| Deathly Hallows Pt1: Movie Review by the REAL Ginny Weasley |
| 5 Things I LOATHED |
| 1. Changes |
| 2. Stretch Marks |
| 3. Glossing over Grindelwald |
| 4. Bill's Scars...of lack thereof... |
| 5. Nudity? |
| 5 Things I LOVED |
| 1. Order |
| 2. The Tale of the Three Brothers |
| 3. The Bad Guys |
| 4. Neville |
| 5. The Cliffhanger |
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Harry Potter
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Character Arcs
Muggle Studies
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Narnia
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Movie Review
| For Nerds. By Nerds. |
It’s really hard to believe that it has been nine years since Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was
made into a movie. I remember thinking how unlikely it was that all seven movies would ever
be made, especially since at the time three books had yet to be published.
Yet, here we are, Part I of the epic Harry finale. We may have lost a few actors along the way,
but for the most part, the cast has shockingly remained the same.
There have been so many things I’ve loved along the way, and certainly many things I loathed
about the movie’s adaptation. It is that love/hate relationship with the movies that led to the
coining of the term loave (a combination, for those of you that don’t remember from my last
review, of the word love and loathe).
made into a movie. I remember thinking how unlikely it was that all seven movies would ever
be made, especially since at the time three books had yet to be published.
Yet, here we are, Part I of the epic Harry finale. We may have lost a few actors along the way,
but for the most part, the cast has shockingly remained the same.
There have been so many things I’ve loved along the way, and certainly many things I loathed
about the movie’s adaptation. It is that love/hate relationship with the movies that led to the
coining of the term loave (a combination, for those of you that don’t remember from my last
review, of the word love and loathe).
I had that same attitude towards this film, though while I felt myself leaning towards the
loathing side for Prisoner of Azkaban, Order of the Phoenix, and Half-Blood Prince, I actually find
myself feeling the love for Deathly Hallows, as I did for Sorcerer’s Stone, Chamber of Secrets, and
Goblet of Fire.
Let’s break it down, shall we?
loathing side for Prisoner of Azkaban, Order of the Phoenix, and Half-Blood Prince, I actually find
myself feeling the love for Deathly Hallows, as I did for Sorcerer’s Stone, Chamber of Secrets, and
Goblet of Fire.
Let’s break it down, shall we?
Ron was calm and cool as a cucumber at the Malfoy Manor?
Lupin doesn’t show up at Grimmauld Place in hopes of joining up with Harry?
Harry isn’t disguised at Bill and Fleur’s wedding?
Voldemort doesn’t show up at Bathilda’s house?
Apparently, the writer doesn’t even think he’s doing something wrong when he changes
something from the book. When Hermione and Harry show up in Godric’s Hollow, Harry asks
Hermione if they should be disguised, an obvious reference to the book where they change
themselves into an elderly couple using Polyjuice Potion.
Hermione’s answer in the movie should have been, “Yes, Harry, that’s exactly what we should
do. After all, that is what the author intended to happen, and we should respect her for that.”
Instead, she tells him how unnecessary that is despite that fact that we know that Godric’s
Hollow is a town crawling with witches and wizards who are bound to recognize Harry.
Lupin doesn’t show up at Grimmauld Place in hopes of joining up with Harry?
Harry isn’t disguised at Bill and Fleur’s wedding?
Voldemort doesn’t show up at Bathilda’s house?
Apparently, the writer doesn’t even think he’s doing something wrong when he changes
something from the book. When Hermione and Harry show up in Godric’s Hollow, Harry asks
Hermione if they should be disguised, an obvious reference to the book where they change
themselves into an elderly couple using Polyjuice Potion.
Hermione’s answer in the movie should have been, “Yes, Harry, that’s exactly what we should
do. After all, that is what the author intended to happen, and we should respect her for that.”
Instead, she tells him how unnecessary that is despite that fact that we know that Godric’s
Hollow is a town crawling with witches and wizards who are bound to recognize Harry.
I usually say, please cut, don’t change. When they announced book 7 would be made into two
movies, I didn’t think either was acceptable. Yet they still managed to cut things.
With over five hours of movie time to complete this book, they resorted to elongating certain
scenes. This movie was in danger of getting stretch marks from all of the times they extended
scenes from the book.
movies, I didn’t think either was acceptable. Yet they still managed to cut things.
With over five hours of movie time to complete this book, they resorted to elongating certain
scenes. This movie was in danger of getting stretch marks from all of the times they extended
scenes from the book.
(The following paragraph should be read in a deeply sarcastic tone.)
