by Jordan E. Kelly
Guest Writer
Harry Potter, “The Boy Who Lived,” has taken hold of the hearts and imaginations of a generation in a way that few characters ever do. The most recent film featuring the beloved teenage wizard, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1,” proved itself no exception to the rule of Potter’s popularity.
Like each previous addition to the Potter saga, “Deathly Hallows” builds on its predecessor in maturity level, content and scale. The film has a more epic feel than those before it and sets the audience up to expect an even grander production in the series’ final installment.
One of the film’s main strengths is the performance of the cast. Over the course of the series, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley (Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint) have grown from the adorable, mildly annoying children of the first two films, to the appropriately moody, slightly confused teenagers of the next four, and now to bold, passionate young adults striving desperately to save what matters most to them.
Tom Felton portrays Draco Malfoy equally well. Malfoy, whose character began as a spineless schoolyard bully, becomes complex and dynamic as he realizes the gravity of his dark loyalties. Though still as lost and frightened as he was in the previous film, viewers get the sense that Malfoy is struggling with the desire to do right. Felton’s performance inspires a degree of sympathy for the character.
Even Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes), the Dark Lord who has finally regained power and a corporeal form, seems to have matured. He is colder, more self-assured, and more dreadful.
The film’s primary weakness is over dependence on the audience’s knowledge of the books. A few terms are thrown out without explanation. This does not detract too much from the experience, though. All is eventually explained through context.
Of course, one of the movie’s strengths is its increased maturity, but families with small children may view this as a weakness too. The content of the film, including a torture scene and some partial nudity, is definitely geared toward adults. The PG-13 rating alone may not adequately prepare parents for the content since the films have received the same rating since the fourth one, “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.”
For my part, it is the dynamism of the characters that draws me into this film. Even several minor characters evolve and become important. While there are flat characters present – with a cast this large, there must be – the realistic portrayal of people under pressure impressed me, especially since the characters are in such unrealistic situations. Forget special effects, striking though they may be. After watching “Deathly Hallows,” I confirm my suspicion that the world of Harry Potter owes its believability to the people who inhabit it.
I also reveled in the tension. Suspense is prevalent throughout the movie, but my favorite example comes at the very end simply in where the filmmakers chose to close the first half of “Deathly Hallows.” It certainly leaves the audience wanting more – a clever tactic in preparation for the release of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2,” which is scheduled for release in the USA on July 15, 2011.