Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 - in review

"You can't fight this war on your own Mr Potter. He's too strong!"

Whether you're a fan of the J K Rowling's bespectacled boy wizard or not, you cannot deny that Harry Potter has become a phenomenon over the last decade. Back in 2000 Radcliffe, Grint and Watson were all pint sized 11 year olds with no idea of how well known they were to become and little comprehension of the giant of a franchise they had sauntered into. Fast forward nine years and not only have all 8 films been completed but the Harry Potter film series is officially the biggest selling film series of all time, an accolade that is justifiably awarded when considering the latest Potter installment.

Deathly Hallows Part 1 picks up directly after the Half Blood Prince wherein the maturity levels of the principal trio are noticeably higher. We are presented with a montage of Harry bidding farewell to the Dursleys, Ron standing outside the Burrow and Hermione wiping her parents' memories, intercut with new Minister of Magic Rufus Scrimegeour (Bill Nighy) directly addressing the audience, intoning that "Our world has faced no greater threat than it does today". Danger is around every corner. Couple this with the anxiety of every character and you have a tense film that stays very true to Rowling's final tome of a Potter novel. The film isn't without its trademark humour, something of which there was an abundance in the Half Blood Prince; once again Ron (Grint) gets his chance to shine as a conflicted Ron must choose to stay with his friends or go it alone. The stakes are much higher in this Potter outing and removing the safety of Dumbledore and of Hogwarts was the best decision Rowling could have made. The film feels more real and incredibly raw because we are following our heroes in the wilderness - lost, directionless and on a mission.

After the cinematographic beauty of many scenes in Half Blood Prince, Deathly Hallows steps up another mark. The scenic camping scenes on cliff tops and in the heart of the English countryside are breathtaking to view and add to the sense of isolation and despair as the trio battle to destroy Voldemort's Horcruxes. There are brilliant set piece showdowns such as the 7 Potters sequence which admittedly would have looked even better in 3D, the break in to the Ministry of Magic, which begins humourously but quickly descends to chaos and destruction, the visit to Bathilda Bagshot's home in Godric's Hollow which is creepier than most modern day horror films (yes really) and the climactic battle at Malfoy Manor, which brings me onto the main trio themselves. The acting has improved enormously for this seventh film.

The stakes are higher, there is so much more to lose and we are coming to the end of a big film franchise so quite rightly Radcliffe, Grint and Watson are acting their socks off. Hermione's tears when Ron leaves and her screams when she is being tortured by Bellatrix exemplify how great a leap Emma Watson has taken in the acting stakes. Grint, consistently the strongest of the three leads, shines once again here, showing a darker side to Ron but also delivering perfect comic timing and some really memorable lines. Dare I say it, Daniel Radcliffe has the whole franchise on his shoulders as the eponymous hero and as such his performance is terrific, at last. Gone is the embarassing feigned sincerity of earlier Potter films and in its place is a nuanced performance. Radcliffe takes you on Harry's journey at long last and the moment where he stands over his parents grave in Godric's Hollow is easily Radcliffe's best work in the series to date.

Alexandre Desplat has come on board to compose the score for Deathly Hallows Part 1 and whilst the score maintains a very understated presence throughout the film there are moments of beauty. The Obliviation which opens the film makes you empathise with Hermione wiping her parents memories and removing herself from family photographs; there are brooding choral tones to reflect the surgence of dark power and the threat of snatchers and death eaters, and then there is the sadness as we bid farewell to Dobby. I am proud to say I shed a tear for the pint sized 'free' elf. If only for a brief time it is fantastic to see Dobby back on screen in the series and his CG is improved.

As for the rest of the ensemble cast of Britain's best actors, Ralph Fiennes triumphs once again as Voldemort, preaching to his followers and personifying evil. Alan Rickman is sublime as always as Snape and readers of the book get the added delight of knowing that we will be seeing a lot more of this character in the final chapter released next summer. Jason Isaacs plays a dejected, downtrodden Lucius Malfoy shamed in his own home brilliantly, Julie Walters shines as always as Molly Weasley and David Thewlis surprises (in a good way) once again as Lupin. There are too many great performances to list and some new faces along the way who are given brief but memorable introductions. It is Helena Bonham Carter who particularly surpasses herself as Bellatrix. She is truly evil and clearly relishing vamping up the role.

Ultimately, even though there is no Hogwarts in site, this is very much a Harry Potter film. All the elements are in place, the action feels far more real, the performances are fantastic, the music is elevating, the cinematography is stunning and that final scene just makes you wish it was July 2011 already. Perhaps I'm biased as a massive Harry Potter fan but admittedly some of the Potter adaptations haven't entirely been up to scratch as a reflection of the quality of Rowling's novels but I'm thrilled to say that where Half Blood Prince upped the stakes, Deathly Hallows Part 1 makes for the best Potter outing to date. Be warned for younger viewers however - this is a genuinely dark entry in the series with some frightening moments. Oh and get your tissues ready for Dobby. As a parting note, watch out for the animated section telling the tale of the three brothers. Absolutely genius! Welcome back Mr Potter. 10/10

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 opens in cinemas nationwide November 19th 2010. Rated 12A in the UK.

New look to my blog

Hi guys and girls. Let me know what you think of the new look to my film blog. Have gone for the slick black design. Hope you like. Have been a bit slack on the reviews in recent months but am getting back on track. More Bond and other film reviews on the way soon. Please take the time to take a look at my blog. You might find something to interest you. Please leave any comments, good or bad.

Kind regards

James Clark

James Bond in review - The Man With The Golden Gun (Guy Hamilton, 1974)

"Who would pay a million dollars to have me killed?" "Jealous husbands, outraged chefs, humiliated tailors, the list is endless!"