I’m so sorry, screenwriter—did the whole Grindelwald storyline get in the way of all the scene
stretching??
That’s okay, it’s not so important. Just leave out the fact that Grindelwald was perceived as one
of the darkest wizards of all time, or that he was friends with Dumbledore and shared the
knowledge of his family and other deep secrets, or even the fact that he had anything to do with
the Deathly Hallows.
Just gloss over his character. After all, we so badly needed to see Harry and Hermione dancing
with each other for ten minutes in a tent to some random song while there are still four
horcruxes to be found!!
I’m so sorry, screenwriter—did the whole Grindelwald storyline get in the way of all the scene
stretching??
That’s okay, it’s not so important. Just leave out the fact that Grindelwald was perceived as one
of the darkest wizards of all time, or that he was friends with Dumbledore and shared the
knowledge of his family and other deep secrets, or even the fact that he had anything to do with
the Deathly Hallows.
Just gloss over his character. After all, we so badly needed to see Harry and Hermione dancing
with each other for ten minutes in a tent to some random song while there are still four
horcruxes to be found!!
Bad enough they wrote out the attack on Bill Weasley in Half-Blood Prince, along with his
character and Fleur’s as well. Bad enough they had to waste time introducing said characters at
the beginning of Deathly Hallows to lead up to the wedding scene.
Now, you completely ruin the meaning behind the scars. Fleur, supposedly a thing of beauty,
chooses to stay with Bill despite the scars left from the attack. She is almost insulted that people
think she would choose otherwise.
She is not into appearances as you were once led to believe about her character, and you begin
to respect her for believing in the beauty within.
Well, it must be SUPER easy to stay with someone when their “hideous scars” are actually just
two red crayon-like lines on one side of the face. Seriously, if you blinked, you missed it.
So much for Fleur’s inner beauty…guess that just wasn’t important enough for the films.
character and Fleur’s as well. Bad enough they had to waste time introducing said characters at
the beginning of Deathly Hallows to lead up to the wedding scene.
Now, you completely ruin the meaning behind the scars. Fleur, supposedly a thing of beauty,
chooses to stay with Bill despite the scars left from the attack. She is almost insulted that people
think she would choose otherwise.
She is not into appearances as you were once led to believe about her character, and you begin
to respect her for believing in the beauty within.
Well, it must be SUPER easy to stay with someone when their “hideous scars” are actually just
two red crayon-like lines on one side of the face. Seriously, if you blinked, you missed it.
So much for Fleur’s inner beauty…guess that just wasn’t important enough for the films.
It wasn’t tasteless. But it wasn’t exactly tasteful. During the scene in which Ron opens the
horcrux and is tormented with the image of Harry and Hermione as a couple, the two appear to
be naked.
If you offer me a genuine reason for this, then I’ll accept it as is. But I believe it was simply a
ploy to be shocking. And what does that say for strong, female characters?
We already have Ginny acting inappropriate and purposely scandalous. We don’t need
Hermione jumping on the bag wagon, too.
I certainly love double meanings. I love deep, complex characters. However, adding something
ridiculous into a movie for shock value alone is NOT acceptable in RGW’s book.
horcrux and is tormented with the image of Harry and Hermione as a couple, the two appear to
be naked.
If you offer me a genuine reason for this, then I’ll accept it as is. But I believe it was simply a
ploy to be shocking. And what does that say for strong, female characters?
We already have Ginny acting inappropriate and purposely scandalous. We don’t need
Hermione jumping on the bag wagon, too.
I certainly love double meanings. I love deep, complex characters. However, adding something
ridiculous into a movie for shock value alone is NOT acceptable in RGW’s book.
I read a review that said Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows Part I did not follow to order of the
book.
I can’t say I agree with that. They certainly cut things. They certainly changed things. They
certainly added things.
However, the one thing that made me happy was the fact that they followed the right order.
Nothing was out of place or out of turn.
book.
I can’t say I agree with that. They certainly cut things. They certainly changed things. They
certainly added things.
However, the one thing that made me happy was the fact that they followed the right order.
Nothing was out of place or out of turn.
I wasn’t quite sure how they would pull off the telling of this story. I was just hoping they
wouldn’t cut it out altogether, as they already had with the newspaper articles regarding
Dumbledore and Grindelwald.
After first celebrating in my seat that they included the story, I was thoroughly impressed by the
animation used to portray the Tale of the Three Brothers. Even more so, I loved the tone of that
scene.
