Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 - (November 19th, 2010): PG-13
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Opening Weekend Box-Office: #1 with $125,017,372
Domestic Box-Office Gross to-date: $144,067,185
Gross Revenue: $349,067,185
Budget: Between approx. $200 and. $250 million
Director: David Yates
For the past decade, one series has dominated the fantasy film genre, drawing countless fans and generating billions of dollars in revenue, all by simply recreating the wizarding world that J.K. Rowling first introduced in 1997. Since 2001, and on almost a yearly basis, fans have eagerly awaited to see the next adventure that young wizards Harry, Ron, and Hermione would encounter as they continued their education at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Leading up to each new release, Warner Bros. followed a relatively simple marketing formula: gradually reveal different trailers, posters, and promotional images to build hype; show the previous films during a “Harry Potter” weekend on ABC Family to remind audiences of why they love the films in the first place; and finally, guarantee midnight showings for opening day so that diehard fans can prove their loyalty and dress in their favorite wizard costumes. The reality is that the Harry Potter franchise enjoys such an immense level of popularity that fans track the release months ahead of time and don’t really need to be convinced to go to the theater; as soon as fans are aware that the newest adventure is on its way, marketers can essentially let the film sell itself. The one common criticism of the film series among fans is that they (understandably) omit some material from the books, and even though fans normally can forgive this shortcoming, it was clear that this final chapter of the series could not be faithfully compressed into just one film. In order to fully tell the story (and generate even more revenue), Warner Bros. decided to split Deathly Hallows into 2 parts, and when you consider that early predictions for Part 1’s opening weekend box-office were as high as $120 million, it looked like fans were grateful that Hollywood decided to give the beloved series a proper send-off.
I’m going to assume that most of my readers have at least a basic understanding of the Harry Potter universe to avoid writing pages trying to set up the seventh movie. During the previous chapter in the series (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince), it was established that Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes), the evil wizard hell-bent on killing Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), has obtained immortality by creating 7 Horcruxes (dark objects containing pieces of Voldemort’s fragmented soul). In order to defeat his enemy and protect the wizarding world, Harry must locate and destroy these 7 Horcruxes, and of course, he is aided by his loyal friends, Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson). Though this task in itself is daunting, the situation is complicated by the fact that all-out war has broken out in the wizarding world, with Voldemort’s forces taking over the Ministry of Magic (the wizarding world’s form of government) and starting a ruthless hunt for Harry. Now fugitives outside the protection of their beloved school, (Hogwarts) Harry, Ron, and Hermione must work together to find and destroy these Horcruxes while facing untold dangers at every turn. Though the final confrontation between Harry and Voldemort won’t occur until Part 2, it’s clear that the series is building up to one epic finale.
As a hardcore fan of both the book and film series, I absolutely loved seeing my favorite scenes from the book adapted to the big screen, but looking beyond that aspect, I still appreciate the strong special effects and surprisingly strong acting that make Deathly Hallows, Part 1 a great film rather than just a faithful adaptation of the book. Considering the violent nature of the final book, fans are treated to numerous action sequences with stunning special effects, whether Harry and friends are trying to escape an attack by Death Eaters (Voldemort’s followers) or trying to infiltrate the Ministry of Magic. In another instance, Hermione reads the story pertaining to the mysterious objects known as the “Deathly Hallows,” and the narration is complimented by a unique form of animation, which adds another element of variety to the film. As far as acting goes, we have watched Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson grow up on-screen for years, and it is apparent just how comfortable these young actors are with each other, as audiences truly feel the fear, uncertainty, and brief moments of levity that these friends encounter on their darkest journey. In one notable scene, Harry seeks to raise Hermione’s spirits by engaging in a light-hearted dance, and this heartwarming reminder of the friendship between the two is a genuine and welcome break from the darker themes present. Another example of strong acting comes when Harry, Ron, and Hermione decide to infiltrate the Ministry of Magic with the help of Polyjuice potion (a formula that allows one to assume the physical appearance of someone else); in essence, different actors portray Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and they do such a good job of mimicking the mannerisms and facial expressions of the original three that the audience forgets that they are not really watching Radcliffe, Grint, or Watson on-screen. Even if you are not an overly dedicated advocate of Pottermania, these strong elements should be more than enough to make Deathly Hallows, Part 1, worth seeing in theaters.
As much as I would love to say that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 is flawless; I do have one criticism for potential moviegoers. Even though producers broke the final book into two parts in order to cover and properly explain the series finale in its entirety, this film still assumes that viewers have not only read the book, but that they also remember minute details in their entirety. There were moments where one of the characters would make a claim or reference a plot element that I only understood because I have read the book several times; if you’re a casual fan, then there are definite elements of Deathly Hallows, Part 1 that I could see being very confusing. Though only a small portion of the fan-base will be susceptible to this confusion, it does limit the appeal of the film and I can’t help but feel it could have been easily solved with just a few more minutes of explanation. Another warning I have for audiences involves the dark nature of Deathly Hallows, Part 1; if you are expecting a cheery adventure in the halls of Hogwarts with a happy ending, at this point in the story you are going to be horrified. Characters die, others are maimed, and our heroes are fully exposed to the very real dangers present in the wizarding world…be prepared.
Based on the film’s opening weekend, it actually looks like analysts underestimated Harry Potter’s financial power at the box-office. Thanks to midnight showings alone, Deathly Hallows, Part 1 grossed $24 million, going on to bring in $61.2 million its first day and $125 million over the first weekend. As heart-broken and infuriated I am that this impressive performance did not outshine the recent Twilight sequels, Deathly Hallows, Part 1 can still claim other accomplishments, including the strongest opening of all the films in the series, the sixth highest domestic opening ever, and the top-grossing foreign opening for a film released outside the Summer Movie Season. Even considering the film’s high budget, I believe that with strong reviews, an impressive foreign performance, and the natural appeal for fans to see the film more than once, its’ clear that Warner Bros. will turn a nice profit and that Deathly Hallows, Part 1 will enjoy a long stay at the top of the box-office. Even with a darker theme and some confusing elements, Deathly Hallows, Part 1 is still a wonderful film that will please fans and set high expectations for Part 2, set to hit theaters in July.
Overall Recommendation: Very High
