5 out of 5 stars.
Ever since David Yates took over as director, starting with Order of the Phoenix, I've had very high expectations for each successive Harry Potter film. And I have never been disappointed. In fact, they just keep getting better and better. And this latest installment is, without a doubt, the very best of the film series so far.
In my opinion, the film series started going downhill with the 3rd and 4th movies. While moderately decent films, with splashes of enjoyment here and there, the feel of them were just wrong. They really didn't do the books justice at all. David Yates has, quite simply, steered the series back into the right direction. And I am thrilled that he'll be the one to give this series the final sendoff that it deserves.
Deathly Hallows Part 1 is definitely the darkest of the series, which should surprise no one. Not only is this the best Harry Potter movie yet, but I feel completely comfortable with saying that this is one of the most dynamic and thrilling fantasy adventure films I have ever seen. This film offers so much to its viewers that it's almost ridiculous. The first twenty minutes of it stands as one of the best intros to any film I've ever seen. Creepy, exciting, funny, intense, tragic, and thought-provoking, this movie grabbed my attention immediately and refused to let go.
Even though this is the darkest of the entries so far, it also has some of the funniest scenes. Even though it crackles with plenty of breathtaking action, this is probably the most introverted and thoughtful movie of the entire series. This is what I mean by "dynamic". There were parts of the movie that even had a horror movie feel to them. Some of it was actually scary. Some people might not like that, but I really ate it up.
The director knows that it is the characters that make this series so great. And we really get to know the three core characters in such a way that we weren't allowed to before. The other movies were in too much of a hurry to get to the next major scene, whereas this movies allows the scenes to simmer and develop.
Much of the film is deliberately slow-paced, but I never once found it boring. Each frame is shot with such care and intricacy that every scene is just too interesting to look at to want to turn away from the screen. The performances from everybody are also top-notch. Despite the fact that this is set in a fantasy world, all the characters seem very real, with the kind of emotional integrity that is simply lacking in so many mainstream movies these days.
At this point, I guess I don't really need to say that I loved every inch of this film! Be warned though. This is absolutely NOT a movie for kids. I would say that it hangs on the very edge of the PG-13 rating. There are rumors of there being a nude scene in this movie. While there is a brief love scene, in the context of the film, it is not actually happening, and more important, it is not explicit. Therefore, I would say that the rumors are false. With that being said though, some people may still find it disturbing. Keep that in mind when you decide whether or not to watch this film.
Either way, this is a great film on every possible level, and comes with my highest recommendation to anyone over 14.
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