"Harry Potter and the The Deathly Hallows", part 1

28.11.2010
 Contrary to the last few Harry Potter movies, ‘The Deathly Hallows’ is a pleasant surprise for those who have until now missed the work of the wonderful Chris Columbus.
It might be because J.K. Rowling is one of the producers, or it might be because everyone wanted to end it with a bang, but the film truly fulfils one’s expectations from the very start.
The atmosphere is dark and promising at the same time and the faithful fans cannot help to nervously grab their popcorn, waiting for what’s next.
So, the story: Voldemort is getting more and more powerful, all Death Eaters are at large and even the Ministry of Magic is part of the Dark Lord’s arsenal.
It’s a dark time especially for muggles/not ‘pure blood wizards’ who are now persecuted by the said Ministry who has created an institution, very similar to the Spanish Inquisition, to eradicate the presence of ‘mud-blood’ in the magic world.
In the meantime our three heroes, Harry, Ron and Hermione, are heroically ‘playing truant’ to go in search of the mysterious horcruxes, magical objects where He Who Should Not Be Named has hidden parts of his soul, so to become practically immortal. Harry and his gang will have to find and destroy them to be finally able to kill the darkest wizard of all times.
The film adapts the seventh book as faithfully as possible which is good news for the many fiction-fans who felt outraged at the many cuts and changes inflicted to the previous films of the Potter saga.
As for the actors, Ralph Fiennes gives us an outstanding performance as Lord Voldemort. He is slippery, slimy, supremely menacing, never over the top but always damn scary.
Unfortunately, we cannot say the same of Helena Bonham Carter, who impersonates the evil Bellatrix Lestrange. The characters of Lord Voldemort’s most faithful ally is clearly describe in the books as pitiless and cruel, but also lucid in her cruelty and always calm and under control. God knows who made or let such a good actress playing Bellatrix as a total nutter who makes faces and speak with such an unpleasant and ridiculous squeaky voice.
As for the Daniel Radcliffe and his gang don’t disappoint and Emma Watson especially gives us a brilliant Hermione, sad and profound, with shades we hadn’t spotted in the previous movies.
The big strength of the Deathly Hallows is that it doesn’t rush. It allows time for the three leading performers in a way that the previous films haven’t.
The only negative side of this film is that it ends too abruptly and all we can do is patiently waiting for part II, in July.Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, part I
Director:
David Yates
Writers:
Steve Kloves (screenplay), J.K. Rowling (novel)
Stars:
Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint