Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1 Review Thread (Spoilers)

[Batman1980]

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Synopsis:

The final chapter of the Harry Potter film series is split into 2 movies, and begins as Harry, Ron, and Hermione leave Hogwarts behind and set out to find and destroy the Horcruxes, the secret to Voldemort's power and immortality.[7]

[Ator the Invincible]

I can't wait for the movies to come out. But then, I thoroughly enjoyed the 7th book and thought it wrapped the series up perfectly. I'm glad they went with 2 movies so they won't be quite as rushed with the plot and can spend some time with the characters. It is their farewell afterall.

[richterbon23]

SIMLY CANT WAIT! The early look on the HBP blu-ray was pretty cool. While only a minute long, it set the tone perfectly. Now let think what big movie is warner coming out with in May that the first trailer would be attached too!

[PS3-Playb3yond]

The only thing I hated about Deathly Hallows was the ending.

[Show spoiler]The dual between Harry and Voldemort could have been better. After everything that happened I can't believe how easily he got defeated. I had hoped the last dual between them would be greater than Dumbledore and Voldemort's, but it wasn't.

[Gamma_Winstead]

Originally Posted by PS3-Playb3yond

The only thing I hated about Deathly Hallows was the ending.

[Show spoiler]The dual between Harry and Voldemort could have been better. After everything that happened I can't believe how easily he got defeated. I had hoped the last dual between them would be greater than Dumbledore and Voldemort's, but it wasn't.

[Show spoiler] I think the problem was that it wasnt very well written. I can see it being done AMAZINGLY well in the film.

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by gamma626

[Show spoiler] I think the problem was that it wasnt very well written. I can see it being done AMAZINGLY well in the film.

[Show spoiler]It ended the way it had to, with the Aurors and the Death Eaters facing off in dramatic fashion, dead wizards everywhere and then a crowd watching as Lord Voldemort and the chosen one faced off in a fight to the death. I did expect them to kill each other as per the prophecy, just didn't expect Harry to come back. Probably should've since he possessed all 3 Hallows at the time Riddle ended his life.

[assydingo]

Originally Posted by gamma626

[Show spoiler] I think the problem was that it wasnt very well written. I can see it being done AMAZINGLY well in the film.

My sentiments exactly. To be fair with it being the last book my expectations may have been too high.

[iccarus]

Rowling did have a tendency to gloss over the most dramatic/key moments in almost every single HP book. Lots of build up with a weak pay off. Especially with just about anything having to do with the death of a character.

Thankfully, the movies have done a much better job of playing up important moments in the plot.

[Blu-Benny]

Originally Posted by gamma626

[Show spoiler] I think the problem was that it wasnt very well written. I can see it being done AMAZINGLY well in the film.

i've been let down by some of the better scenes in the books and them being only OK in the movie.

best example i have is w/dumbledore and harry in the cave in part 6.

i remember it being so much more suspenseful in the book.

[Gamma_Winstead]

Originally Posted by Blu-Benny

i've been let down by some of the better scenes in the books and them being only OK in the movie.

best example i have is w/dumbledore and harry in the cave in part 6.

i remember it being so much more suspenseful in the book.

I'm not sure about how i feel about the cave scene....

One one hand, it delivered, but on the other... Something felt a little off.

[Show spoiler] I was fine with book seven on the whole. Heck I LOVED it. I just LOATHE the epilogue. I hate that with a passion.

[kpkelley]

I thought the ending was perfectly in-keeping with the storyline.

[Show spoiler]Harry doesn't come back because of the Hallows. When Voldemort casts the killing spell on him there are two souls in his body which could be killed. Harry is given the choice to give up or return, if he gives up both would die because the Horcrux within him would die when the body dies, or he could return as the spell is satisfied with the portion of soul it recieves from the horcrux. When Harry returns, Voldemort is nearly powerless over anyone else because Harry invoked the same protection for everyone else that he received from his mother years before. This is because he willingly accepted his fate in order to protect all others. Also, because he did not resist Voldemort in the woods, he maintains control over the Elder Wand(which Voldemort wields) because he still has not been beaten since he gained ownership from Draco(one of my problems with HBP is that Dumbledore does not resist Draco, where as in the book is intercepted while imbolizing Harry). As such Voldemort cannot harm anyone and when he tries to kill Harry again, the spell rebounds off the spell cast by the wands owner and returns to the source. Harry maintains complete control over the most powerful dark wizard ever and taunts with that knowledge(calling him Tom) until Voldemort spirals out of control and ultimately kills himself. IMO it is a perfectly poetic finish to the series as it mirrors the very reason that Harry was marked in the first place.

[Gamma_Winstead]

Originally Posted by kpkelley

I thought the ending was perfectly in-keeping with the storyline.

