recently, put a review of the
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One
movie on their site. We have the review here:
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I is a much more brooding,
slower-paced film than its predecessors, the result of being just one half of the final story.
Because the film is all buildup for the final showdown between Harry Potter and the evil
Voldemort (which does not occur until Part II), Part I is a road-trip movie, a heist film,
a lot of exposition, and more weight on its three young leads, who up until now
were sufficiently supported by a revolving cast of famous British actors throughout the series.
Now that all the action takes place outside Hogwarts, Daniel Radcliffe (Harry),
Emma Watson (Hermione), and Rupert Grint (Ron) shoulder the film almost entirely
on their own.
After a near-fatal ambush by Voldemort's Death Eaters,
the three embark on a quest to find and destroy the remaining five horcruxes
(objects that store pieces of Voldemort's soul).
Fortunately, as the story gets more grave--and parents should be warned,
there are some scenes too frightening or adult for young children--so does the intensity.
David Yates, who directed the fifth and sixth Harry Potter films, drags the second half a little,
but right along with some of the slower moments are some touching surprises.
Deathly Hallows, Part I will be the most confusing for those not familiar with Potter lore, particularly in the shorthand way characters and terminology weave in and out.
For the rest of us, though, watching these characters over the last decade,
and saying farewell to a few faces, makes it all bittersweet that the end is near.
Despite its challenges, Deathly Hallows, Part I succeeds in what it's most meant to do:
whet your appetite for the grand conclusion to the Harry Potter series. --Ellen A. Kim
Thanks, Ellen A. Kim, for the awesome review!