It’s official, some lucky people have seen Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I. If you live in Chicago and attended the first cut of the movie, despite it having unfinished CGI and a stand-in score, well let’s just say I am one very jealous muggle.
With an overwhelmingly positive response, the film was commented on in depth by fans. Despite a number of changes from the source material, the consensus is that, largely, the film manages to translate – and in some instances improve on – J. K. Rowling’s take on The Boy Who Lived. Needless to say, if you are avoiding spoilers you should stop reading here.
SPOILERS
The film opens with Rufus Scrimgeour, who replaced Corneleus Fudge as Minister of Magic after the events of Order of the Pheonix, hosting a press conference to inform the media of the many issues facing the wizarding world. The audience is then taken to Malfoy Manor where they witness, in addition to the murder of Muggle Studies teacher Charity Burbage, Severus Snape leak the plans for Harry Potter’s get-away to He Who Must Not Be Named. The biggest difference from the book will be the inclusion of the memory charm Hermione uses upon her parents, which was only suggested in the original novel. Cue title credits.
During the escape from 4 Privet Drive, tragedy strikes our hero when Hedwig and Mad-Eye Moody fall victim to killing curses. While some viewers felt the latter’s death was skimmed over, the majority felt Hedwig’s death scene was more affective on film than on the page. Rather than being killed in its cage, the owl heroically returns to save its master’s life having been released earlier in the film.
Regrouping at The Burrow for the wedding of Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour, the film remains faithful to the book in all but one way: Harry is not disguised as a wayward Weasley. The scene in which Kinglsey Shacklebolt warn’s the couple’s guests that the ministry has fallen was described as being one of the most chilling moments in the film.
Now on the run from the ministry and Death Eaters; Harry, Ron and Hermione escape into the country for a handful of chapters and, according to moviegoers, a proportionate number of scenes. Whether or not such screentime will be amended for the film’s general release, however, it is impossible to say. That said, the reunion between Ron and Harry is supposed to be one of the best scenes in the film, particularly when Ron is required to destroy a Horcrux bombarding him with images of Harry and Hermione in an embrace.
At some point, the threesome decide to visit Xenophilius Lovegood to learn more about The Tale Of Two Brothers, a book left to Hermione in Dumbledore’s will. The sequences detailing the story are said to be presented in a Tim Burton-esque animated sequence which avoids needless explanation and exposition to acclaimed effect.
The death of Dobby is similarly handled well, immediately proceeding the suggested torture of Hermione at the hands of Bellatrix Lestrange. Shown from the perspective of Harry and Ron, the torture and heroism are apparently two of the most affecting moments of the movie.
Ending, as previously reported, with Voldermort’s acquisition of the Elder Wand, Hogwarts is glimpsed for the first time since Half Blood Prince. This ends a movie with heavy pure-blood overtones – anti-muggle propeganda is promenant throughout while Bellatrix carves ‘mudblood’ into Hermione’s arm – and few deviations from the source material. While Tonk’s pregnancy is glossed over, and the Potterwatch subplot has been abandoned, this does sound like the most faithful to date. It also sounds as though it could be the best – and darkest – of the series, until Part II at least.
When the biggest issue involves pacing of the camping scenes, which are easily edited, there really appears to be no reason to doubt David Yates’s ability to end the series on a high. After the phenomenal trailer, the steady trickle of stills and the positive buzz surrounding initial viewings, anticipation has finally reached fever pitch.
So, there you have it! A film allegedly packed with series highlights and moving moments exists and has been seen.
Accio 19 November 2010.