[Show spoiler]Harry doesn't come back because of the Hallows. When Voldemort casts the killing spell on him there are two souls in his body which could be killed. Harry is given the choice to give up or return, if he gives up both would die because the Horcrux within him would die when the body dies, or he could return as the spell is satisfied with the portion of soul it recieves from the horcrux. When Harry returns, Voldemort is nearly powerless over anyone else because Harry invoked the same protection for everyone else that he received from his mother years before. This is because he willingly accepted his fate in order to protect all others. Also, because he did not resist Voldemort in the woods, he maintains control over the Elder Wand(which Voldemort wields) because he still has not been beaten since he gained ownership from Draco(one of my problems with HBP is that Dumbledore does not resist Draco, where as in the book is intercepted while imbolizing Harry). As such Voldemort cannot harm anyone and when he tries to kill Harry again, the spell rebounds off the spell cast by the wands owner and returns to the source. Harry maintains complete control over the most powerful dark wizard ever and taunts with that knowledge(calling him Tom) until Voldemort spirals out of control and ultimately kills himself. IMO it is a perfectly poetic finish to the series as it mirrors the very reason that Harry was marked in the first place.

yep. I'm in agreement with that. See my previous post for my only problem with the book.

[Oateyboat]

I really hope that the director learned from Order of the Phoenix that we don't want one back fired spell. We want the most awesome battle in the Harry Potter film series. Can't wait for both parts.

[Batman1980]

I kind of missed Quidditch in the last two novels, it was a bit of an escape from all the depressing and tragic events and circumstances in the earlier novels. I do think when

[Show spoiler]Harry dies

you will see a lot of teary-eyed kids, especially if they didn't read the last book.

[goochspot]

Originally Posted by kpkelley

I thought the ending was perfectly in-keeping with the storyline.

[Show spoiler]Harry doesn't come back because of the Hallows. When Voldemort casts the killing spell on him there are two souls in his body which could be killed. Harry is given the choice to give up or return, if he gives up both would die because the Horcrux within him would die when the body dies, or he could return as the spell is satisfied with the portion of soul it recieves from the horcrux. When Harry returns, Voldemort is nearly powerless over anyone else because Harry invoked the same protection for everyone else that he received from his mother years before. This is because he willingly accepted his fate in order to protect all others. Also, because he did not resist Voldemort in the woods, he maintains control over the Elder Wand(which Voldemort wields) because he still has not been beaten since he gained ownership from Draco(one of my problems with HBP is that Dumbledore does not resist Draco, where as in the book is intercepted while imbolizing Harry). As such Voldemort cannot harm anyone and when he tries to kill Harry again, the spell rebounds off the spell cast by the wands owner and returns to the source. Harry maintains complete control over the most powerful dark wizard ever and taunts with that knowledge(calling him Tom) until Voldemort spirals out of control and ultimately kills himself. IMO it is a perfectly poetic finish to the series as it mirrors the very reason that Harry was marked in the first place.

Thank you for that great summary. It's been a long time since I read the book and had forgotten the details.

[kpkelley]

Originally Posted by gamma626

I'm not sure about how i feel about the cave scene....

One one hand, it delivered, but on the other... Something felt a little off.

[Show spoiler]This may sound trivial, but I think it may be a small reason why. Harry never attempts to summon the horcrux. When Harry attempts to summon it, he is shocked when a shape jumps out of the water and then quickly hides beneath the surface. That short sequence sets-up the peril which surrounds them on that desolate island. Throw that in with the difficulty of hearing what Dumbledore is saying in the film as he drinks the potion, and that may be why.

[Gamma_Winstead]

Originally Posted by kpkelley

[Show spoiler]This may sound trivial, but I think it may be a small reason why. Harry never attempts to summon the horcrux. When Harry attempts to summon it, he is shocked when a shape jumps out of the water and then quickly hides beneath the surface. That short sequence sets-up the peril which surrounds them on that desolate island. Throw that in with the difficulty of hearing what Dumbledore is saying in the film as he drinks the potion, and that may be why.

I think that may be it.

[Show spoiler] Without Dumbledore's muttering, the scene didnt have the same impact. It needed more of his visions of seeing Ariana to set it up for part seven at the Hog's head.

[PS3-Playb3yond]

Originally Posted by gamma626

[Show spoiler] I think the problem was that it wasnt very well written. I can see it being done AMAZINGLY well in the film.

You're probably right. I gues we'll see. Hope it's not a disappointment like Half-Blood Prince. There was barely any fight in that one.

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by PS3-Playb3yond

You're probably right. I gues we'll see. Hope it's not a disappointment like Half-Blood Prince. There was barely any fight in that one.

[Show spoiler]Yeah I wanted to see the Aurors and the Death Eaters fight their way across Hogwarts and up that tower and back down. I also wanted to see Harry and Snape fight a lot more than "Sectumsempra" while the Death Eaters were retreating, oh well.

[CYMBOL]

Originally Posted by PS3-Playb3yond

You're probably right. I gues we'll see. Hope it's not a disappointment like Half-Blood Prince. There was barely any fight in that one.

I think they explained that they felt Deathly Hallows might seem redundant if they had a big battle in Half Blood Prince.

I see what they mean, but the ending still could have been handled a bit better.

I still like it though, even without it.

Haven't seen the DH preview - but I'm looking forward to the series finishing out.

What an amazing accomplishment that these movies have been filming these kids growing up into their characters.

It's crazy to see how young they are in HP 1. Don't think we'll see something like this in a very long time - if ever.