REVIEW: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1

[alxndrjosephine]

DISCLAIMER: SPOILERS BELOW.

I was dreading to watch this movie; as always, I feared the worst when it comes to its adaptation, but more so because it will be the part one of the last two movies of a series that has captivated my imagination for the last 12 years.

The first time I saw the trailer for Deathly Hallows, my immediate reaction was: “

Comments

[rumpelsnorcack]

Hermione will never be so vain as to wear a perfume whilst she’s on the run. More than the tent dance, it was the scene that made me “WTF?” because it was so un-like Hermione.

It's funny how everyone is different, isn't it? This didn't bother me. I saw it as Hermione wearing that perfume Ron gave her in one of the books as a way to show him she appreciated it and him. I kinda liked it -- also how it led to the jealousy of Ron. I'm totally reading into it but I liked the idea that it was a connection between them and Ron misread it.

The thing that actually made me (and several people around me in the theatre) gag was the ball of light speech. It was almost as bad as the line in Pearl Harbour 'it's not my nose that hurts, it's my heart' both of those things threw me right out of their respective movies. FAR too sickening for me, far too long a line and just ... bleh. That was the part of the movie I most dreaded second time because I cringed first time and I just wanted to skip it.

I'm glad you enjoyed this though :D

[uponadream]

lol, you're not the only one who's gone on at length about how Ron's speech was very cringey-worthy. It didn't bother me the first time, but the second time I noticed a lot of giggles in my theater during it and I was like "oh dear, this is going to be a moment people laugh at..."

Thankfully it's saved by Harry's line the next scene, the movie opens itself up to the fact that YES, that was a little cheesy, let's laugh at it.

[rumpelsnorcack]

Hah, yeah -- at least Harry realised it was corny.

Unfortunately, then we got ruined again by Ron's 'Dumbledore knew I'd need to come back and knew she'd lead me' line afterwards. I found that one just too corny as well after the ball of light stuff.

[pennylane_4]

...I am so glad to see someone else say this about Ron's speech. I honestly thought it was just my general dislike of R/Hr that was coloring my perception of that scene, but perhaps not. Perhaps it really was a rather eyeroll-inducing moment.

But it could have been worse: Rupert did the best he could with such a corny speech, and he's the one who I think saved it from being completely unbearable. I think it's because of him that I was able to watch it again without dying of secondhand embarrassment. LOL.

[uponadream]

The perfume kinda made me roll my eyes too, and it's not that I don't think Hermione would wear perfume - she could. But she wouldn't pack it on their trip. That's where it lost me.

The Polyjuiced potion actors were so, so utterly perfect. I love that that scene was a decent length and had this been one movie, it wouldn't have been. That's probably my favorite thing about this entire film is how every scene had a chance to breathe. I haven't felt that way since SS/PS!

[alxndrjosephine]

The perfume kinda made me roll my eyes too, and it's not that I don't think Hermione would wear perfume - she could. But she wouldn't pack it on their trip. That's where it lost me. Yeah, this is basically why I didn't like it. Hermione's a girl afterall, but for her to do that whilst on the run?

That's probably my favorite thing about this entire film is how every scene had a chance to breathe. I haven't felt that way since SS/PS! This is so true. It felt like there was a natural rhythm from beginning to end.

[aggiebell90]

Harry’s attitude toward Kreacher. I’m really not sure why, but I just didn’t like it.

I can tell you why it bothered me, if you want. :P

For me it's because the scene wasn't complete and the character development that occurs in it just...isn't there. At the beginning of this scene in the book, Harry is hostile towards Kreacher. But then we hear Kreacher's story. We hear about Master Regulus. We hear about Voldemort's callousness towards "lesser" beings. We learn why Kreacher is like he is...and we become sympathetic towards him. Harry, who previously loathed Kreacher because of what he did to Sirius (and, really, who could blame him?) finds sympathy towards him. We don't get that character development in either Kreacher or Harry in the film.

Dangit, hit send before I was ready Hmph.

Re: Harry's reaction to Ron's return. I think if we'd have gotten the "She's like a sister to me" and the "It's never as cool as it sounds" lines, that would've played better.

[rumpelsnorcack]

I agree with all of this comment -- and the other part of the Kreacher thing is that we were never told that Harry inherited Kreacher in HBP so there's no explanation of why Kreacher cringes before Harry while being so rude to the others. It just doesn't work for me either.

[racing_rain]

This! Perfect!

I wonder if they think stuff with Kreacher is too obvious and needs no explanation... but that just can't be, can it? I mean, the whole background story is what made us sympathize with Kreacher in the end.

[alxndrjosephine]

WORD. I have nothing further to say but that.

I sincerely hope they filmed that scene with Ron and Harry but just didn't make the final cut so we can see it one day.

[alcarcalime]

The perfume really didn't bother me much; I saw it as a way where they could show how their protective spell worked or something. Though I would like very much if the taboo was explained though.

I loved the Burrow hug too, the way Hermione looked at Harry and then at polyjuiced Ron and ran straight to Ron.

I maybe the only one who genuinely liked POA from the very beginning, despite the characterization flaws, because of the sophistication it has. SS and COS felt flat to me and it was a breather to see on the screen how I saw Hogwarts in my head.

But then again, I was never critical about the movies from the beginning.

[alxndrjosephine]

I liked PoA from the start as well, because its technically brilliant. The adaptation flaws didn't bother me as much because I was so awed with the technical aspects of the film, I still am in fact.

In my head, I knew adaptation would suck one way or the other so I've always been inclined to just see there and see how they ended up filming it.

[alxndrjosephine]

It is really the best film, and I think its brilliant.

The ball of light is a little cheesy, but I'm so sure the R/Hr shippers loved it -- I really liked the subtle looks and glances better than the speech, the one with her removing the glasses tops my list.

I also missed the "I love her like a sister" line *deep sigh* oh well... at least they got Ron right this time around.