Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part One) - Released 19/11/2010
On the morning of the general release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part One, film critics on BBC Breakfast were criticising the penultimate chapter of the Harry Potter saga. They were saying that the film, which ends on a cliffhanger, ends on a cliffhanger, like its a bad thing, and that the ‘darker’ nature of the film has made Harry, Ron and Hermione more “Twilightish” - pale teenagers wandering around in a backdrop with slightly modified lighting to give everything an eerie glow. And who am I to question these fabulously credible critics? I am EVERYONE.
I love the Harry Potter saga and have done since before it became the phenomenon it is. I booked my tickets for a showing on the opening day over a fortnight in advance, and when the film started, I felt my whole body tingle with excitement. I could have cried I was so excited. For me, Deathly Hallows Pt 1 has been the best of the film sequence so far. I long ago came to consider the Harry Potter films as a separate entity to the books, but this time I was quite content to view the film as an adaptation of the novel. The thoroughness with which the directing team have approached Deathly Hallows is a stark contrast to their previous efforts. It had long been rumoured that this was the case, since there is so much in the final book that simply cannot be glossed over, and is precisely the reason for Deathly Hallows being divided into two films.
However, the thorough approach taken this time shows in bright flashing neon arrows all the bits that have been missed out of the previous films. Most notably, Hermione’s campaign to save the House-Elves in either Order of the Phoenix or Half-Blood Prince (I forget which), and both the pupils’ lessons in apparition and voicelessly casting spells in Half-Blood Prince. It is only upon watching Harry, Ron and the rest using these skills that one realises that they haven’t ever been shown them being taught.
One of the points that the critics have made is that Deathly Hallows Pt 1 never really “gets going”, as it were. I disagree. The first part of the book is all about hunting for the Horcruxes. There aren’t a huge amount of wizardy battles or action scenes. Its more about the loyalties of friendship under pressure, you know, the “Muggle” side of everything that these unfortunate kids have to go through. Perhaps it doesn’t contain the most “important” parts of the plot of Deathly Hallows, but those parts come nearer to the end and therefore will be found in Part 2, funnily enough. If the film were to continue for longer than it does and accomodate more of the action bits, then it would have to go all the way through to the end in one sitting. Which brings me neatly onto the cliffhanger ending.
Some critics seem to dislike the cliffhanger ending of Part 1. Apparently, it makes them feel cheated, and contributes to the “this film is going nowhere” whinge. However, there isn’t another place where Part 1 could conclude more appropriately. If it continued any further, as I have already stated, the increasing pace of the plot means that the film would have to continue through to the end, and to end Part 1 in any other place would feel completely wrong, rather than only partially wrong, as it feels with the ending as it is. All Potter fans would tell you that they wish Parts 1 and 2 were released together so they wouldn’t have to bear the suspense of the wait until July 2011, or whenever Part 2 is being released, so some dissatisfaction is inevitable. But, it could have been worse. The filmmakers made the right decision. Definitely.
Potter fans, incidentally, are by and large the same fans as obsess about the Twilight saga. These are people like myself who grew up with Harry Potter, if not the books then the films. Alright, I’m not a teenager any more (not physically, anyway), but the vast majority of the fans are. And if sickly looking protagonists in bleak scenery is what they want, then who are the filmmakers to deny them?
On the other hand, Deathly Hallows is, naturally, the darkest of the 7 books, and something has to be done to reflect that on screen. The majority of Part 1 is set throughout winter, when the light would be a bit questionable, and the hunt for a series of Horcruxes is bound to take a physical toll on the hunters. All this film is doing is trying to make the book come alive. If Harry and the others were portrayed as unceasingly cheerful, glowing and happy on their hunt, then much of the tension and suspense built up by the prolonged search would be destroyed and lost forever.
It is my opinion that the people who really find cause to criticise this film are the people who have either not read the books, or are too old to have appreciated either them or the films. When the Harry Potter chronicles conclude, then there will be an entire generation at a loss to find the next great phenomenon to occupy their imaginations and keep them out of the way off the streets. But for now, roll on Part 2. Let the battle for Hogwarts commence.
