Worthy piece of filmmaking

Rating: Null/10 (16 December 2010)

David Yates's adaptation of Deathly Hallows is perhaps the best HP adaptation I have seen to date, comparable only to Cuaron's third, visually enticing installment. Here, in Deathly Hallows, Yates experiments with mood, making a film that is truly gritty and entertaining. Not once do we, the audience, forget the dangers that the main trio are in. Every shot of this film is sprinkled with gloom and intensity, as is appropriated since the novel is no different. Firstly, I must praise the performances. Never had the trio given such nuanced performances. Gone are the days when Hermione bossed her two buddies around with her snobbish remarks and prudish sneers; gone are the days when Ron was regarded as mere comic relief; and gone are the days when Harry was just a mere wide-eyed boy, marveling at the beautiful expanse of his world. Emma Watson now plays Hermione with a sense of conviction and realism, Rupert plays Ron as a relatable human being capable of feeling a wide variety of emotions (including a keen sense of jealousy), and Dan plays Harry as an average guy who happens to be coping with the reality of his circumstances the only way someone of his age would know how. I like how Yates manages the scenes between the three, giving their friendship a great deal of depth. He is finally given the time to emphasize their dialogues, which--overall--enhances the character development.
The cinematography of this film is nothing short of extraordinary. I really admire the fact that good cinematographers have been hired to take on the last set of films (primarily those directed by Yates), since Bruno Delbonel mastered the camera-work for Half-blood Prince and Eduardo Serra did some intense work for Deathly Hallows. The camera-work is measured when it needs to be, but shakes in certain scenes as a means of providing a raw quality to the film. It fits the overall mood the film is conveying, emphasizing its pallid gray tones.
Lastly, Alexandre Desplat was an ideal choice of composer for Deathly Hallows. He truly knew how to produce a score that was as chilling as it was moving, adding an extra layer to this movie that could have been lacking if another--less learned--composer would have taken reign.
Overall, this film was a huge technical achievement, proving that Harry Potter's story is not all about the whimsy and the magic; but about friendship, courage, integrity, dedication, love, and loyalty. Once Part 2 is released, these set of films will mark this series as a true classic, one that can stand next to Star Wars and Lord of the Rings.