I also read a few reviews and they're rather varied. My take on it? Please read on...
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| Ooh, Potter gets all intense, what with stubble now here to stay it seems. |
For once, in the whole franchise of the films, I felt like this one was most 'filmic' in its content. I was anxious after what I thought was an epic fail by Yates on Half Blood Prince (please see previous review here). So I didn't have huge expectations to be fair. I was pleasantly surprised. This time, it was a character story, it was full of gravitas, it gave Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint a chance to up their acting game. It slowed the pace down, it gave the story a chance to breathe and wasn't preoccupied with a whirlwind of spectacle and leaching substance as a result. While moments from the book were missing (should have had the bit when the Dursleys leave and Dudley shows his sweet side), the film, for once, stayed very true to it - and readers, don't forget, the middle chunk of the book where Harry and chums are camping lasts a long time. It drags and for good reason. It's the right storytelling device (for some it might not be in terms of plot but for story, it is). Why? Because the tale requires the atmosphere to be heavy, intense and itchingly frustrating; just like our heroes, we want results to happen. But the epic battle between good and evil isn't so simple. And Dumbledore isn't there with all the answers; our chums are left out in the cold; this was a great way to display their naivety, their perseverance and build up those endurance skills while testing their friendship and faith in each other. The story demands these events for character development, otherwise the epic end of Harry Potter wouldn't stand up as wonderfully as it does; it's supposed to be a struggle. This is the maturing process, people! I think if you aren't a fan of the books, this sub-matter is most likely going to go over you. No offense.
For those concerned with pacing, there's great movement in the first twenty minutes (awesome scene with the 7 Harry Potters) and the last twenty minutes. But brace yourself for some decent 'slow' cinema in between. If you canna stand it (which was clear by the idiot in front of me who kept checking his mobile every five minutes, hence flashing the light on the screen at me) then please, for the sake of those who spent hours and money making this film so you could enjoy, exit stage left.
