When it comes to controversial film decisions, not many can compare nowadays to the choice of splitting the final installment in the Harry Potter franchise (the film version, that is) into two parts. Now, I won't be trying to force anyone to think differently, but as a long-time HP fan, I cannot see how the action-packed final book would ever have worked in one film alone. There is just too much to tell, too much that is relevant to both the characters and the central plot. If this were packed even into one four-hour movie, which already stretches the amount of time the average movie-goer can tolerate,too muchworthy content wouldbe cut from the final rendition. So the situation is "damned if you do, damned if you don't". Luckily, the decision has payed off in spectacular fashion. It's styIish, beautifully taken and deceptively smart. Yes, it's more a way to set the scene for the eventual Part 2, but boy, does it do it well.
When a story has gone on for six installments, it's hard to say anything without basically spoiling everything that came before it. Let's just put it simply: Harry is now on a quest, along with Ron and Hermione, to find the objects that will lead to Lord Voldemort's very timely demise. However, this is much easier said than done. Thanks to the split, screenwriter Steve Kloves has ample room to put the plot together in a more leisurely, meaningful fashion. The brilliance of the seventh and final book in the HP series is that it's far from being a typical adventure in terms of how the heroes succeed in their quest. People die, stuff is lost, missions fail. It's harrowing to witness all the plans fall to pieces, and how Harry and friends must react to their predicaments. Though the previous installment, The Half-Blood Prince, was a superb film in itself, it suffered from an incredibly rushed pace and hurried storytelling. This is not only nonexistent in Deathly Hallows, but when the pace of both films is juxtaposed, it's amazing to see how different it makes the film experience.
That's not to say that the pace is luxurious throughout, sometimes the film whips along at such speeds that it becomes hard to hold yourself to the seat. It's the interludes between the action that define what is particularly wonderful about the film. You have actual time to breath between the death-defying spell casting and scary appearances of Ralph Fiennes (Voldemort) and Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange). The characters get to develop both themselves and their connections, making their fates more engaging and important. More importantly, you become more invested in their quest. This intertwines with the cast's great performances (asin most of the other films), with the highlights being Fiennes, Carter, Alan Rickman (the oily Severus Snape) and a surprise appearance by Bill Nighy as the new Minister for Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour. The famous trio is, of course, also great, though Daniel Radcliffe (the titular Harry Potter) is still a bit stiff. However, the cast is nonetheless brilliant in their portrayal of the film's greatest moments.
The most revealing difference the film possesses, however, is David Yates' brilliant direction of the film. It's darker, moreelaborate and in a way incredibly beautiful. He's truly grown up as a director and shows his development superbly in both his claustrophobic takes in dire situations and in sweeping takes of multiple English locales of incredible scale. It's no secret that the story gets darker with each year, but never has this darkness been portrayed quite as well as in Deathly Hallows. It's not particularly depressing or dire, but more a foundation for the tumultuous blend of magic and reality that looms over the story itself.
The film's overall production values help this atmosphere in setting itself fully, and there are some truly brilliant touches to be found throughout the film. Not much will be told to avoid spoiling experiences, but a certain chase scene and an artistic fairytale are incredible. Then there's the traditional Harry Potter theme, along with some other tunes that lighten (or dramatize) the experience. It's an exceptionally well-crafted film, lavish in detail and haunting in theme.
It is inevitable that this film will be defined as a hype machine for the bigger, Summer-planned sequel, and in many ways, that's just what it is. However, nothing is stopping it from being just as brilliant, if not more so, than all of the previous films in the series. It's more cerebral, more powerful, more daring and simply more streamlined than anything that came before it, and it pays dividends for fans and newcomers alike. It's a doorstop for something bigger, but what a wonderful doorstop it is.