Tired Of All The Brutal Violence! Tired Of The Poor Screen writing & Acting!

Rating: 1/10 (19 February 2008)

My favorite genre is fantasy & science fiction. While I have never been a big fan of the Harry Potter storyline, I like to keep an open mind. I have to say the cinematography and special effects are absolutely magnificent, and the creatures from ancient mythology are always a treat. There are also moments with a wonderful sense of humor, which is especially appreciated. But, when all is said and done, I found this particular Harry Potter episode alternating too often between boring and disturbing.
First, the disturbing. An amputation, the brutal murder of a young man, an act of torture, and the wailing of a grieving father, in quick succession, was rather demoralizing, to put it mildly. One thing is for sure: This movie is certainly not made with young children in mind.
Was all this intense violence really necessary for what is essentially a movie series for children and teens? In my opinion, it's a sign of poor writing, or worse, pandering to the audience. I can appreciate the need to be edgy and sensational, and the desire to maximize one's profits. But does everything have to be so black and white in the Harry Potter universe? After a while it's starts to become a cliché, and that's boring! The screen writing had a lot to be desired. The editing was terrible. There was a lot of meaningless or annoying dialog. Some of the acting was very weak and shrill.
With all the money this film rakes in the Director should be getting the best teen actors in the world, even for minor, or cameo roles. I just can't believe how predictable much of the acting is! At times, it's like a broken record! Then on the other hand, you have some top adult talent that barely gets to say a word, like the Maggie Smith character.
I guess I'm expecting way too much from a formula-type film. Something which clearly reflects the dualism in our Judeo-Christian tradition, and our Capitalist system of putting profits first, and everything else, like art, second!