As hundreds of fans from all over the region crammed into the AMC theatre in Schererville, Ind. to see "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1," it started to dawn on them: Harry Potter is almost over.
Some fans even started to countdown to the beginning of the movie, which debuted at midnight Nov. 19. "Five minutes!" exclaimed a group of fans, decked out in Harry Potter apparel from scarves and robes, to scars and glasses. As the theatre grew dark and the trailers ran their course, squeals of excitement and dire anticipation rose to a startling level.
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1," takes the trio of Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) , Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) and Ronald Weasley (Rupert Grint) out of Hogwarts and into the real world. After their safety nets are destroyed, the trio realizes how very real and very scary this world is getting. Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes), the evil wizard who has been after Harry since he was a baby, is looking for one of the Deathly Hallows, a gift from the Grim Reaper. Meanwhile, Harry and his friends trek out to find and destroy items called Horcruxes, which each hold part of Voldemort's being. By destroying these Horcruxes, they destroy part of the otherwise immortal Voldemort.
While in line, some fans chimed in their feelings about their beloved franchise reaching its end.
"I'm going to die," lamented one Potter fan, Christina Terry. She has been a fan ever since third grade and has been to every single midnight showing of the film, so it is easy to see her love for the franchise.
"It's really sad. I really like this series because the [whole thing] just comes to life on screen," said Leslie Lopez, who became a fan of the movies before the books. The turnout for the midnight showing was impressive as they filled five theatres with about 1,000 Harry Potter fanatics.
Since this is the beginning of the end for the franchise, all the actors and actresses pulled out the big guns. The best example is Rupert Grint, who took his performance to new heights as Ronald Weasley. Usually seen in most of the movies as the comic relief or the shy red-head with not much input or say, this time around he adds an air of jealousy to his otherwise comedic role, showing distrust in his friends who seem to be getting too chummy for his tastes.
Along with Grint, Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe show off their acting prowess as well. One scene in the film deals with Hermione having to tie up a few loose ends in her family, which is incredibly moving and, although it was not in the book, allows viewers to have more feeling towards Hermione as she usually just comes off as a know-it-all. Daniel Radcliffe also has a big scene and left the entire audience sniffling and grabbing for tissue.
However, the kids are not the only ones who stood out in the cast; the adults were nothing short of amazing. Helen Bonham Carter, who plays sadistic dark wizard Bellatrix Lestrange, causes the audience to cringe and snarl whenever she makes an appearance on the screen. Ralph Fiennes proved once again why his Voldemort is one of the greatest villains to grace the silver screen.
All other technical aspects of the film continue to improve on the high standards set by the franchise. The CGI of the creatures in this film are amazing and more life-like, especially those used to create Dobby, who was last seen in the "Chamber of Secrets" helping Harry Potter throughout his 2nd year at Hogwarts.
The locations in this film are not only breathtaking, but spot-on as they make the characters seem so small in this enormous world crumbling around them. David Yates, third time Potter director, took aspects of the book and seamlessly placed them into the movie without making it seem clustered or dull.
The three heroes have grown up since their first time on screen, and it is apparent this is not a children's film. There were scenes uncomfortable even for 20-year-olds to see, as well as some sensuality involved.
These films have grown darker over time and show no signs of stopping. Within the fantasy genre, it would seem like an impossible task to gain acceptance of fans and non-fans with an all-conclusive movie, but Yates pulls it off.
Since the action was mainly withheld for Part 2, the raw emotion is what pulled the audience through until the end of the movie. The cliff-hanger leaves audiences in a dark and hopeless place, and it could not have been a more perfect start to close such a beloved franchise—by making the audience sob into their popcorn.
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1" receives a 9 out of 10.
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