We’re very near the end now, peeps. HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS. Part One. Or HPatDHp1. Or, as some critics Christened it, Harry On Camping. This edition has gained a reputation for being, well, the boring one. Although rather unfair and certainly untrue, it does go on a bit. With all the good will in the world from the fans, top notch direction from Yates, equally stellar work from Kloves on the screenplay and with our three leads working their butts off, it still drags quite a bit. There’s just so much damn walking… and camping… and moaning… I hate saying it, but it could use a bit of trimming. But it is one of the best photographed films, and that’s something, right?
From the nightmarishly colour drained title card, we know this will be a bleak experience. The opening shots, reminiscent of the previous film, show a face engulfed by flash bulbs. This time however, it’s Rufus Scrimgeour, the new Minister of Magic, played by Bill Nighy, possibly the only actor in Britain yet to appear in a HP movie. He really does have one of the most watchable faces in cinema. Here, under the scrutiny of the press, he looks like a melting lion, and tells the wizarding world how strong the ministry remains in their darkest hour.
He dies about twenty minutes later, appearing one more time to read the will of Albus Dumbledore. Like many characters, he doesn’t get the chance to be fleshed out. In fact he was omitted entirely from the previous adaptation, as he appears in the novel of the HALF BLOOD PRINCE. He’s actually a bit of a sod in the books, whereas here, Scrimgeour is more sympathetic, and refreshingly honest. “I won’t pretend to be your friend, Mister Potter,” he tells Harry. “But I am not your enemy.” “Forgive me, Minister. But it’s a little hard to tell the difference nowadays,” responds Harry. “Oh, thanks a bunch!” says Hermione. “I erased my parents’ memories for you, and now you can’t tell if I’m your friend or not?! Jog on, you four eyed orphan motherfu…” Well, she may not have said that, but you can see it in her eyes. Her beautiful, deep, soulful eyes. Oh, Hermione… I’ve… I’ve written you a poem. …here it is…
Oh Hermione.
You are so fi(o)ne.
You’re so much better looking then my friend Briony.
She looks like Steven Berkoff. The End.
I… I hope you liked it.
…
It is in the opening minutes that we see Hermione drain her parents’ memories of her, to spare them from any attack by association. Her image literally melts away from all of their family photos, as she is sorrowfully removed from their lives, and their minds. It’s a Hell of an opening gambit and exquisitely sad. With just her utterance of the spell ‘Obliviate,’ Emma Watson gives her most moving performance, perhaps in the entire series. Her eyes are glassy but her resolve is strong. This sequence is intercut with that of Ron looking mournfully into the middle distance as his mother calls him for tea and, in what would be their final appearance, the Dursleys leaving Privet Drive for the last time. It’s a shame Harry’s family do not get a more memorable exit, as they have been great comic relief from the outset. But it is in-keeping with the tone of the film. Seeing the Dursleys being completely serious tells us, from the outset, that this will not be a light hearted affair. No sir. This sequence is heightened by the heart wrenching score of Alexandre Desplat, whose sweeping strings add to the melancholy of the moment, while not being overly sentimental or overpowering. Alas, we never find out whether or not Hermione is able to restore her parents’ knowledge of her. In the book, their memories are modified and eventually restored. Here, all existence of their daughter seems to have been erased, as she says the same spell Lockhart uses in CHAMBER OF SECRETS. So we assume they are never returned, thus her sacrifice could be far greater than we imagine. It would be nice to get a bit of closure but, and this will probably be my argument for all problems with the final two films, time restraints are a witch.
Our first moments with Voldemort and his gothic super squad are equally despairing. Snape seems to have gone overboard on guy-liner as he arrives at Malfoy manner for a meeting, in ultra cool fashion. And Voldemort has saved him a seat at the grand table, which is kind of sweet. We see the return of Jason Isaacs as Lucius Malfoy, now all stubbly and woeful from his time in Azkaban. It’s a nice juxtaposition from his exquisitely groomed appearance in previous films, the ravages of torment are apparent in his eyes as well as his facial growth. It’s while hearing Voldy’s plans of killing Harry Potter (again, Voldy? Have a word!) that we become aware of a woman hanging in mid air. Her name is Charity Burbage, and she’s being tortured because she believes muggles and wizards can live together in harmony. She pleads with Severus, as they were friends together at Hogwarts, but he just watches as Voldemort murders her in cold blood and feeds her to his snake, Nagini. As horrible as this scene is, it once again portends the sheer amount of death to follow. Also, I bet someone somewhere wrote a slash-fiction about it *shudder*.