It's 1974 and time for Moore's second outing as Bond. The Man With The Golden Gun, originally set for release as the follow up to You Only Live Twice, would eventually be filmed in 1974 after complications in location scouting. The film itself is considered by many as the weakest entry in the series for its overt humour and lazy story. The seventies were slowly becoming a decade of excess for James Bond and here would be the last time Broccoli and Saltzman would work together in the series.

Bond and Scaramanga, mano a mano

There are some good moments in Golden Gun and Moore keeps the pace of the film from flagging too much by being at home with the one liners and providing just enough charm to bypass some fairly banal acting and dialogue. The moments that stand out are any featuring Bond and the ill fated Andrea, a pleasant surprise of a Bond girl when compared with Ekland's badly written, disappointing Mary Goodnight. It is a great shame when Adams' Andrea is killed off two thirds into the film. It is Christopher Lee, Fleming's cousin, who provides the best entertainment in the film as the mysterious Fransisco Scaramanga. Like the best Bond villains he doesn't interact with Bond for a great portion of the screen time but when on screen, his presence is felt. Though his fun house and henchman are completely over the top and leave a lot to be desired, Lee's interpretation of the menacing, assured contract killer is, by contrast, sophisticated, to the point and never over done. The moment at Scaramanga's dining table is one of the few fine moments the film offers.

Assembling his golden gun, Scaramanga surprises Hai Fat

Essentially, Golden Gun is a whimsical entry in the series. After Diamonds are Forever and Live And Let Die largely played Bond for laughs, it would have been naive to think that this notion should dissipate with Moore's second outing as 007. There would still be more outrageous Moore moments to come in his later entries in the series but thankfully, following a very lukewarm reception garnered by Bond's ninth outing, Broccoli and his crew would take two and a half years before premiering The Spy Who Loved Me, a return to classic Bond. Spy's plot may be recycled but just be thankful we don't have to put up with Sheriff J W Pepper and Nick Nack anymore!

James Bond in review - You Only Live Twice (Lewis Gilbert, 1967)

"The things I do for England!"

It's 1966 and the height of the US Space Race coverage is dominating the news. Sean Connery is about to return in what will be his fifth and almost final 007 adventure, You Only Live Twice. Producers Broccoli and Saltzman have been wanting to film Fleming's On Her Majesty's Secret Service ever since Goldfinger in 1964; it was even promised as the next film in the end credits of the film. Due to the need for winter locations and the desire to film Thunderball instead, the plan was scrapped. Broccoli and Saltzman are next intrigued by one of Fleming's final Bond novels, first published in 1964, that begins with the haiku poem:

You Only Live Twice,
Once When You Are Born
And Twice When You Look Death In The Face

Fleming was uncommonly fascinated in death for this particular novel and it proved to be one of the most challenging films to produce in Bond history.

The death of James Bond?

The positive points to make about the mixed bag of Bond number five include the hiring of director Lewis Gilbert to bring the story to the screen. Gilbert had just finished working with Michael Caine on the successful 1966 Brit flick Alfie and he would bring a good natured feel to the Bond crew through the long process of adapting one of Fleming's most depressing Bond adventures. The other big thing this film has on its side is the genius production designer Ken Adam who was responsible for designing the mammoth volcano set on the Pinewood stage. The set itself reportedly used more steel in its entire construction than was used to build the Hilton Hotel! The set is still inspiring more than 40 years later and proves to be the most spectacular moment in an otherwise run of the mill, formulaic Bond outing.

With Bond reaching fever pitch with Goldfinger and Thunderball, the two previous films in the series, by the time of release of You Only Live Twice it was acceptable to audiences simply to see a gadget here, a maniacal scheme there, and a massive set being blown up for good measure. Sadly, this would become the formula that many future Bond films would adopt; opting for extravagance over true espionage. Long gone are the gritty Dr No and From Russia With Love and where Bond had to rely on his wits and nerve to get out of trouble, now he just has Q and Little Nellie on stand by. That said, audiences would not have to wait long to see a more human side to Bond and a genuinely intriguing story in 1969's On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

Bond and Donald Plesance's Blofeld face off in the volcano

Let it be said that far from discrediting You Only Live Twice it is actually not the worst film in the series. There is some superb dialogue, often spouted from Connery as sardonic one liners that are presented surprisingly naturally. There is also Tetsuro Tamba's Tiger Tanaka, a character lifted straight from Fleming's pages, who becomes a great resource to Bond and one or two obligatory beautiful girls. Mie Hama and Akiko Wakabayashi were both very popular ladies in Japan prior to the film's release and whilst they don't come across as the most conventional Bond girls, by stereotype, they actually commit themselves well to their roles. Charles Gray performs much better here in his brief role as the ill fated Henderson than he does as Blofeld to Connery's Bond in Diamonds are Forever. John Barry's score is also beautiful for You Only Live Twice with oriental lilts and the gorgeous sound of Nancy Sinatra singing the title theme that still remains a favourite with fans and would even be riffed by Robbie Williams some 30 years down the line. Maurice Binder also creates a stunning title sequence for the film. Japan itself, fairly alien to Western civilizations in the sixties, is additionally a treat on the eyes under the cinematographic eye of Freddie Young.

As the film and the series as a whole advocates, Bond manages to return from the dead to live again and brighten our mundane lives with two hours of mindless entertainment. Leave your brains at the door and let your minds be filled with bald men (!), white cats, volcanoes and ninjas! Connery may look like he's had enough but for most fans 1967 was another golden year for 007. If it can inspire the creation of Mike Myers' Dr Evil and his "volcano layyyer!" then it's good enough for me!!