Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 (2010)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

• My opening thoughts will be that I’m very glad they decided to make a part one and two for the Deathly Hallows. It’s such a detailed book, that if they tried to do one film, it would’ve been four or five hours, or an extremely condensed story that flies by way too quickly. So if we just focus on part one, it does a great job of taking its time showing the hunt for the Horcruxes, rather than rushing into the Battle of Hogwarts. I think the pacing is quite wonderful in this, maybe the best among all the other films. Even though (to some) it might seem a bit slower than others, simply because it’s more focused on adventure rather than action, that’s what makes it memorable. Now in terms of rankings, this is closer to the bottom of the series, but I still love it a lot. It’s got great horror elements to it, and I love the tonal shift that this triggers. Now, Half-Blood Prince is very dark and gloomy, but this one completely sets the mood for the rest of the series, and there’s no turning back. The environment is drabby and depressing, and you can really feel the control that Voldememort and the Death Eaters have on the government and overall wizarding world. It’s quite wonderful how they deliver that feeling. Well, not wonderful, but….you know what I’m saying. The atmosphere is just depressingly awful, but in a good way. The cast is an improvement from the previous film, and their adulthood really helps ground the actors with their characters. There’s a certain sense of maturity that helps raise the stakes and usher in realism. At least, as real as you can get in a film series about magic. It sucks not having Michael Gambon, but we get more Ralph Fiennes and Alan Rickman carries once again (for the time we see him). Lastly, and as I’ve already partially stated, the visuals are quite nice, but lack color and warmth (compliment), and the score is beautiful. Overall, it’s a great exploration into the Harry Potter lore behind Voldemort, and a good buildup into the grand conclusion. I would recommend it to all Harry Potter/fantasy fans. This film is officially Berry Approved, so go check it out now!