Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I

[Warning: I have revealed when the film is split at the end of Part I and mentioned some key scenes, one that is not in the book]

Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) stands behind her parents in the home she grew up in, wand poised, and whispers “Obliviate”. As she looks around, the memory charm removes her from every photo with her parents, as she emotionally and physically leaves their lives for good. Meanwhile, Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) watches the sky with concern as his mother calls him in for dinner, and the boy who lived, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) watches the Dursley family he has lived with since he began attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry leave their home in search of safety.

The sheer terror of what these three best friends must achieve now overcomes the audience in the sentimental scenes that flood this first half of the long awaited final film adaptation of J K Rowling’s popular novels. David Yates has finally appreciated the finer details within the book that were not so obvious in the previous film, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (2009), which seemed to focus on the sexual tension between the main characters as it had not particularly been addressed in the five films beforehand. As the most feared and powerful wizard Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) grows stronger (yet fails to make much of an appearance in this part of the film) Hermione, Harry and Ron must leave their loved ones in search of the seven Horcruxes that contain Voldemort’s soul. Two have already been destroyed; one in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), the other in the Half Blood Prince, and this film focuses on one Horcrux, a locket, which results in angry behaviour from whoever wears it for too long. Rupert Grint’s performance is emphasised here, as he wears the locket the most and becomes insanely jealous of Hermione and Harry, as his make-up shows dark circles under his eyes with pale skin he almost appears evil, and we begin to see the divide in their companionship.

The original source material is obvious throughout the film through detailed conversations and explanations, despite scenes where the trio are at a loss of what to do next, it is apparent that since Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001) the three main actors have come far in terms of ability to give a genuinely sentimental and distraught performance. Yates has incorporated a much darker side of the narrative; for every emotional scene a tense build up followed, with a couple of jumpy moments that probably even startled the parents in the audience. A few scenes are quite graphic in terms of violence and nudity; particularly the scene as the locket is opened, and a dark, mysterious ghost-like figure talks down to Ron about him being nothing compared to Harry. Two naked figures proceed to appear; Harry and Hermione, who passionately kiss and are lost in each other’s arms. This scene was a good adaptation from the book, but nevertheless still a bit embarrassing for the audiences who have grown up with the actors, and it appears that Yates has taken some risks with this film that he had not considered before. The soundtrack is striking and sent a shiver up my spine, as with every close up of a solitary character, and even the argument between Harry and Ron, the pianos and violins heighten the atmosphere with pauses of silence before delivering a breath-taking climax which truly does convey that this is the end of such an epic adventure.

Helena Bonham Carter gave a familiar chilling performance as Bellatrix Lestrange, and showed her true colours as an actress in the scene where she tortures Hermione, with her usual wild hair and wide eyes conveying her yearning for revenge and the death of Harry Potter. The film does not involve the other lead characters as much as you would like, but this is of course down to the book, and if you have read it then you will be enthusiastically waiting on edge for Part II in July next year. The introduction of Bill Weasley (Domhnall Gleeson) and Mundungus Fletcher (Andy Linden) has definitely been delayed and some audiences may agree that it is a shame they had not been introduced earlier in the films they should have appeared in, as it feels a little rushed to fit everything in. Despite this, the cast deliver as they should and give their all, and with such a long running time the audience really do become intimate with them. The forest locations are fantastic; the film is mainly shot in winter, reflecting the cold and sombre moods the three friends must fight through to gain strength. The first part is not all gloom, Ron has several comical moments amongst his violent outbursts, and a few crude moments allow some amusements, (“Blackthorn, ten inch, nothing special but I thought you might like it if it’s going unused”), which are thankfully not as forced as much as they were in the Half Blood Prince.

The most intriguing element of the film is its divide. There is no doubt that a lot of money will be made at the box office from splitting the film, along with all the merchandise and deals available at the cinema, however, considering that in total the film will be longer than James Cameron’s Avatar (2009), the attention to detail from scriptwriter Steve Kloves will surely be appreciated by the audience, as he has concentrated on the most important elements of J K Rowling’s exciting novel. Kloves takes the plot one step at a time; engaging the audience with the minor stories in the book, such as the story of The Tales of Beedle the Bard (written by J K Rowling also), which introduces the concept of the Deathly Hallows into the film through an abstract animation with silhouetted figures whom represent Death and the three Peverell Brothers. These three brothers each acquire an element of the Deathly Hallows, which Harry Potter must now find in the wizard world. This beautiful story broke up the chaos and was a reminder that the film is mainly targeted at a younger generation, and because there was a lot of information to take in, this carefully constructed animation gave an easier understanding for everyone, especially those who may not be familiar with the original text.

