When the clock struck midnight on November 19, 2010, hordes of people all over the country gathered into the nearest movie theater to witness part one of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The excitement in the air was almost tangible as the lights dimmed, and the final book began to unfold on screen before the eyes of eager fans.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, directed by David Yates, begins with the magical world learning that Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) has risen into power and his top priority is to finally kill the boy that always manages to escape his evil plots, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe). Within the first thirty minutes, one of Harry’s allies dies, along with his beloved owl, Hedwig. Clearly, this film is darker right off the bat than previous Potter films.
The main plot of this movie is Harry finding and destroying horcruxes. A horcrux is a dark, magical object used to obtain mortality. Harry has learned that Voldemort split his soul into seven pieces and placed his soul into different objects, such as a ring, a locket, and a diary. Harry’s goal is to find these objects and destroy them. If Harry can find and destroy all the horcruxes, then he can kill the magical world's darkest wizard, Lord Voldemort. Harry drops out of school and sets off on a journey with his two best friends, Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) and Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint), in search of the horcruxes.
Directer David Yates clung closely to the book's story line as he directed this epic tale about Harry finding redemption as he seeks to kill the man, Voldemort, that killed his parents several years ago. This movie utilizes breathtaking environments for the actors to thrive in. Wide angle shots with beautiful mountainous backdrops and endless cornfields translated well on the big screen.
Yates made sure to create this movie for the fans. The fans that have been there since the very first book came out in 1998. This film is not for those that have never read a sentence of a Harry Potter book or have not seen any of the movies. Odds are, those individuals will be greatly confused. Yates treats the audience like they are well informed of the plot and they know what to expect. With that said, he still packs an impressive punch full of surprise and catches fans off guard. Humor, scares, and perhaps even tears are all carefully threaded throughout this well-rounded film.
As much as there is to love about this film, there is always something to dislike. With this one, it is the fact that the plot had to stop at some point. The fans knew the lengthily book was going to be split into two separate movies. It is almost like you are at a dinner and you eat your salad, your bread, and right before you get your delicious chicken, dinner is suddenly over. When the credits rolled, the climax of the plot was soon about to happen. Now, Potter fans must wait until July of 2011 to resume this story. Love it or hate it, at least the last of the Harry Potter magic can continue for a few extra months.. before the magic ends forever.
No comments:
Post a Comment