Harry Potter films have been with us for a decade now, and since Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was released in 2001, the movies have grown in sophistication while remaining fundamentally much the same. And although Dave Yates’ third bite of the Harry cherry is in many respects a superior film — and certainly a more complex one — compared to Chris Columbus’ effort (Sorcerer’s Stone), something of the magic has evaporated from the franchise. Perhaps Harry has outstayed his welcome with everyone but loyal fans of the books.
As the beginning of the end of the Harry Potter series, the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 might lay some claim to being an historic cinema event, but you would never have guessed that from the jejune mood of the crowd gathered for the press and industry preview in Ximending earlier this week. This was just another big budget release, and it wasn’t even in 3D.
The title alone, with its “part one” suffix, puts it on par with a television series and promises potential viewers they will be underwhelmed. After all, you already know, before stepping into the cinema, that there will be no denouement at the end of the film. At the press screening, the momentary appearance of James and Oliver Phelps (who play the Weasley twins, minor characters with only a couple of minutes screen time), raised a few half-hearted cheers.
Photos courtesy of Warner Bros
On the way out, this reviewer overheard more than one comment about how the film had failed to excite. People couldn’t understand what was going on. This is hardly surprising, for given the length of the later Harry Potter novels, it has been impossible for director Yates, who came in on the fifth movie, to incorporate the increasingly elaborate background that is required to make any real sense of J.K. Rowling’s novels.
Yates has proved the best of the directors to take on the Harry Potter challenge, though Alfonso Cuaron’s work on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was impressive. Although Yates has proven outstanding in grounding these fantasy films in contemporary issues, he has always erred on the side of faithfulness in following the novels. It is this loyalty to the original material that can disappoint.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is far from being the best of the Harry Potter novels, and even at their best the books fall well short of any claim to literary distinction. When considered in the narrow arena of teen fiction, Deathly Hallows still reads more like a scenario for a role-playing game than a novel.
Photos courtesy of Warner Bros
There are seven objects that Potter must destroy in order to overcome his nemesis, and one by one he needs to seek them out and find a way of dispatching them. These items are “Horcruxes” and I would challenge anyone not familiar with the books to understand what they are and their significance just by watching this film.
With the significance of the central objects of the movie so obscure, it is hard for their discovery and disposal to provide much in the way of dramatic tension. Indeed, Part 1 ends with three Horcruxes still to be destroyed. Staying tuned for Part 2 means hanging on for more Horcrux search-and-destroy episodes until this time next year. That’s a long wait for what will likely be a measly payoff.
To be fair, Deathly Hallows is a fine product for those who have followed the series, with outstanding performances by the central characters. We have watched Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Emma Watson (Hermione Granger) and Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) mature significantly as actors over the past decade.
Photos courtesy of Warner Bros
This film has left the cloistered world of Hogwarts behind and sees our three heroes out in the great yonder, on the brink of sexual awakening. Yates handles this aspect of the film particularly well, reflecting his enormous experience in TV drama. He treats sexual jealously and associated issues seriously, but also with a gentle knowing humor that gives this big film a few moments of real intimacy.
There is a touristic aspect to Deathly Hallows and the young protagonists run from their pursuers through some of the most scenic areas of British wilderness, where we can see Yates striving for the effects that generated such a huge response in Lord of the Rings. These rural settings are not Yates’ forte — he works much better in the domestic and political arena.
There is much to criticize in the overall realization of The Deathly Hallows Part 1, and much to praise in the details. The fine performances from Radcliffe and Watson, along with the film’s extraordinary ensemble cast of minor characters, are worth the price of admission. As a total cinematic experience, however, it does not really register. This is not much more than a visual, and somewhat superficial, representation of a mediocre book.
Photos courtesy of Warner Bros
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