Movie Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1

I have never read any of the books - I just don't read books in general. Haha - but I honestly thought that the film was incredible. It was great to see that the series has matured well compared to the last movies I saw.

I actually thought that this whole film was like one huge buildup for the final installment. No climax. No super intense scene. No relief. No super tear jerker moment. No over-the-top action packed sequence. They were scattered here and there, but not really building up towards one huge pivotal moment, which to me was oddly a good thing. I mean, I consider this one to really prepare me for the second part of the final book, which I expect to be absolutely explosive - in all sense of the word - literally and the revelatory kind.

The humor, on the other hand, was very well made up for the darkness and depth of the storyline. Somehow, the scales were balanced in this film. The continuity was also good and I didn't feel lost with the story. I think the adaptation was well suited for readers and casual fans - like me - as well.

Now, on a technical standpoint, of course, this one did not disappoint one bit. I really liked the style - the dark colors and the subtle bits of magic woven into everything. The cinematography was ridiculously gorgeous and stunning to look at. I was seriously in awe at the breathtaking beauty of England's countryside. The special effects were very impressive, the editing was crisp and not choppy when it didn't need to be, and the score was haunting and beautiful.

Moreover, the action sequences were excellent and blended in perfectly with the griping, dramatic moments - it actually didn't feel heavy handed. The direction was also superb and proved to be very apt at creating suspense. Let's me just say, a lot of people - including me - jumped at one particular scene in the movie. Haha.

The movie's greatest highlight, however, was the animated sequence detailing the Tale of the Three Brothers. It was an interesting wizard fairytale and the way it was executed was indeed a daring move from the filmmakers - one that will pleasantly surprise the audience. Seriously.

Across the board, the performances were pretty good too. I was actually impressed with how the younger actors stepped up their game because the movie would have collapsed had they not been up to the challenge. Emma Watson was absolutely fantastic. I was impressed with her nuanced, poignant and deeply affecting take on the role. Rupert Grint was also great and so was Daniel Radcliffe, though I somehow think that he was the weakest of the three. But that's just me nitpicking, I guess.

Overall, it just had the right doses of action, drama, romance, suspense and comedy scattered throughout the film. Technically and artistically, nothing was overkill and the story was well-told and well-paced. Good Job!