"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.
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