For nine years, Harry Potter has been one of the most successful film franchises in the history of film. As the years passed, and it's core audience has grown up, the movies themselves grew up with them, taking on a darker and more foreboding tone with each release. Finally, the end is near, as the first half of the two part conclusion, "The Deathly Hollows", has been released, and it continues the progress from light-hearted to dread-filled series successfully.
This is, by far, one of the darkest, most despairing fantasies to be put to film. The sense of wonder is gone, replaced by an almost Nazi-like narrative, in which Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) and his cohorts go to great lengths to hunt down Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and his friends, taking over the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts through fear and murder. A great deal of the film sees Harry exhausted, uncertain of what to do next, while Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint) try their best to support him, though their own doubts and fears slowly tear the trio apart. This is not a children's film, as the dark story combined with the frightening characters and graphic depictions of violence and death are closer to Pan's Labyrinth than the initial offerings. With that said, this is a much stronger movie than any of the Harry Potter series before it, as you truly do feel the sense of hopelessness that pervades the film.
The supporting cast is fantastic, from Ralph Fiennes horrific Voldemort to Bill Nighy's Head of the Ministry, with Rhys Ifans' portrayal of Xenophilius Lovegood particularly great. But the real star of the show is Rupert Grint, who brings more depth and emotion to Ron Weasley than ever before. While Daniel Radcliffe will forever be known as Harry, and Emma Watson has grown into a beautiful but passable actress, Grint is the actor who has the brightest future ahead of him. When he is gone from the screen, you realize just how powerful his acting is, as things seem to fall flat when Watson and Radcliffe are left to carry scenes on their own. This is no knock to either star, as they still carry it well, but instead is praise for Grint.
From scene to scene, there is very little light, further enhancing the gloomy narrative with a realistic but almost overwhelming apprehension. This is not the world that left you breathless with awe in the first few films; it's a lonely world, filled with whites and grays, as the trio of heroes are left for the first time to fend for themselves. The special effects are incredible as usual, but do not take anything away from the story told. Rather, they enhance each scene, guiding you from place to place in the narrative.
Splitting the film into two might actually be a great idea in this case, as the end of the film actually feels like an ending and a beginning. What felt originally like a money grab by the studio instead feels like a completely natural end point of the film, and leaves you wanting for more. Eight months is a long time between movies, but in this case it's actually worth the wait; it'll take that long for all of the symbolism and complexities presented to really settle in on subsequent viewings.
The darkest film in the series, the first part of a story that finally concludes the tale of Harry Potter, "The Deathly Hollows" is finally here. Some will see it as too depressing, as a film meant to scare rather than impress. Others will see it as the finest film in the series, a slow build to what is sure to be a spectacular conclusion. Whichever side of the fence you are on, this film will stick with you for longer than it's two-and-a-half hour running time, which only the best films in cinema do.
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