
If you are a fan of the Harry Potter series – movies and books, then you are probably going to enjoy this movie. If you aren’t then you will have no clue what is going on. Actually, if all you have done is watch the movies, you might be a little lost as well.
The movie is beautiful in a moody, dark sort of way. I’m not sure what a non-Potter fan would make of all the camping and longing, wistful glances out to the horizon but Potter fans know what’s coming and can make sense of the strung together bits of war, intrigue and relationship squabbles. There is a lot of filling in the blanks required but to be fair, as one reviewer put it, this is the penultimate movie and is a set-up for part two.
Of course, it is always difficult to fit the many nuances of a book into a movie and when the book is 608 pages long, even if you split it into two movies, it is impossible. We miss a lot of character development and important details including plot points. But David Yates does cover the major aspects of the plot and manages to create an atmosphere reminiscent of the book. The books and movies have moved from a child’s fairy tale to something quite sinister and adult.
Which leads me to a very important point -- this movie is NOT for children. This is not a lovely Christmas family romp with beautiful mythical creatures and evil foes easily overcome. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is a war movie complete with violence, repression and horror. Our plucky heroes are fighting the good fight but it is all pretty grim. This is manageable if you know how things will eventually shake down but if not then you are going to find this movie pretty depressing. I can’t imagine what a young child would make of it.
On a more positive note, I enjoyed the return of some of my favourite characters – the lovable Luna, feisty Dobby and the evil but interesting Bellatrix Lestrange. I loved seeing Harry, Hermione and Ron growing up. They shouldn’t have to save the world at their ages but they know what they have to do and are willing to do it despite the danger involved. At the same time, they aren’t able to avoid the usual challenges of adolescence: jealousy, insecurity, trying to figure out how to tell someone you like them.
Above all, Harry Potter is about magic and even if most of the magic at this point is grey/black and evil, it is still exciting. The special effects do what they are supposed to and they do it well without overwhelming the movie. The action scenes are fast-paced and gripping.
On the whole, I really enjoyed this movie and would say it’s a great bet for Potter fans. A caution, though, if you are just entering the Potter world. This is not the place to start your adventure. Begin at the beginning and you will find yourself here eventually and much better prepared to enjoy this bumpier part of the ride.


