The ending scenes of Part I were appropriately chosen; they were touching, and we said goodbye to one of the most admired characters from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002). The voice of Dobby, done by Toby Jones, softly speaks “Such a beautiful place to be with friends” as he lies in Harry’s arms preparing to die. This is done so realistically through CGI, his eyes capturing the sadness as Alexandre Desplat really does tug at our hearts with his musical genius, giving us an harmonious farewell as Harry buries Dobby with his own hands. The visual effects of Part I are aesthetically pleasing, however a little manic, and in some action scenes the shots are lost in each other which is disappointing. Hopefully this won’t be the case in Part II, which audiences can expect to be fast paced and even more emotionally challenging.

Due Date

Todd Phillips’ shoulders must surely be weighted from the expectations of eager audiences since his successful comedy The Hangover (2009) that witnessed the road trip of three friends and their groom-to-be buddy.

Phillips has once again used the road trip narrative with the inevitable deadline from Atlanta to Los Angeles; a whole one hundred minutes of non-stop action between effeminate Ethan (Zach Galifianakis) and pessimistic Peter (Robert Downey Jr.), who have been taken off the fly list and must find a way to get to Peter’s wife Sarah (the beautiful Michelle Monaghan) who is due to give birth. This fantastic cast have been paired with an undemanding narrative, however, Galifianakis has once again become the star of the screen and taken up characteristics similar to that of Alan from The Hangover; careful attention to detail on his appearance, the “camp” walk, and childish motives that suggest that he still needs looking after.

Due Date isn’t all comedy; there are a handful of serious moments that catch the audience off-guard, as this collision of opposite personalities attempt to bond on their journey. Ethan’s carefree approach to their relationship soon brings out Robert Downey Jr.’s signature sarcasm that we witnessed in Tony Stark throughout Iron Man (2009) and its sequel, revealing the most amusing moments in the film, as creepy and childish versus explosions of anger and gradual lack of trust. These emotional moments could arguably be completely out of place when compared to Phillips’ usual style of humorous moments delivered repeatedly with a lack of affectionate instants.

The two characters attempt to connect on their mutual experiences, the lack of a father figure and father and son issues. Throughout the film we learn of Ethan’s heartache as he carries his father’s ashes around in a coffee can with the intention of spreading the ashes at the Grand Canyon, and in one sentimental scene Peter confesses the morning his father walked out on the family, to which Ethan laughs hysterically and replies, “That’s so funny! My dad would never do that. He’d love me”. The audience’s connection with either character could potentially be quite strenuous, as they prove to be so different, making it hard to relate to either man’s situation. The deadline theme coincides with the pressure Ethan feels to spread his father’s ashes to release an old life and the desperation Peter feels to get home for the birth of new life.

A few years ago Zach Galifianakis was not a well-known actor, and after watching Due Date it is curious whether everyone’s thinking the same thing – can this man take on any other role? There is no doubt his ability to be a comical figure is apparent, nevertheless his charm is beginning to diminish. Robert Downey Jr. on the other hand delivers a comical performance similar to that of his African American character Kirk Lazarus from Tropic Thunder (2008); although the unpredictable moment in Due Date when Peter spits on Sonny the French bulldog and punches a child in the stomach were almost atrocious. The father issues within the film are reflected through Peter’s anger, where at one point he says to the can in reference to Ethan “You should have strangled him at birth”. Phillips seems to have gone from one extreme to another by replacing the baby Alan is so attached to in The Hangover with Sonny the bulldog; he has gone from making a baby masturbate to a bulldog masturbating and has unconsciously begun to push the boundaries of comedy. He is risking the illustration of situations that could easily offend some older audiences who may not be as appreciative of the hilarity. Despite this, Sonny the dog does bring added absurdity to the film, he could almost be a third human character, as he is very expressive of his emotions through his eyes which is genuine throughout.

