I'm surprised no one has made this yet so I hope I can. Below is my review of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. Hope you enjoy it.
Overview:
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 is an absolutely fantastic film overall, but a few minor flaws keep it from being the "perfect Potter film."
Now, before I start, I want to make it clear that it is impossible to please everyone. You have the book purist, the non-book-readers, the ones who see it just for a good movie. For an avid fan like myself, there were certain things I looked for in DH Part 1, and while some parts missed the mark for me, DH Part 1 still stands as the best Potter film yet (until Part 2, that is.)
CAUTION: THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN MINOR SPOILERS
Possibly the greatest thing about the film is the beginning - it is absolutely phenomenal. The film immediately and expertly sets the mood for the entire rest of the plot as we see Hermione, Ron, and Harry preparing for what is to come, and the impact of "this isn't fun and games anymore" is prominent. These scenes are underscored by excellent music and I was blown away by how well it was designed. We also see Snape in the beginning, Alan Rickman always being a crowd pleaser.
Certain things that I was keeping an eye out for were done excellently. The action sequences are intense, and are balanced well with the slower parts. Overall, the film is excellently paced and balanced between action and storytelling (mainly because it's how the book was designed). Every scene is excellently crafted, but where DH Part 1 really shines is in the acting. The trio of Ron, Hermione, and Harry, played by Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, and Daniel Radcliffe, respectively, are impressive. This is easily their strongest performance, especially Watson, who receives the most screen time along with Radcliffe. It's just amazing how much these three actors have improved since the first movie so many years ago.
The film is very dark. Terror reigns throughout the entire wizarding world – the overall sense of foreboding is clear. But amazingly, the movie also provides plenty of laughs. The chemistry between the actors is professionally crafted after so many long years of working together, and the funny moments are welcomed in light of the rest of the darkness permeating the atmosphere. Scenery is also presented in expert fashion. When the Trio (and later only Harry and Hermione) are on the run from Voldy and his Death Eaters, they pitch the tent in beautiful locales, sandy beaches, treacherous cliffs, and snowy forests.
So far I have discussed the greatest aspects of the film, and for some there will be only great things, but as for me I had a couple of complaints with particular moments in the film. Earlier on, tensions rise within the Trio, and we see individual emotional struggles clearly defined. Ron's departure from the group is powerful, and the relationship between Harry and Hermione sheds a new light. When Ron rescues Harry and they destroy the Horcrux, however, we come to a hole in the plot. Following the destruction of the Horcrux I expected a huge emotional moment for both Harry and Ron. For those who want to read the book and haven't yet, I won't say what it is, but I feel the writers botched this part because it leaves the relationship between Harry and Hermione unexplained, which I expect could confuse those who have not read the book. Even for me, someone who has read the book, I wanted that moment to be Ron's huge emotional time in the spotlight, but he did not get it. Sure, there are other moments in the film where Ron shows emotional turmoil, but this could have been the biggest one, and it wasn't there.
But, in all honesty, it was such a small moment, and the rest of the movie was so well crafted, that I feel it's easy to forget this error, because in the overall plot, and in the second movie, this will be resolved. I also wanted more characterization of Kreacher, and I felt that if Voldemort had shown up at a particular moment in the film as he does in the book it would have been cool, but this is only minor nitpicking.
So what is the verdict on
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1? It's dark, creepy, suspenseful, funny, and poignant, with balance between awesome action sequences and storytelling. The ending of the film is almost as good as the beginning. The ending is sad, blanketed by a sense of hopelessness, a truly excellent way to end a majorly dark installment in the
Harry Potter saga (though I kind of hate it too because now I can't wait for Part 2). The book purists will undoubtedly find something to nitpick about, but overall this movie is fantastic. I highly recommend it to everyone.