Other than the sound of Hermione narrating the story, there was very little noise at all—no
music, no sound effects. I think they were trying to make a point—even though it is considered
a children’s story in the wizarding world, the Tale of the Three Brothers is NOT to be taken lightly.
A shout-out to Ben Hibon, the director of that animation sequence! His next project is Pan, a
dark spin on Peter Pan focusing on Captain Hook and set to begin filming next fall.
wouldn’t cut it out altogether, as they already had with the newspaper articles regarding
Dumbledore and Grindelwald.
After first celebrating in my seat that they included the story, I was thoroughly impressed by the
animation used to portray the Tale of the Three Brothers. Even more so, I loved the tone of that
scene.
Other than the sound of Hermione narrating the story, there was very little noise at all—no
music, no sound effects. I think they were trying to make a point—even though it is considered
a children’s story in the wizarding world, the Tale of the Three Brothers is NOT to be taken lightly.
A shout-out to Ben Hibon, the director of that animation sequence! His next project is Pan, a
dark spin on Peter Pan focusing on Captain Hook and set to begin filming next fall.
For a while there, it almost seemed like Voldemort wasn’t the problem. Bellatrix…Snape…the
Malfoys…Umbridge…Thicknesse…Greyback…Nagini…and even some double crossing from
Xenophilius Lovegood…
There seems to be no hope for our three protagonists against such a overload of antagonists, and
that is what keeps me addicted to the storyline. I feel like if we sat around waiting for
Voldemort’s next move through five hours of movie, we’d be yawning by hour two.
You might argue that this praise really belongs to the book, but I have to give credit to the
movie for keeping it similar. After Prisoner of Azkaban, I take nothing for granted.
Malfoys…Umbridge…Thicknesse…Greyback…Nagini…and even some double crossing from
Xenophilius Lovegood…
There seems to be no hope for our three protagonists against such a overload of antagonists, and
that is what keeps me addicted to the storyline. I feel like if we sat around waiting for
Voldemort’s next move through five hours of movie, we’d be yawning by hour two.
You might argue that this praise really belongs to the book, but I have to give credit to the
movie for keeping it similar. After Prisoner of Azkaban, I take nothing for granted.
Neville had exactly one line. Yet, he certainly caught my attention.
I did about three double takes and practically ventured into the projection room to look for the
rewind button. He was almost unrecognizable on the Hogwarts Express.
He’s certainly grown into his frame over the years, but apart from physical looks, he was
exuding such confidence. That is exactly how J.K. described Neville’s character in the book, so I
have to be thankful for the consistency there.
After all, I’m already looking towards Part II, and we all know how important Neville will be
then.
I did about three double takes and practically ventured into the projection room to look for the
rewind button. He was almost unrecognizable on the Hogwarts Express.
He’s certainly grown into his frame over the years, but apart from physical looks, he was
exuding such confidence. That is exactly how J.K. described Neville’s character in the book, so I
have to be thankful for the consistency there.
After all, I’m already looking towards Part II, and we all know how important Neville will be
then.
I had previously heard that the first part of Deathly Hallows was going to end with Ron leaving. I
don’t know where I heard that because that wasn’t true at all.
Looking back on it, there wouldn’t have been much to the first movie if it ended there. Instead it
ended at another low point for Harry—Dobby’s death.
If they had made this book into one movie, they might have glossed over this scene. They
would have had to save the drama and the sadness for the bigger deaths (i.e. Tonks, Lupin,
Fred, etc.).
Ending the movie here gave them the chance to concentrate on Dobby’s death even more. The
movie also ended with Voldemort at his highest point, retrieving the elder wand from
Dumbledore’s tomb.
don’t know where I heard that because that wasn’t true at all.
Looking back on it, there wouldn’t have been much to the first movie if it ended there. Instead it
ended at another low point for Harry—Dobby’s death.
If they had made this book into one movie, they might have glossed over this scene. They
would have had to save the drama and the sadness for the bigger deaths (i.e. Tonks, Lupin,
Fred, etc.).
Ending the movie here gave them the chance to concentrate on Dobby’s death even more. The
movie also ended with Voldemort at his highest point, retrieving the elder wand from
Dumbledore’s tomb.
In what seems like a shocking first, I am left with a good feeling about Deathly Hallows. There
were some things that could have been done differently, some cuts they didn't have to make,
some changes that weren't necessary, but in all I think they've finally struck up the right balance.
Just what took them so long!
Let's hope Part 2 is just as good.
were some things that could have been done differently, some cuts they didn't have to make,
some changes that weren't necessary, but in all I think they've finally struck up the right balance.
Just what took them so long!
Let's hope Part 2 is just as good.
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