John says:Finally we near the end of the entire story - we've seen these characters develop from adorable, innocent kids through to the darkest, most mature moments. Overall I would like to say this first part of the last chapter was a success, but on the whole I can't help but voice concerns that overall, the film is much too dependent on its upcoming finale to function as a film of its own.
David Yates, the director of films 5 through to the end, is an amazing visual storyteller, and part 7 may very well be the most stunning - possibly out of all the Potter films. The technical wizardry behind the camera is astounding - with notable praise going to cinematography and visual effects - many of which were practically seamless, almost invisible. Similar praise can go to the score. Alexandre Desplat, one of the best composers working today, is the best thing to happen to the series since John Williams left. His music is moody, layered, effective, and totally in-tuned to the world of Harry Potter.
Each of the films seems to have a stand-out star, and this film is dominated by Emma Watson as Hermione. In previous films, her performances have been satisfactory to say the least, but finally we see her mature into a real actress, and there is never a moment you don't trust everything she is saying or believe every emotion she is portraying. Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint likewise have become fine actors - not to mention the rest of the all-star cast.
On the whole it was a very faithful adaption of the book - maybe the closest to the source material any Potter film has yet come, yet certain omissions were surprisingly missed. Yes, they split the book into 2 parts in order to fit as much in as possible, but - for instance, they still managed to almost completely cut the Dursley's out of the picture. Could they really not afford to spend maybe 2 minutes wrapping their minute story up? What was that mysterious mirror Harry is constantly looking at? Are we supposed to believe Harry is really in love with Ginny when she is seen for one second and his focus is more on Hermione? (at least in the film) Clearly I know the answers, but like other Potter films, I am concerned with how much the average audience will understand and interpret from the plot based on the film alone.
By the end of the film, though, I couldn't help but feel a bit unsatisfied. Yes, the ending is a 'cliff-hanger' to those who haven't read the books, but ultimately, the episodic nature of the first half of the book doesn't easily lend itself to a complete story, let alone a fulfilling plot for a feature movie. I have a feeling that Part 2 will tie up many loose ends and have more of a grandiose feel, but until then, I can't help but think that Part 1 had so much going for it, yet mysteriously managed to avoid greatness.
Maureen says:
The long-awaited final installments of the Harry Potter series have arrived. For better or for worse, the decision was made to present the final installment of the series in two parts. After seeing this film, though well-made and exciting to watch, I can't help feeling as though this is a weak preview part 2 - the REAL finale.
David Yates once again does an outstanding job with the making of this film - arguably, his finest Harry Potter work to date. The visuals were stunning and had me on the edge of my seat the entire movie. The 2 1/2 hours flew by. It was engaging, exciting, and spectacular to watch, with almost undetectable effects. Acting was also particularly outstanding, most notably from Emma Watson (Hermione) and Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix LeStrange), who as usual stole the screen whenever present. The score, as well, was mysterious, exciting, unique, and complemented the outstanding cinematography perfectly. There was enough humor to keep the script entertaining but also enough serious moments to keep it interesting. A large part of the book itself involves silent traveling, which could have made for a boring film, but Yates and the actors managed to make the silent moments emotional and intriguing.
Although the cinematography and editing were excellent and the film was generally very faithful to the book, certain artistic liberties were questionable at best. For example: not to give anything away, there was a provocative fantasy sequence that - it is safe to say - does not fit in with J.K. Rowling's intentions for the book. This tainted the entire scene and even, to a certain extent, the rest of the movie. I also must agree with some other critics in saying that the film seemed rather "jumbled" at times, which was not helped by the presence of shaky, Bourne Identity-style camera work. Had I not read the book, I likely would have been confused by the editing and plot twists. And although I went into the film expecting the ending to be anti-climactic, I was still left feeling like something was missing.
This film is certainly not the best Potter film nor my favorite, and in fact, finds itself toward the bottom of my Potter list... but it was absolutely 2.5 well-spent hours and does well in its ultimate job of raising plenty of anticipation for Part 2.
(Awards potential: Best Original Score, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound, Best Cinematography)