The first big set-piece of the movie is the fantastic Polyjuice chase scene. Basically, Harry needs to be safely transported from Privet Drive to The Burrow (the Weasley’s house, apparently rebuilt since the last film with no mention whatsoever). So The Order of the Phoenix decide to use Polyjuice potion to transform Harry’s friends into Harry, thus confusing any potential attackers. So we get a lovely little scene where various actors morph into Daniel Radcliffe. But this is the comedic calm before the storm, for as they fly up, BOOM! Death Eaters! We have a spectacular fight and flight sequence which will, alas, not be bettered in this film.
Our hero is riding with Hagrid on the very flying motorbike that was used to carry Harry to Privet Drive as a baby in the pre-credit sequence in the first film, bringing the franchise full circle. But as he rides it now, Harry must have a mid-air duel with Voldemort who, using Lucius’s wand, STILL can’t murder young Potter. That’s gotta be WELL annoying for him. This is the last we see of Mad Eye Moody who is killed off-camera. A little unsatisfying for many viewers, but it’s faithful to the book. Not only Mad Eye, but Hedwig too. Yes, even Harry’s owl goes up to that aviary in the sky…. Best place for an aviary when you think about it. Hedwig’s death is meant to symbolise the death of innocence in a war. It’s a surprisingly touching moment among the mayhem, and won’t be the last.
Right, lets get down to brass tacks here. Most of the rest of the film is walking. And camping, and being really quite emo. Which is understandable, Harry and his chums have an almost impossible task ahead of them, finding the Horcruxes (an object into which Voldemort has placed part of his soul), which could be anything. A tree, a rock, Eric Cantona. Where do you begin? Well, that’s what Harry has to figure out. And it’s not a particularly enjoyable experience for him or his mates, and their friendship is tested like never before. But that is one of the biggest themes explored in the Potter-verse, the importance of friendship and loyalty.
Ron and Hermione have never left Harry’s side, and it is only now that Ron does so, during the despair of their hopeless predicament. Also exasperated by wearing one the Horcruxes around his neck. It’s strikingly similar to Frodo and The One Ring, making he who carries it go all dark eyed and grim. But, in their darkest hour, Ron returns to save the day, and their bond is reinforced.
During Ron’s absence, he missed two of the most memorable parts of the film;
1. Harry and Hermione dancing to Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. A funny, awkward little moment which would be the point where Potter and Hermione kiss, where it ever to happen. But it doesn’t and we know there that it never will. But it is a moment of respite between friends, both of whom are having a rubbish time. And
2. The strikingly nasty scene at Bathilda Bagshot’s house. Harry is talking to Bagshot, an extremely old woman who looks like she’s falling apart. And then, she does, as her eyes seemingly melt and her body falls away to reveal that Voldy’s pet snake Nagini was HIDING IN HER CORPSE (!!!) waiting to attack poor Potter. As our heroes are fighting for their lives, Ron was probably having one of the wrist. Then he rocks up later all like, Hi. And stuff.
There’s a duel in the grand hall, after which Harry nicks Draco and Bellatrix’s wands and, with Dobby’s help, disparate (disappear/reappear elsewhere), but not before the wild eyed witch throws her knife at them. As they appear, seemingly safe on a beach somewhere, little Dobby is seen with that very knife in his chest, and collapses in Harry’s arms. The young wizard cries for help, but those around can only watch as the tiny elf slips away in the embrace of the boy who set him free. “Such a beautiful place to be with friends,” he says, wearily. “Dobby is happy to be with his friend, Harry Potter.” And then he passes away, a free elf. Now, I gave the little guy a rough time in the CHAMBER OF SECRETS write-up, but I confess, I almost shed a tear at this point. So brave, so helpful, so noble in death. Still, again, there’s probably slash-fic written about that scene. Some people, eh?
The film ends with Voldemort desecrating the grave of Albus Dumbledore in order to retrieve The Elder Wand, with which he believes he can finally kill Potter. The final shot is Voldy casting a spell into the sky in celebration, then we cut to black, credits. I recall vividly everybody exhaling as they left the cinema, as if we were all collectively thinking; Bloody Hell! Collective wisdom indicates that HPatDHp1 is a very good film, if not a particularly fun experience. But then, it is essentially to set up the grand finale which, at the time, seemed like an eternity away. But I think it is fair to say that this movie is one of the best looking, with the sweeping landscapes and the nightmarish imagery here, there and hither. It presents us with most of the story so the second half can focus on some badass action sequences, and boy does it ever. As a stand alone film, it doesn’t fair well, but looked at as the first half of the epic denouement, it’s everything we need it to be.
And so, onto to final chapter of the Harry Potter saga. Ascendio, bitches!