The balance is found through the cinematography, a stunning visual adventure particularly at the Grand Canyon which Ethan thought was “man-made”. This point in the film provides emphasis on the theme of self-discovery; as Galifianakis brings us to an emotional peak in the film, Phillips has even made the look of Ethan’s father’s ashes in the wind appear dramatic. The scene in which their car flips and crashes is aesthetically pleasing, as Phillips has slowed the movements right down for the audience to appreciate the facial expressions of both lead characters. Phillips’ application of comedy in Due Date initiates controversy over anticipation of The Hangover 2, due in cinemas next year. Will audiences still anticipate the sequel of one of Phillips’ more successful films after Due Date, which seems to have just bridged the gap for impatient audiences?

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Despicable Me

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This is the first CGI film from Universal Pictures and Illusion Entertainment, and some members of the diverse audience, particularly parents all too familiar with the DreamWorks sequence of the boy fishing on a crescent moon, may be finding themselves a little weary of the numerous animations we’ve had thrown at our screens this year. Toy Story 3 and Shrek Forever After are two that come to mind, although arguably Despicable Me has deviated from this etiquette of talking animals and objects, and instead Chris Renaud has focused on the impact of human emotion, which compared to his work on Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009), he and Coffin have enabled a stronger connection between the film and its older viewers.

The voice artistry of Gru, played by Steve Carell is imposing despite a compelling Russian accent, which at times can be a little confusing not only to the children in the audience. The physical movements of Gru, the way he emphasises his words with his hands and expresses surprise on his face is familiar to that of Carell’s character Andy Stitzer in The 40 Year Old Virgin, making his humour recognised by those who admire him. From the start the audience are acquainted with Gru’s inappropriate behaviour, as he lovingly blows up a balloon in the shape of a dog for an upset boy, and proceeds to burst it with a pin. Who would expect any less? After all, Gru has got some catching up to do to number one super villain Vector, geeky and intelligent, voiced by How I Met Your Mother’s Jason Segel. To do this Gru intends to steal the moon; a “one up” on Vector’s monstrous but successful act of taking one of the Egyptian pyramids, by adopting and using three very delightful girls, Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier) and Agnes (Elsie Fisher).

This is no protagonist versus antagonist narrative, this is evil versus annoying. The character of Vector may have equipped more weaponry than Gru, but his smugness and unpredictable excitement is like that of a child, which is probably why the children found him so entertaining. His status compared to Gru is expressed through the interior of his house, his modernised pad has a shark swimming under the lounge floor and he has a button for just about everything. The film is vibrant, bursting with colour, and Gru’s house may be the dullest, most Gothic, in the neighbourhood regardless of his alligator sofa, but the three young girls bring life and emotion. In one sentimental scene Gru’s family tree is shown to us, with the addition of some very imaginative drawings of the girls, diminishing those feelings of betrayal, misery and revenge that are every villain’s cup of tea. Nevertheless, Despicable Me is not all smiley faces and rainbows, as the audience watch Gru visit what appears to be a normal bank and in fact uses eye recognition technology to enter the Bank of Evil (formerly Lehman Brothers).

This reference highlights that there is adult humour, also emphasised by Gru’s witty one liners and his small yellow minions, who also become part of the girls’ lives, such as joining in with a tea party and a sequence during the end credits as they test the boundaries of 3D cinema. Dr Nefario (Russell Brand), who doesn’t hold the sophistication and slickness of Q from the James Bond films, but has elderly enthusiasm that warms your hearts, and Gru’s mother (Julie Andrews) who takes on an ignorant approach when it comes to Gru’s work, both add moral strength to the plot. The tense relationship between mother and son is shown in a number of flashbacks, as a little long nosed Gru tells his mother he “wants to be the first person to walk on the moon”.

On the other hand, the relationship between Gru and his girls’ progresses as they visit a fun fair together. Agnes’ performance is not the only thing that stands out here – the 3D experience is definitely worth crediting. The sequence where they ride on one of the rollercoasters was spectacular, and felt as though the audience should have been on a simulator alongside it, however this is only one of the memorable scenes in 3D, and I can’t help but feel we have been spoilt by Pixar and DreamWork’s animation as of late. Elsie Fisher really stands out as adorable Agnes in this scene; Fisher has had a lack of experience in the film industry, but she characterises Agnes as adventurous and loveable, a personality trait that is often admired in young children. Singing herself to sleep about unicorns, asking for “bedtime kisses” and stories, and her joy when Gru wins her a unicorn toy, exclaiming “It’s so fluffy!” are three fantastic examples of her heart-warming ability to capture the audience’s affection. It is obvious as soon as the girls enter Gru’s life that they are melting his cold heart, and it won’t be long before they melt yours too in this family comedy.