David Yates finally "gets" Harry Potter in the beginning of the final chapter.

Rating: 8/10 (23 November 2010)

I don't know how other film lovers and Harry Potter fans feel but I for one have had mixed experiences with these films. The first two films were good, the third and fourth were the best in the series, the fifth was a disaster, and the sixth was OK. The beloved wizard named "Harry Potter" has definitely had a bumpy road in his transition from novel to screen in my opinion. With that being said, the end is near folks and part one of the final chapter of "Harry Potter" has arrived in theaters. That's right for those of you living under a rock, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One" is in theaters now. I was a bit leery seeing the film after how disappointed I have been since David Yates took over the franchise but like any dedicated fan boy, I walked into the theater hoping for the best.
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One" is the beginning of the end of one of the most popular and beloved book/film franchises in history. In the seventh entry in the film series, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) along with his two best friends Hermione (Emma Watson) and Rupert Grint have to fight time and evil as they discover that the three of them have to track down and destroy the missing Horcruxes. Along the way, the three friends learn about the dark secrets of Dumbledore as well as the three most powerful objects in the wizarding world known as the Deathly Hallows. Suspense ensues..
As I said above, I am a pretty loyal fan to the franchise as I have seen all the films and read the books. I enjoyed the film franchise a lot until David Yates took over as director. When I attended the midnight showing of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" I was extremely disappointed. I knew going into the film that they left the franchise in the hands of an amateur filmmaker and the end result was not a good experience at all. When I saw the sixth film, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" was being made my Yates, I actually cringed. I had a slightly better experience with the sixth film although I still felt Yates really didn't really give the book much justice. The whole ending of the film was just terrible and wasn't even remotely dramatic. Yates destroyed a huge moment in the "Harry Potter" legacy with that ending.
Now moving on to the seventh film, David Yates actually made "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One" into one one the best films in the franchise. Let me tell you that I was shocked to come out of the film saying wow this is a great entry in the franchise but it truly was. Yates must have really studied the last book when he made the film. Yates added some stuff to the film that was not in the book and was unnecessary but as a whole the film was very loyal to the book. Yates finally captured the magic that is "Harry Potter." I guess the old saying, third times the charm, applies to this film.
Yates direction was perfectly timed and placed, unlike the previous two entry the film didn't suffer from any real boring spots. This one was shot much better and the pace was on the ball. Yates captured the actors and actually made them seem mature and realistic without coming off as forced. In the previous entries, I remember laughing at Harry when he started yelling but in this film he was more convincing and that's due to the better direction by Yates.
At this point, I think its unnecessary to comment on the acting in the film because all the same characters have been playing the same roles. I will say that all of the actors in the film have definitely matured in their roles. Radcliffe, Grint, and Watson have these roles down to near perfection at this point. I liked how good Grint was in the film. His acting skills have definitely improved as the franchise went on. All the acting is solid in this one. I can't even complain about that!
In the end, would I classify "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One" the best film in the franchise? No, because I still feel "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" holds that honor. It's is however, the second best film in the franchise and "HPATDHP2" does have the potential to being the best film in the franchise. My faith in Harry Potter has been restored and that says a lot considering I was ready to toss the towel in on the franchise, if this film wasn't good but Yates restored my faith. This was a great film even if your not a Harry Potter fan. The pacing, the acting, the story, and the suspense is all very well done with this entry. I think HP fans will be in love with the film and it is not surprise to me that this is the biggest money making film in the franchise. If you haven't already, get to the local theater and check this entry out as you wont be disappointed! MovieManMenzel's final rating for "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One" is a solid 8 out of 10. A terrific beginning to the end of one of the most beloved book and film series in history!