Steve Kloves

Teenage wizards are on the run from magical fascists.

I was unimpressed with the book, which I found unmemorable (except for the bits that were supposed to be sad, which I thought were funny thanks to their persistent frequency). I enjoyed this movie quite a bit, though, despite its faults - e.g., not explaining every detail. But I don't really care that they didn't explain little things like the mirror Harry keeps looking into. Presumably it's not important to the story, and there's enough show more important stuff for them to spend the Explaining Time explaining. And if there weren't six other movies and a book that you could assume contained the answers, you might think of it as intriguingly mysterious rather than carelessly unexplained. In fact, I'd say it's that sort of thing that makes this movie work. They don't spend three hours cramming every detail into the movie to make sure the audience gets everything they would get from the book, like they do in some of the other Harry Potter movies. Instead, they just tell the story. It has room to breath. Its focus is appropriately narrow for a movie. And most importantly, there are only three main characters. As I recall, the books only ever had three main characters; now one of the movies can say the same thing. They get to develop, and Have Scenes, and even do some acting.

Concept: B
Story: B
Characters: B
Dialog: B
Pacing: C
Cinematography: A
Special effects/design: A
Acting: B
Music: B

Enjoyment: A

GPA: 3.2/4 show less

In the first film installment of the end of the Harry Potter series, Harry and his best friends Ron and Hermione strike out alone to find and destroy Lord Voldemort’s remaining horcruxes to save the world. The film adaptation by Steve Kloves, directed by David Yates, manages to follow the essence of Rowling’s story while adding special touches that only film could. These touches are not limited to amazing special effects and a gorgeous animated segment, the film also provides visual show more reinforcement of the range of emotion the main characters face, and their ultimate courage in facing what seem to be insurmountable odds. This is perhaps most evident in a touching scene unique to the film in which Harry and Hermione attempt to fight off despondency with an impromptu melancholy dance. This film is a must-have for public libraries and high school media libraries that invest in feature films. Parallels between this story and events leading up to and during World War II could offer interesting teaching opportunities in schools. However, due to violence and death the film should be personally reviewed by middle school media specialists before purchase. show less

This is a nice conclusion to the long drawn out series, but WHY ON EARTH does everybody have to get married at the end? Hey, I've been married for 27 years, so I have nothing against it, but there is really nothing to prepare us for it, and what kind of message is it supposed to send? How long before Harry and Hermione have an affair and Ron shoots one or both of them? Or casts some sort of spell. Whatever. After watching the whole series, I had no desire for another installment, but it was show more quite an experience to watch the three main actors grow up. Radcliffe, in particular, was amazing to be able to play a character with such high expectations and pull it off. show less

This review is from an adult who has NOT read the books. I find this film series wildly uneven and a bit mystifying for several reasons:

1) There are just way too many characters flitting in and out, and it isn't apparent what the importance (if any) of a lot of them is. Even if they are played by great actors, such as Gary Oldham, it is stilll confusing.
2) Did J.K. Rowling have any idea where the story was going when she started writing it? In so much of it, Voldemort is just an show more afterthought. We have long parts of the plot devoted to things such as the visit from the French school for wizards. What is that all about? How is it important to the overall plot? And don't even get me started on the episode when Hermoine and Ron are not on speaking terms with Harry. Since the relationship between them and the strenth of those actors is what pulls a viewer through the series despite the occasional mediocrity, this is maddening.
3) Why does everyone get married at the end? (Sorry; I'm jumping ahead to the last film, which isn't in this set!)
4) For an arch villain, Voldemort is not very interesting.
5) Why do some characters who seem so important at first, such as the Malfoys, have a distinct lack of screen time toward the end of the series?

I could go on, but you're probably mad enough at me already. What makes the films worth watching is the actors, especially Daniel Radcliffe, who has the toughest job and manages to pull it off, even while growing up in the process. Hermoine is also good, but annoying--why does the female character seem to always inherit that role? Ron is well played, but falls short of Sam in The Lord of the Rings as a best friend. Lots of the supporting cast are stellar--too many in fact to name. Even some of the ones whose purpose I have no idea of... show less