Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 (David Yates, 2010) ***

Dir. David Yates
Starring  Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Ralph Fiennes

I have had an odd relationship with the Harry Potter franchise. I saw the first five films without reading the books beforehand, but then read all the books right after that fifth film. I've always been a big proponent of judging film adaptations on their own merits apart from the original books. However, that's easier said than done, a realization I've come to with these last two films, both of which I've liked but couldn't completely get past some crucial changes that were made that somewhat water down the emotional impact of a fascinating story.

The latest entry covers events in the first half of the 7th and final book. The familiar trappings of Hogwarts are now gone, Dumbledore is dead, and anyone who is not a pureblood wizard is in grave danger. Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and his faithful friends Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) are now on the run, while attempting to locate the final four Horcruxes that contain fragments of Lord Voldemort's (Ralph Fiennes) soul. Locating and figuring out how to destroy them takes them on a dark and frightening journey that seriously tests the strength of their friendship.

There is no doubt that the film is well made. Director David Yates helmed the last two entries (Half-Blood Prince, Order of the Phoenix), which were remarkably consistent with their tight pacing and confident visuals.  For the most part, that is the case for this one as well. One notable exception is the Seven Potters sequence, which relies too heavily on quick jump cuts and doesn't get really exciting until it starts to focus solely on Harry and Hagrid. Other than that, Yates does a solid job with the several suspense sequences, including a harrowing visit to the Ministry of Magic featuring a return from one of the series' best villains, Dolores Umbridge.

There are three major omissions and/or changes from the book. The first happens very early into the film, when the exit of the Dursley's is chopped up into two lines of dialogue. The second is when Kreacher's tale is pretty much completely excised from the film. The third, and most egregious, change is the final fate of Wormtail, which makes his reappearance in this film almost completely pointless. Dispensing with Kreacher's story is an acceptable omission in light of the time it would've taken. However, the other two sequences, both notable emotional high points in the story, could've been properly done with adding at most 5 total minutes to the running time.

However, it should also be noted that there were a few changes that actually worked very well. There's a train sequence early in the film that gives a nice little moment for Neville, my favorite character in the series, setting him up for events in the final film. Amidst all the darkness, there are a few moments of levity cleverly sprinkled in that keeps the story from being unbearably dark. And one of the biggest weaknesses in the book was actually improved on, as Yates does a terrific job pacing us through the endless forest sequences, even adding some amusing touches like a little dance number between Harry and Hermione.

The main three cast members have now improved well beyond their limited range in the first few films. Rupert Grint has made the most remarkable transition, as this film finally gives him something other to do than be a clown, and he superbly handles his powerful emotional scenes. Still, there are a few moments where the emotional moments seem to be oddly restrained. A notable example is a scene in the forest where Hermione's anger seems oddly restrained compared to the ferocity she was described with in the book. There’s also a slight change in the Malfoy Manor sequence that robs Rupert Grint of a very powerful moment.

Despite my gripes, this remains a solid piece of filmmaking. The movie does capture the book's major themes of friendship and equality very well. In the Harry Potter universe, staying true to your friends to the very end and treating others with respect despite their differences are personal qualities of the highest order. And in an era fraught with so much divisiveness and where not everyone can marry or join the military, it remains a poignant tale whether you're watching the movie or reading the book.