J.K Rowling must be thanking her lucky stars, little could she have known that her book about a plucky young wizard would go on to make her a billionaire. But it did exactly that, gaining a dedicated fan base and spawning one of the most successful franchises in history. There have been seven Harry Potter books, and whilst I must admit that it isn’t really my taste in literature, the film adaptations have proven to be enjoyable slices of family orientated fantasy. This month sees the release of the seventh and penultimate Potter film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I, with Part II arriving in early 2011. Warner Brothers say the decision to split the final book was based on the desire to not condense Rowling’s greatest work and had nothing to do with wanting to milk as much money from the successful franchise before the inevitable final battle between Harry and evil Lord Voldemort.
The film picks up where The Half Blood Prince left off, Dumbledore is dead and Voldemort grows more powerful with every passing day. The Ministry of Magic has fallen and even Hogwarts is no longer safe. Whilst continuing to evade Voldemort’s snatchers, Harry, Ron, and Hermione search for the remaining Horcruxes that will aid in their battle against the dark lord. As their friendship is put to the test, Harry and the gang learn of the Deathly Hallows, three sacred artefacts that render their possessor near indestructible. Perhaps the most interesting thing about the Potter franchise is the way in which the characters and themes of the films have matured along with its audience. It seems every time a new Potter film is released critics talk about how ‘dark’ it is compared to its predecessors and this is certainly true of The Deathly Hallows. The film features several scenes that might be a bit much for younger viewers, and parents taking small children to see the film should be aware that at times it goes well beyond simple fantasy and into the realm of full blown horror.
As with all the Potter films The Deathly Hallows is visually impressive, this is director David Yates third go at the helm, and he maintains the gothic feel that he brought to the last two films. There isn’t much room to experiment within the confines of such an established world but Yates does manage to give this instalment a unique feel, most notably in a fantastically realised shadow animation sequence. The three young leads are as enjoyable to watch as ever and the franchise continues to be a who’s who of British thespians. Sadly Alan Rickman plays only a minor part this time, but Helena Bonham Carter shines as the demented Bellatrix Lestrange. Ultimately, if the last six Potter films didn’t win you over then I very much doubt that this one will either, but the many fans of the series will be pleased with the latest adaptation. The Deathly Hallows Part I sets the scene for one of the most eagerly anticipated cinematic showdowns of all time, let’s hope it doesn’t disappoint.
Review by Elliot Hyams
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