The Brilliant Beginning of the Epic End...

Rating: 10/10 (20 November 2010)

Three years ago, the world held its collective breath as it flipped through the pages of the the final installment of JK Rowling's epic 7-part series, seeking the satiation for a curiosity that had all but consumed them absolutely for years-who would live? who would die? and what would become of the survivors? Thousands of theories and counter-theories later, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows revealed the answers at long last (some of which had already been predicted); but it wasn't just the resolution of sub-plots and character arcs and the solving of long-standing magical mysteries that gripped the reader, but above all the sheer epic scale and scope of this saga within a saga that spanned virtually the entirety of the fantastic realm spawned by Rowling. Needless to say, while the novel positively GLOWED with cinematic potential, adapting an epic such as this does present unprecedented challenges...even more so when one takes into account the Harry Potter film series predilection for liberally eliminating significant plot elements from the novels in hopes of condensing the stories for accommodation in a 2-3 hour time span. Now, the same clearly couldn't be done with the Deathly Hallows-the minutest elements were of paramount importance to the overall plot and couldn't be safely done away with without running the risk of completely butchering Rowling's story. To this end, the film-makers wisely decided to split the book into two films...And after a long wait Part I is finally here and it certainly surpasses expectations (then again, it is pretty much EXPECTED that an HP film WILL 'surpass expectations'...) The very first aspect of this film that strikes you is that it sends a message. A very strong message that the wizarding world has changed-for the worse. The trademark WB logo we see at the start of the film is shown to be rusting...in stark contrast to the glowing WB of old; much like the circumstances of the characters have taken a turn for the worst. Death Eaters are perpetually swirling about in the skies, waiting to attack members of the Order of the Pheonix when the slightest opportunity presents itself...Voldemort has taken control of the Ministry, using its official authority and power to hunt down dissidents to his fascist regime of pure-blood supremacy...and Harry, Ron and Hermione are forced out of the sanctuary of their homes, on the run in the wilderness, with barely a clue as to how they are to accomplish the crucial task their deceased mentor Albus Dumbledore left them-finding and destroying the Horcruxes (fragments of Voldemort's soul) that anchor the Dark Lord to life.
Understandably, this film boasts not only of a darker tone but a radically different direction from its predecessors-no longer are the legendary trio of teenage wizards students...they are now fugitives from the 'evil empire', soldiers in a war they are ever so close to losing. Freed from the confines of Hogwarts, director David Yates seizes the opportunity to place the protagonists against the backdrop of a number of breathtaking scenic locations and in a number of situations (expertly crafted by Rowling) which provide a wealth of variety as opposed to the schoolyard atmosphere of previous installments-at one point we see Harry, Ron and Hermione on a Mission Impossible-style mission-breaking into the Ministry of Magic in order to steal a locket that might just be one of Voldemort's Horcruxes; later we catch them in an intensely blink-and-you-miss-it fast-paced chase through a forest; to say nothing of the chaotic duel in the claustrophobic confines Malfoy Manor towards the end. Truly, the action scenes are a class apart but another area where this film shines is character development-from being the boy wizard perpetually looking to Dumbledore for guidance, Harry is now the man calling the shots in this perilous quest to destroy Voldemort; and even his trusted 'sidekicks' Ron and Hermione are beginning to question their participation in his mission. Ron's violent emotional outburst in the middle of the film, Hermione's despair and wistfulness for a simpler past and Harry's eternal self-doubt and frustration leave as indelible an imprint on the viewer's mind as much as any of the magnificent displays of magic (courtesy of some truly revolutionary SFX) does-Ron near mental-breakdown after being psychologically tortured by a fragment of Voldemort's soul is the most emotionally powerful sequence in the film, as is the Harry-Hermione 'dance scene', a rare moment of light-heartedness in an otherwise grim story which exemplifies in many ways the deep love the two characters share, even in the absence of any romantic involvement.
If there is one shortcoming in this film, it is that scarcely enough focus is given to the titular 'Deathly Hallows' in the film (save for a truly fantastic animation sequence explaining the legend behind them) as opposed to the novel-though no doubt they will be addressed in Part II given the crucial part they are to play at the end of the story. Dumbledore's backstory with the Dark wizard Gellert Grindlewald, the discovery of which has a debilitating impact on Harry's morale in the book, is likewise also sidelined, though perhaps that can be forgiven, given the time constraints.
Despite these minor issues, the film does end up pretty well, which is to say, it ends badly for our characters who, having barely escaped with their lives (for what may well be the umpteenth time) watch one of their oldest friends die-to say nothing of Voldemort having reached the very pinnacle of his magical power in the very last scene...well, as those who have read the book know, things are only going to get worse before they even start remotely looking better for our heroes and undoubtedly Part I has left the audiences restless for the next (and final) installment that chronicles the (inevitable) triumph of good over evil in the wizarding world.