Complaints that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I is half a film are completely moot. At this point, so much of the series is invested in the past, referencing back to what came before and playing upon what’s been established that it would be more accurate to call this an eighth of a film. Without previous knowledge of the six films that came before it, this film simply will not work.
That being said, this is its own installment in the series. It has a beginning, middle and end, exemplifying traits that can be evaluated like any other film in the series. So none of this hogwash about this being uncompleted, inconclusive, that the verdict is still out. No one made a ruckus about The Two Towers being incomplete because the ending of the book didn’t show up in the films until The Return of the King.
The Harry Potter you knew is dead. The wonder has vanished, the magic is gone. What’s left is lost, aimless, wandering, faltering, unsure and confused. And therein lies all the brilliance of Deathly Hallows: Part I. It’s the longest, most drawn out, slowest moving and least action oriented installment in the series and that’s why it’s one of the best. It’s a Harry Potter film that moves beyond spectacle, past visual allures and into heart of the series.
In short, the film is Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) wandering in the woods, trying to make sense of it all. Wait? That’s what the whole series is about. Yup. But what about all the fantastic creatures, amazing spells and imaginative world? Solid, but not what drives the series. What drives it are three characters struggling to come to grips with life, the universe and everything.
Therefore, this is a character driven piece as the dynamics between the three plays out. Yes, the impending threat looms over them, but only to bring out the best and worst of each character, accelerating relationship arcs and evolving characters even as the film draws to a close. Every character goes to a dark, hopeless place and must change because of it, grow and evolve.
It helps that the actors have evolved as well throughout this journey. Emma Watson has always been strong among the three main actors but this might be her finest outings throughout all the films. Rupert Grint also has gotten better with each outing and he’s likely to have an illustrious career ahead of him. Daniel Radcliffe is the one who finally has progressed to an equal level. The awkward and rough edge to his performance in the last few films has faded as he now finally is able to mater the material he’s given.
It’s sad that David Yates has decline in his ability as an action director. Merit must be given to him for adapting completely different approaches to these three latest films, but with each installment his camerawork and editing sensibilities have gotten more erratic and obtrusive. The action sequences in this film are too visually cluttered and over-edited, creating an incoherent set of action setpieces that bookend the three acts of the film. Nothing still compares to his work in the last act of Order of the Phoenix.
Yates shines as a director in the quieter parts of the film, making a Harry Potter film that is more about silence and mood than about spectacle. It’s amazing how quiet this film is, how little sound appears in any scene. Modern directors undervalue the merits of silence and Yates demonstrates how a big-budget blockbuster can use silence to make something far more emotionally powerful that the typical overproduced audio onslaught that tries to yank at the audiences heartstrings.
This is even more important because at this point in the series, the silence is key. The last two films have been an onslaught, bearing down hard upon the characters on the films. There needs to be that moment of silence, that time for reflection the moment to let it all sink in. The audience needs it too, they need that moment before the last full measure. And these characters aren’t ready for that battle yet. The have six years of issues to work out and that’s what this film is about.
What it ultimately boils down to, then, is whether or not one is invested in these characters. It’s a film about being with these characters, empathizing with them , watching what plays out among them and feeling that uneasiness before the end. For some, this sounds boring and if one isn’t into the characters, it totally is. But for those invested, it’s a piece that reflects the value of reflection and meditation in films, a series of moments that show the value of silence is worth more than an infinite budget.
© 2010 James Blake Ewing
3 Comments
Interesting points about the quieter moments in the film James. I really enjoyed the film. Good review.
Agreed mostly. It is because of these quieter moments that this film is more emotional than DH Part 2 in my opinion. Definitely a strong addition to the franchise – this film justifies the decision to split Deathly Hallows into 2 parts. You have time to grieve and to feel for the characters – which I thought the last film did not really allow too much room for – because it was quite action-packed (not that I’m complaining), but sometimes quieter moments say a lot more.
Agreed. I think Part 2 does a good job of continuing this technique and making the film more emotional without being manipulative.