There Is No Denying. The time has come to fight and Voldemort is stronger than ever before. With Dumbledore gone and a bounty on his head, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) has no choice but to venture out into the unknown with his friends Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) to find all of Voldemort's Horcruxes in order to destroy him.
I and a bunch of my friends went to see the new Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows film on Friday 19th November! (THE DAY IT CAME OUT!) I still can't believe there were only about 20 people (14 if you exclude my party of people) on the day that the final Harry Potter movie came out! Haa! That would be a kick in the crotch for David Yates if he knew about that! However, I can only assume that it was empty because it was a Friday at 12.30 and most people are usually at work or in school, and yet, WE had an in-service day? Odd. Our head teacher must obviously LOVE Harry Potter and assumed that we would ALL see it! :L
Anyway, the film, on the whole, was brilliant! No other words could describe it... well, maybe apart from these:
The acting was not consistent all the way through, for about 20-30 minutes all they did was walk around, camp in different places and hide (which was good in the book, but dragging in the film) and the 3 deaths within the 1st part of this final "epic" journey were disappointing to say the least.
(SPOILERS for the deaths are at the end)
It seems that David Yates believes that 'staying true to the books' means using most of the dialogue from the book and then making the actors say it at 1000 MPH, and then go onto another location.
But it's not ALL doom and gloom. The film has it's 'up' sides as well. After Ron (Grint) leaves, (for reasons explained in the book- and shouted in the film) Harry (Radcliffe) and Hermione (Watson) to find the Horcruxes by themselves, Harry then tries to cheer Hermione up by dancing with her in the tent. As stupid as this sounds, it was quite fun to watch. But not as fun as watching them getting off BIG TIME in the 'dream scene' when Ron tries to destroy the Horcrux and it shows him his greatest fears. THAT was awesome! I think I speak for ALL men when i say.... "I’m soo jealous!" :L
Where do we start with the baddies? Voldemort is as camp as Christmas these days and with his opening line being "Serverus! I saved you a seat." was only implying it even more. Bellatrix LeStrange's bloodthirstiness grows stronger throughout the series, but going from killing her Cousin in her first appearance, to only scratching an elf's face in her most recent one, really leaves the fans wondering and preying that Part Two will make up for this.
Now onto the Dursleys! Who doesn’t love the Dursleys? Especially when in the second chapter in the book, they show their true colours and feelings towards Harry. However in the film, they barely get a 20 second shot of them packing a car and then speeding off into the distance. Do the film makers REALLY think this is how we want to remember them? With only more untied ends to the story? Another disappointment for this long awaited film.
On the plus side of things, our favorite little house elf makes his promised return in the Deathly Hallows, with a completely new look. Now I’m not talking cool shades and a leather jacket, I’m talking CGI here! The actual Computer Generated Image of Dobby the House Elf has changed. But you don't have to take my word for it, judge for yourselves..........
The main problem i found with this film is that it wasn't as suspenseful as I had hoped. It didn't put you on the edge of your seat and it didn't make you ask yourself "how are they going to get out of THIS?!" Now, I don't know if that is because this is the only Harry Potter book I had time to read before the film came out, or if it just lost it's way in the action scenes?
Anyway, unless you do want to read the spoilers underneath, I must bring this to a conclusion and some up the film. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows... best Harry Potter film? No! Would I recommend it? Yes! Will Part 2 be better? We can only hope!
And Now For The SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Mad-Eye's death was only mentioned briefly at the burrow by one of the Weasley brothers and after a small moment of silence, everyone seemed to forget about it and then focused on something else..... And he was NEVER mentioned again throughout the ENTIRE film!
Hedwig's death was short and quite obviously a cuddly owl toy! Although she has a great build up to her death, by trying to save Harry and Hagrid from a Death Eater during the chase scene to get to the Burrow, and after a heroic attempt to shield off the Death Eater.... AVADA KEDAVRA! Green light. Toy White Owl falls off the green screen. (sorry to ruin the magic for anyone there, but it is ONLY a green screen-scene)
And the most "upsetting" death in Part 1, was probably the biggest disappoint since AVATAR! Dobby The House Elf's greatest moment in the Harry Potter Series was ruined by the after math of the group's escape from Malfoy Manor. After a great comeback and putdown for Bellatrix LeStrange (from Dobby) the proud house elf friend of "Mr Harry Potter" then apparates to Shell Cottage, taking Harry, Ron, Hermione and Griphook the goblin with him..... And a knife.
In the next scene, we watch as Harry looks around aimlessly and then finally sets his eyes on Hermione and Ron who are in each others arms and are looking behind Harry. Dobby is stood on the tide line at shell cottage, clutching at his chest and gasping. He then falls in Harry’s arms. It all sounds very touching I’m sure, but as far as the movie industry goes, it just seemed like an excuse for the special effects people to show off and be able to say "Look! We made this elf cry!" which is not really the point... is it?
This is the end of my Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows review. Thank you all for reading! :)
