Bleak.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 is a dark, oppressive, ominous film that marches relentlessly into despair and danger. And that’s to the credit of both the story and the filmmaker. In many ways, this film feels like the beginning of the end, like the deepest, darkest moments of night before the first tendrils of light creep over the horizon. Just don’t look for any rays of hope here.

If there’s an underlying theme or message it’s in the will to persevere, no matter how desperate the situation might be. And that goes for the audience as well. Sitting through this film might, at times, feel like a chore. But that’s the intent of the movie. And on that level, it’s a masterful example of filmmaking. Indeed, most of the criticisms of the film can be traced back to the source material. The result is a superb film that only makes one real critical flaw:

It doesn’t do enough to make this installment a standalone narrative on any measurable level.

That’s almost an unfair criticism. This is, after all, the seventh film in the franchise, the first half of the final book of the Harry Potterseries. Expecting a standalone story would be unrealistic. Still, it’s possible for a film to tell a “story within a story” that would provide some measure of closure just prior to the inevitable (and well-placed) cliff-hanger. For example, The Fellowship of the Ring told the story of Frodo’s journey from a carefree life to an acceptance of his responsibilities and destiny — while the main story was far from over, it was clear that one stage had been completed. Similarly, The Empire Strikes Back told the story of friendship, of finding one another across vast distances of space. Put simply, there was enough of a story within each of these films to provide them a standalone quality.

Deathly Hallows, Part 1 has no such equivalent tale. And that is the biggest criticism of the film. It doesn’t feel like a film; it’s more like the first installment of a miniseries.

The rest ranges from good to exceptional. Director David Yates has crafted a film that looks and feels as though it were teetering precariously at the end of the world, needing one small push to send everything into ruin. Scenes like Hermione wiping the memory of her parents (to protect her and them) underscore how desperate times have become. The death toll, while small, is enough to reinforce the mortal danger posed by Voldemort’s growing power. And once our heroes are forced to run into the wilderness of the world (be it London or the snow swept forests), there’s never a moment when it seems that all is safe, sound and secure.

In fact, its these sequences — the ones in which Harry, Ron, and Hermione bivouac in the wild — which represent the film’s greatest success. It’s entirely possible that the oppressive tenor of the film, combined with the lonely wandering of our trio, could have resulted in sequences that were too drawn out and dull — in fact, the film does drag a little through these sequences. But Yates maintains enough tension — the visuals of burned-out homes and the use of a radio to detail missing or dead wizards are most effective — to keep these sequences immediate and suspenseful. It helps, too, that these moments are used to focus on the main characters, on their hopes and dreams and, especially, their fears.

This is due to the superb acting in the film. Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermione Granger (Emma Watson), and Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint), have all matured — as young people and as performers. A film like this could not survive without deep emotional investment from the audience, and our heroes manage to convey sympathy — even when their actions are inexplicably stupid (Harry), smart (Hermione), or prideful (Ron). This is their story, and it certainly feels as though they are a family. It’s an important element to contrast with the grim nature of the narrative.

The film’s darkness is established right away with particularly chilling scene, set in the Malfoy estate, in which Voldemort and his Death Eaters gloat about their progress — while a woman chillingly floats above the elongated table. From here, we see a steady progression of dastardly deeds, from the desperate (and deadly) flight to transport Harry from Privet Drive to a safe house, to the terrorizing assault on Bill and Fleur’s wedding, to the blood-curdling torture one of our heroes endures at the hands of Bellatrix Lestrange.

If you’re looking for balance to the doleful nature of the film, you won’t find much. There’s some occasional humor to be had — mostly from the Weasley twins — but otherwise, the respite comes from brief moments of calm. Harry and Hermione share an awkward dance and a dreamlike walk through a Christmas Eve snow flurry. Ron and Hermione sleep on the floor and couch (respectively) with their hands nearly touching; seated side-by-side, Hermione teaches Ron to play piano. Dobby makes an amusing and memorable appearance when a turncoat is apprehended. But otherwise, what we see is a world in the grip of darkness. And the portrayal of that world is quite compelling.

In terms of storytelling, there are a few awkward moments, such as the deus ex machina manner in which the Sword of Gryffindor is found, or in the almost silly Ministry of Magic caper. Harry comes across as a rather daft person, surviving only through the timely help of friends, and through no effort or thought of his own. And the totalitarian takeover of the Ministry of Magic, while ominous, doesn’t feel all that bad because we’ve rarely (if ever) seen the Ministry operating as a competent organization for good. And, of course, the addition of the “deathly hallows” to the story mostly supplants the importance of the horcruxes. But most (if not all) of these issues, though, are inherent to the source material and the film manages to be successful despite the detriments.

The aesthetics of the film are also well-crafted. Visually, the cinematography strongly reinforces the oppressive nature of the narrative. There’s an animated sequence which tells of a wizarding folk tale that is also quite convincing (except for the fact that Death looks suspiciously like General Grievous). And Alexandre Desplat’s score, while not nearly as memorable as Hooper or as iconic as Williams, manages to fit the visuals exceptionally well. There’s no Big Memorable Theme™ featured in the film. But like the character moments, the cues and melodies are subtly effective in conveying emotion. The only misstep is a chase sequence in which our heroes attempt to outrun a group of “snatchers” when the camera movements and editing make the movements of the characters difficult to follow.

There is, of course, the final scene which Voldemort stands triumphant, having acquired a new and terrifying new power.  As a cliff-hanger, it works.  If you’ve been invested in the film that far, there’s little doubt you’ll head home and start counting the months (and days and hours and minutes) until the next film — or should I say, second-half of the film — is released.

Overall Grade: B+

What makes Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 so success is, interestingly, its subtlety. Moments like Harry looking at his cupboard under the stairs one last time, or Luna saying, “There, now he could be sleeping” or Harry zipping up Ginny’s dress, the film is filled with small moments which convey a great deal of meaning and significance.

Topics: Fantasy, Film Review
Filed under: Harry Potter

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Release Schedule: Sep. 22 – 28, 2008