Friday, November 19, 2010

Movie Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, Part 1

Good review of the new movie on SF Signal, by Derek Johnson.

Here are my notes regarding his review and my take on the movie:

A fair and accurate review and I say this as one that has read the series twice over by now, though the last time I touched the books was a good year ago.

This note of yours is particualrly telling for my take on the film: "...they dramatize it poorly..."

Yes. The film is constantly pushing us from scene to scene so rapidly there is no pause for impact. Or by comparison it limps along slowly, trying to impart a feeling of desperation. For me it all comes back to a constant miss on the setup and execution to make moments that should be telling.

Like the scene where Mad-eye Moody dies. Didn't do a thing for me. The moment came, it left, and I was like, "So?" When I read the book, however, I was shocked.

Yes, the book is long, and yes a lot happens, so of course it will be hard to condense the book into a motion-length picture; but Lord of the Rings pulled it off, so why not Harry Potter? The only way I feel like I know what is going on in the frenzied blur is because I've read the books, and the only reason I care to sit through the duller moments is...because I've read the books.

The movie is not bad, in terms of film, it is pretty decent and features our favorite boy-turned-man-wizard, but it has a lot to live up to. (Yep. Sorry Rowling. It's all your fault)

The movie plays out more as a visual accompaniment to the books than a complete piece. Though many have read the books, a movie can't take that excuse, it needs to stand on its own.

*****
Did you see the movie? What did you think? My wife and I went with a friend to the midnight showing last night. We waited 4+ hours and we still had fun.

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