Directed by: David Yates
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint
Reviewer: Brett Gallman
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Reviewer's Rating: ***½ (Three and a half Stars)
The beginning of the end of the franchise finds Harry, Hermione, and Ron scouring the Earth for the remaining Horcruxes that contain pieces of Voldemort’s soul; meanwhile, the Dark Lord gathers his forces and prepares for his imminent showdown with Potter. This seventh entry is an intensely focused affair, as one can finally feel the threads of the previous entries tightly winding themselves for an epic climax. Perhaps more than any other film in the series, Deathly Hallows focuses on our three principles in mature fashion; this is appropriate, of course, since they’ve all grown up themselves. We’ve seen them have petty spats before but one feels an intense weight and burden informing a tense middle act that attempts to strain their relationships.
David Yates helms an impressive, lavish production that’s carried by an ominous sense of mystery. The film is appropriately foreboding and perhaps a bit somber; it begins with a wedding but quickly turns into a dirge. We’ve come a long way from the whimsical fantasy films earlier in this series; this is not to say the film isn’t without its fun moments (it certainly isn’t--an early sequence featuring the return of schoolmarm Delores Umbridge recalls the mischievous fervor of earlier adventures). However, dread hangs like a guillotine, as we know we’re headed towards portentous events; if the end of this one is any indication, no one might be safe, as it climaxes in an emotional scene that’s only undercut a bit due to the previous films’ shortcomings in showcasing a pivotal character.
The first Deathly Hallows ranks on the high end of the Potter spectrum due to its ability to be both epic and intimate; it certainly feels like a prelude, as if we were checking in with these characters during the calm before the storm, but it’s a satisfying one.
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