Though only a prelude, this film has plenty of merit

Rating: 8/10 (17 December 2010)

Reviewing "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1" is like reviewing "Gone With the Wind" after Scarlett O'Hara declares she will never go hungry again. On one hand, you know you've seen a very good first half. On the other hand, the latter had an intermission that was just a few minutes long, and the intermission to the former with be eight months (seven as of this writing).
Despite this obvious drawback, "HP7: Part 1" still holds up. As long as you know that the story will not resolve itself by the end (for some odd reason, a lot of "critics" didn't seem to be aware of this), you will be treated to a character driven epic that takes its time, is to-the-point, and features three strong performances from the well-rounded trio that is Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson.
In a brilliant and heartbreaking opening scene, the new Minister of Magic (Bill Nighy) tries in vain to establish confidence in the wizarding community. Meanwhile, Harry watches out of his window as the Dursleys evacuate #4 Privet Drive. At the reconstructed Burrow, Ron Weasley watches the sunset with concern. And as for Hermione Granger, she is eliminating her parents' memories of her to ensure they cannot reveal her whereabouts or be concerned about her. It's a terrific opening; perfectly acted, well edited, and amazing enough, you will not find it in the book.
Radcliffe, Grint, and Watson own the screen from beginning to end without needing support from veteran adults. Though their body language was sometimes underplayed for various scenes, they still manage to convey their characters' deep emotions and conflicts. I especially enjoyed the relationship between Radcliffe and Watson. As many of commented, the dance between them in the tent (again, a great scene you will not find in the book) is a highlight of both their relationship and this movie. Watch how they play it. The dance isn't done for romantic purposes; it's two close friends trying to find solace in an immensely difficult time.
I've been waiting for Grint to get more meat to his role after film #4. Wish granted. He gets into why Ron can be both caring and selfish. Watch how he has to convince Harry early in the film not to search for the Horcruxes on his own, and then contrast it to when he lashes out at Harry for not having a plan to find them.
It's a strong film for writer Steven Kloves too. While "Half- Blood Prince" meandered, here he has constructed a focused script. Impressively enough, he manages to inject more humor into this film than what was in the book (the scene with the seven Harry's is a good example), but for the most part, he keeps an appropriately serious and sometimes retrospective tone.
As for David Yates, this is his best "Potter" film yet, and he's getting more sophisticated. The evacuation of Harry Potter early in the film proves he can do action, and I loved how he interpreted Ron's worst fears after he opened locket Horcrux. Some have said that he paced the middle section too turgidly, but I digress. He's taking his time developing the relationships between the main three. Plus, if it weren't for this section, you wouldn't feel the satisfaction that will come with part 2. It's this long trial that truly tests the characters' emotional mettle and ultimately makes them determine that this mission is worth it. Finally, just when I thought that basilisk from "The Chamber of Secrets" was scary enough, Yates made me jump out of my seat with what he did with Nagini!
In the art department, Stuart Craig doesn't have Hogwarts at his disposal, but I still enjoyed he designs to the Ministry of Magic (one scene looked inspired by "Brazil"), Mr. Lovegood's house, and the Malfoy Manor. The film score by Alexandre Desplat wasn't as great as I hoped (you might miss his only usage of Hedwig's Theme in the beginning), but he still has some inspired moments, including "Obliviate," "The Ministry of Magic," and "Godric's Hollow." Eduardo Serra turns out to be a great choice to replace Bruno Delbonnel with the cinematography. I loved his wide shots as the trio hiked around England. Finally, the choice to animate "The Tale of the Three Brothers" was very inspired.
Admitted, there are small quibbles. A lot of characters get introduced in the first 20 minutes, some for exposition alone. Ron's reasoning for returning to Harry and Hermione isn't entirely convincing (although I did get a kick when he sheepishly raised the damaged locket to Hermione like it was some sort of wedding present). The mirror shard Harry has is an unexplained plot hole (only book readers will know why he has it). And, of course, this is only one half of a story (to be expected).
It was my impression, prior to watching this film, that the "Harry Potter" movies were at their strongest when they WEREN'T constantly loyal to their books. This is why I enjoyed films 3, 4, and 5, so much; they felt very much like their own tales and didn't feel like they had to be accountable to the novels. It is ironic, therefore, that this film holds very strong and is simultaneously close to the book. Perhaps Warner Bros. knew what they were doing after all splitting "Part 7" in two. Had it been one installment, character development would have been sacrificed and the film probably would have turned into an overlong treasure hunt. Instead, the story is allowed to breathe and gain significance. While this may only be a prelude, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1" still ranks high on the best of the "Harry Potter" films. I hope Warner Bros. will hold special screenings in July that will allow us to see both parts back to back, as I think that will give this conclusion it's biggest punch.