We're Not In Hogwarts Anymore

Rating: 9/10 (19 November 2010)

Yates, in his wisdom has handled the transition from Hogwarts to the real world masterfully. The magical threesome, Harry, Ron and Hermione have grown up before our eyes and in DH their sense of isolation, confusion, triumphs and defeats feel as though we are not outsiders watching but a participant in their grief. In DH there is little to celebrate, even less to laugh at- but the sense that life is not all smiles and easy most of the time is real and that is what makes DH magical.
JK Rowling, a masterful storyteller, has created a world that is both extraordinary and relevant to today's audience. Harry, Ron and Hermione may use magic to solve simple problems, but there is no magical cure for dealing with loss, looking for answers and defeating evil that hunts you at every step. Luckily for the audience, we have Harry who has goodness, courage and above all love.
As the list of villains grows in DH it is the same core villains that are in full swing and most powerful. The brilliant Rickman is not used enough- but I know his time is coming. Tom Felton, who plays Draco Malfoy, is masterful once more. In a particular scene you can feel the internal struggle he has for doing bad and the conflict on his face for being a Death Eater. Bravo! The villains are all necessary and add yet another dimension to what the real world is- there is no protection here for them- they are all on their own.
One flaw I have is that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One stays so close to the book that many viewers who have not read the books (if those individuals even exist in the world) may have a hard time understanding why the long drawn out scenes in the woods and become annoyed that sometimes it seems as though this film is going nowhere.
The moments of tenderness, frustration and action more than make up for those times when all you want to do is reach out and hug them and say that it will all be okay in the end-