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After nine years and over 5 billion dollars in box office receipts, we have finally reached the beginning of the end for Harry Potter, cinema’s highest grossing franchise. Yet with the films having changed as dramatically as their chief protagonist (from little boy to angst ridden teen and beyond), it’s hard to gauge what to expect from this penultimate film, particularly with it being only half a story.
The obvious comment that everyone has made about Deathly Hallows is how it’s a much darker film than many of its predecessors, something undeniably true, but it only tells some of the story. For unlike in previous attempts to create a darker Potter, this actually works very well. The humour that's placed into the film fits with the story, in contrast to the past where it seemed out of place with the aesthetic, a continuous problem in Potter films. However, here the problems have been solved and it looks wonderful, with cinematographer Eduardo Serra managing to create a stunning visual feel that would have been ruined by the originally conjectured 3D. His dark and empty landscape, which threatens to steal the show, is added to by some impressively dark scenes, such as the brief tale told in animation which works wonderfully, and a surprisingly powerful opening scene, in which Hermione leaves her parents; that really takes you by surprise and very much adds to the dramatic depth of the film.
Not everything works quite so well however and the film does have its flaws. Most notably, at the beginning of Deathly Hallows, we are reintroduced to Ralph Fiennes’ excellent Lord Voldemort, who successfully dominates the screen and adds a genuine sense of menace and dread to the proceedings. The problem is the simple fact that he then essentially vanishes as the film progresses, appearing only briefly every now and again to seemingly torment the audience with the fact he is hardly ever on screen. And it's not that the central characters are badly acted – indeed, on the whole they carry the film rather well - but simply put, Daniel Radcliffe & Co are not Ralph Fiennes and lack the dramatic stature and cinematic presence he brings. As well as that fact, there are also the odd moments in the film that don’t seem to fit, especially the reappearance of Dobby the house elf, who seems a little incongruous with the bleaker setting. Unlike the rest of the special effects, the elves look out place, and it’s hard to care for someone unseen since the second film.
Yet, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is certainly an enjoyable ride and definitely one of the franchise’s high points, with the two and half hours rushing swiftly by. Although lacking in some dramatic clout from its central performers, this instalment in the Potter saga does exactly what it says on the tin, providing high quality entertainment and getting us all excited about Part 2 – indeed, even managing to do so with great aplomb and superb visual style.
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