Movie Review: Harry Potter 7

Posted 11/22/2010
by Dan Pickles, Staff Writer

People give a lot of reasons for disliking the Harry Potter franchise. The argument has been made that the books are escapism, or literary candy. As for the movies, people often fault them for not being enough like the books – not that this is exclusive to Harry Potter; the book vs. movie argument goes back as far as the first book that was made into a movie, I’m sure. One way or another, Harry’s popularity makes him a target for haters around the world.

You might be surprised to hear this given my status and track record as an amateur hater, but I’ve always had a soft spot for the Potter posse. I didn’t take to it easily, it required some convincing; but once I got immersed into the storyline, I was hooked.  So, naturally, I spent a portion of my weekend hanging out in line with children far younger than myself, waiting to get in and see the first installment of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

The movie wastes almost no time getting straight to business. It’s the darkest of the series, and it begins with – dare I say it? – a wizard battle. (I apologize for using the phrase “wizard-battle.” It’s not something you can toss around too often while still remaining welcome in polite company.) For a young adult series, the final portions of the story are surprisingly dark, and the film does a nice job of capturing the atmosphere of the book.

The rest of the film’s elements – effects, acting, and action – are all par for the Potter course. They are neither too gratuitous, nor too subtle for the story. Chances are if you’re reading this review, you’ve watched some of the other movies; if that’s the case, this is more of the same with regards to the visual aspects. If you haven’t seen any of the prior movies, you’ll want to do so before you watch this one.

I admit that I do view the fact that the movie has been split into two parts as a double-edged sword.  This does feel like half a movie; on the other hand, the reasoning behind the decision was supposedly to ensure that more of the book’s content was kept intact, rather than cut. I can appreciate both the complaint and the logic of the decision. In the end, I think it was the right thing to do, even though many may dismiss this first half as a placeholder to keep us occupied while we wait for the second half – the grand finale – to be released.

All in all, aside from a few scenes of gratuitous teen melodrama, I have very few quibbles with this movie. That’s uncharacteristic of me – especially for something so mainstream. Don’t worry, it’s not because I’m becoming less hip; I assure you that I am as hip and cynical as ever. On a good day, I can hate 8-10 things before breakfast.

I think the reason I have such affection for these stories is because I am an unashamed nerd (have I mentioned that yet?). It’s a big part of why I’m able to appreciate the Harry Potter series, and why I think it’s a good thing for the kids for whom it’s written. There are plenty of stories targeted at children in which the heroes get by on their brawn – comic books are filled with them. The Harry Potter series gives kids – and aging college students, evidently – heroes that get by on their wits and abilities, rather than their fists. Plus, it gets kids to read.

What’s not to like about that?