Wednesday 24th November 2010

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

Director: David Yates
Year: 2010
Stars: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter

I think it's safe to say you're not going to watch this if you're not a Harry Potter fan (or unless you're being dragged there by one, in which case it's unlikely you're going to be in a mood to enjoy it anyway). Which all means that you're already half sold on the movie before you go and watch it.

There are no real surprises here. If you've seen the other six movies (or read the books), you'll know what you're getting. I guess it's now a bit of a cliche to say the newest movie is "darker" than the ones that have come before, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's wrong to say it. There is one stand-out sequence, for me at least, though. Within the film there's a 10 minute animated section explaining what the three deathly hallows are, and where they come from. It may not sound like it fits with the feel of a Harry Potter film, but it really does- and it's beautifully drawn. It had me engrossed for the full 1o minutes, and I was even a little bit disappointed when the "proper" film started up again. I would happily watch it again as a short.

Unexpectedly perhaps, I enjoyed this as a Harry Potter fan who knew what was coming. But if you hate the books and have no interest in the movies, don't bother.

Rating: 4 out of 5