Prelude to a Storm
THE PLOT
Following Dumbledore’s death and Voldemort’s continuing rise, Harry must go on the run to avoid the Dark Lord’s Death Eaters. Accompanied by Ron and Hermione, Harry also sets about untangling the mysteries of the remaining Horcruxes in order to destroy Voldemort once and for all. During their investigations they realized another mystery that requires solving; that of the Deathly Hallows. What are the Deathly Hallows? How do they relate to their quest? And what is Voldemort looking for?
THE REVIEW
For the those whom have been following this series over the last decade this latest outing kicks into gear from the outset, with members of The Order of the Phoenix getting Harry out of the muggle world to more protected realms. The pace of this exciting opening scene belies what is otherwise a slow and deliberate film that concentrates more on our three young leads. In fact, never before in this series has a whole film more or less hung solely on acting ability over CGI and visual effects. That’s not to say that the thesping to date has been poor, but this film focuses on character and plot rather than action and adventure, and carries it off well.
Even more than the earlier Order Of The Phoenix, this film is an intermediary, more so being that it covers roughly half of the 600 page source novel, leaving the audience hanging by the end, waiting for the inevitable showdown and series climax. By the time the credits roll you feel robbed, that after more than 2 hours the end seems palpable but remains elusive. I for one could have happily endured another 2 hours just to reach the long anticipated ending.
Deathly Hallows Pt1 is an enjoyable film with strong characterisation and performances that are familiar but not mundane. With the emphasis squarely on Potter, Weasley and Granger all other characters seemed sidelined as the trio strive to keep off the radar. Rhys Ifans and Nick Moran make appearances for the first time as Xenophilius Lovegood and Scabior respectively, adding to the virtual who’s who of British acting.
THE PLOT
Following Dumbledore’s death and Voldemort’s continuing rise, Harry must go on the run to avoid the Dark Lord’s Death Eaters. Accompanied by Ron and Hermione, Harry also sets about untangling the mysteries of the remaining Horcruxes in order to destroy Voldemort once and for all. During their investigations they realized another mystery that requires solving; that of the Deathly Hallows. What are the Deathly Hallows? How do they relate to their quest? And what is Voldemort looking for?
THE REVIEW
For the those whom have been following this series over the last decade this latest outing kicks into gear from the outset, with members of The Order of the Phoenix getting Harry out of the muggle world to more protected realms. The pace of this exciting opening scene belies what is otherwise a slow and deliberate film that concentrates more on our three young leads. In fact, never before in this series has a whole film more or less hung solely on acting ability over CGI and visual effects. That’s not to say that the thesping to date has been poor, but this film focuses on character and plot rather than action and adventure, and carries it off well.
Even more than the earlier Order Of The Phoenix, this film is an intermediary, more so being that it covers roughly half of the 600 page source novel, leaving the audience hanging by the end, waiting for the inevitable showdown and series climax. By the time the credits roll you feel robbed, that after more than 2 hours the end seems palpable but remains elusive. I for one could have happily endured another 2 hours just to reach the long anticipated ending.
Deathly Hallows Pt1 is an enjoyable film with strong characterisation and performances that are familiar but not mundane. With the emphasis squarely on Potter, Weasley and Granger all other characters seemed sidelined as the trio strive to keep off the radar. Rhys Ifans and Nick Moran make appearances for the first time as Xenophilius Lovegood and Scabior respectively, adding to the virtual who’s who of British acting.
A special mention should be made of Ben Hibon's beautifully crafted animation during Hermione's reading of The Tale Of The Three Brothers, the children's fable and the origin story of the Deathly Hallows. This is a very memorable scene and worth watching for this alone.
This is not the best film of the series to date, but, as attested by seemingly all other film reviewers, it is the darkest and most bleak, where tempers flare and lives are lost.
THE VERDICT
Bleak and intense, Deathly Hallows Pt1 sets the scene for the final hurrah due in the summer of 2011. A good watch, but the storyline prohibits this film from being great. This is not a criticism particularly; as it’s only part of a story, but when the credits roll you can’t help but feel a little disappointed and wish the summer was here already for more than just the weather!
NOW SEE THE TRAILER...
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