Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1
The seventh (or seventh and a half, or 7/2, or whatever) iteration of the Potter series is what it is. It’s a first half. It’s a film that simply exists for its cash value, masquerading as a more accurate interpretation of the novel than would be a single two and a half hour movie. Speaking of the length: two and a half hours. It felt like four. Maybe because it was 2:30 in the morning by the time it ended, but generally speaking a good movie is supposed to feel less lengthy than it is, and you shouldn’t take your eyes off the screen to stare at the floor after the 3rd false ending and wonder when the heck this movie is going to end so I can go wait in line and stay up all night at REI for a slight chance at getting a $100 gift card and end up with a lousy $5 and a water bottle.. Whoa, there. Let’s get to the real criticisms.
Oh, and for those in time sensitive situations or if you just hate reading, skip to the bottom for the Mountain Dew Quick-Review.
Disclaimer: I have not and do not plan to read any of the Potter books, aside from one which I told a friend I would read. I have not done so as of yet. I tried my darndest to read the first one but the first several chapters were so mind-numbingly boring with exposition that I could not bring myself to continue. Also, I wouldn’t have struggled to read that kind of popcorn in kindergarten. Its simplicity of diction and sentence structure made it actually hard to read. And I’m nowhere close to any kind of literature snob. I am, however, somewhat of an elitist when it comes to film. Hence the review. I realize some of my criticisms will unknowingly be of the book and that the filmmakers are not at fault, but I will try to avoid plot critique as much as possible. But you knew that within the first paragraph, didn’t you? And yet you read on.
Oh, and spoilers = barely, but yes.
Back on track. I’ve been a fan of all the Potter films so far but this latest from David Yates, who directed a few others, I believe, felt forced. The whole “dark-while-remaining-charming” thing really just doesn’t work. From the dark, moody color grading to the wobbly cinematography to the random noises all the time, the movie tried to hard to be dark and serious by such cookie-cutter means and, couldn’t quite achieve a level of authenticity that other darkest-before-dawn type movies have. Yes, I said “dark” a lot in this paragraph.
The movie kind of just yanks you into itself from the beginning, which had a peculiar (perhaps good for some) effect - I felt like I missed a movie in between or something. It rushes a lot of seemingly really important stuff in a quick montage in the beginning: Hermoine erasing her parents memory, the whole dead Dumbeldore thing that just happened, that kind of stuff. Relationships that barely, if at all, existed in the previous movie, introduction of several characters that seemed like they would have significance but definitely did not, and random flashes of scenes that I couldn’t quite get a grasp of before they disappeared from the screen all pulled you into a whirlwind of nonsense and bad exposition that left you trying to figure things out rather than be actually enjoying the movie.
Most of the film felt like it didn’t belong. From the weird, awkward Harry-Hermoine dance scene (and that music? What?) to the Ron-Harry quarrel - a lot of it was unnecessary and the movie could have done without it. The Ron/Hermoine/Harry love triangle seemed to be over with a few films ago but was resurrected to serve as a main conflict in the film, which I hope wasn’t emphasized so much in the book, because that would just be bad writing. Anyway, I wanted to see less drama and more good vs. evil, but I suppose that’s for the next film, the real one.
My biggest beef: the camera. It looked like Paul Greengrass and the Cloverfield monster had a baby with Parkinson’s and they made it the DP on a whim. Most of the movie was relatively calm, if not beautifully shot (more on that later), but the minute something exciting happens - you can’t see a thing because it goes all Bourne Ultimatum on you. The chase scene in the woods came off less as frantic than just poorly done.
My other biggest beef (but more of a nitpick): The spell-casting situation. And this goes for all the Harry Potter movies. You know what I’m talking about - Do they have to say the name of the spell or not? I mean, one spell requires an “expecto patronum” while another, or even the same spell, can just fly off the wand without a word from their mouths? Makes. No. Sense. I would LOVE to be enlightened about this. I mean, yeah it would be lame for them to have to say it every time in the movie, but it’s just really inconsistent is all I’m saying.
For all its missteps, Harry Potter 7 has its share of fantastic awesomeness. For one, Emma Watson. Two, when the camera operator isn’t busy having a seizure, he’s shooting some really great footage. The ariel shots in the film are wonderful, and when coupled with such awesome locations, make for magnificent scene transitions.
Ok, back to Emma Watson. Fantastic. She can act circles around the other two (Rupert and that other guy) without even saying a word. Her character is well written and all, but with each new Harry Potter movie she brings more to the table, each performance surpassing the last. It’s not like Oscar material or anything, but she has the potential. Though, at this point, a lot of her facial expressions are probably enough for a BAFTA, at least.
I enjoyed the humor. I really did. Most of the time I don’t care for cheap laughs in a more serious film, but the humor was very character driven, which I liked. Most of the audience is already deeply involved with and sympathetic towards the protagonists and when their personality is used to make us laugh, rather than some lame one-liner attempting to lighten the mood a bit, that’s a plus.
In the realm of neutral, the effects were kind of just there. No offense to the guys that did ‘em, but nothing too stand out in there.. Pretty standard. Which, when it comes down to it, is fantastic because I know how hard it is to get stuff like that to be “standard.” I have high hopes for killer vfx in the next part.
Part one was simply a money maker and a chance for the post team to bide their time and finish the real movie, Part 2. You know, the one with an actual conflict and climax. I hope.
Quick Review: From a filmmaking/storytelling perspective, it’s kind of a half-disaster, half marvel of the series. From an I-only-want-to-be-entertained point of view, it’s a modest success. All in all, it’s just another Harry Potter flick. Kind of the Empire Strikes Back of the Potter series.
