HARRY POTTER & THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 1 [O]

Written by Funn Lim



"But I would have hoped another 20 minutes on the above scenes would have made this movie into a brilliant one. Do read the book to fill in the gaps."







SPOILERS ... SPOILERS ... SPOILERS

RELEASE
2010

THIS IS ...
An opinion/review on the 1st part of the movie on the 7th and fina; Harry Potter book

MORE INFO
Here at imdb.com

COMMENT
I just rushed to watch Harry Potter & The Deathly Hollows Part 1 and I am very very impressed with David Yates who in movie 6 managed to show the scale of Hogwarts and in Movie 7 managed to show the urgency of the situation at hand. It is a scary loud movie and at times tender and incredibly manages to be funny as well thanks to Rupert Grint. I believe he has taken the essence of the book or half of it and made it almost as good as the book. Luckily this last book has 2 movies treatment because 1 movie does it no justice. Most scenes in the book are in this movie. So I am very very pleased. However a few major problems or rather details in the book not included, therefore made the movie less than the book and sometimes incoherent;

1. I believe Wormtail's death in the movie is different, if he is dead. He should be since in the book he is dead in that scene except he didn't die the way he did in the movie. By changing the way he died changes the entire relationship between Wormtail and Harry and the ruthlessness of Voldemort, that he will even kill a loyal servant, that Wormtail died because of a moment of mercy he showed on Harry. In the movie he died very very differently and rather meaninglessly.

2. After being taunted by Voldemort who appeared out of Regulus Black's locket, Ron actually destroyed that Hocrux and cried. He actually cried and wept as Harry told him quietly that he loved Herminone as a sister and he heard Hermione crying sometimes, missing Ron. That's when Ron knew for sure Hermione and Harry didn't have any relationship as taunted by Voldemort. The significance of that scene is Ron's real feelings, and how he was taunted so cruelly and how Harry responded. However the movie for whatever reason did not show Ron crying or Harry's consoling words. I find it a bit cold. It was Ron's moment, and he should have had that moment.

3. In the beginning when Dudley was leaving, his unrepentant parents did not bother to say goodbye to Harry, but Dudley rushed over and in his way apologised for the years of abuse of Harry. It was a closure for Harry and for his only living relatives, one of whom Dudley. It also shows to us a changed Dudley, capable of good things perhaps, we may never know since we never heard from him again. It was Dudley's big scene and this movie for whatever reason decided to summarise this and totally cut that out. I find it terrible, that in the Dudley remained the same when in the book he changed after the Dementors attacked him.

4. The entire back story of Regulus and how he betrayed Voldemort and stole the Hocrux from the cave and his relationship with Kreacher which shows Kreacher somewhat in a good light was cut out totally. We know who was RAB but we don't know how Regulus got the Hocrux and I doubt part 2 will explain that. This is significant because Regulus was like Sirius, born into a dark arts pure blood family but chose to sacrifice themselves for goodness. I hope part 2 retains the scene how Kreacher is treated with respect and in one of the best scene in the book, how Kreacher led the fight against the pure bloods.

5. I am not sure if it will be in part 2 but I hope the conversation with Ollivander and the role of Griphook will be given justice. I am not happy how Griphook's role in denying the Gryffindor sword in Bellatrix's hands is fake and not the real one. There is a significance since Griphook being a goblin would not have helped a wizard to lie but he helped Harry. That was cut from this movie.

6. I am sorely disappointed the scene where Harry saw Luna's bedroom and saw her sketched of Harry, Hermione, Ron and I think Neville with the words like best friends or something was cut out. That scene was touching to show Harry felt an enormous gratitude to Luna for believing in him and he felt a rush of affection for Luna hence his closeness and friendliness with Luna. I would have wished Harry ended up with Luna.

7. The most significant of all, Harry's anger when he saw Mad Eye's fake eye on the door of Delores Umbridge's office. How his cover was broken was when angrily he ripped the eye out to take with him, angry at how Mad Eye was killed. That scene was missing and the eye remained there on the door. I find that cold and not very like Harry.

8. The entire story of Bill and Fleur just sort of appeared. Might as well just write them off.

9. Why the significance of the visit of Rufus Scrimgeour to Harry is cut out is beyond me. The great thing about this book is it shows how even supposedly people on the good guys' side will use ruthless means to a desired end. Rufus was supposed to get Harry to stand on the Ministry of Magic's side as their poster boy, but Harry rightly refused. This scene is significant. And Rufus' death is even more significant since he knew where Harry was but supposedly he was tortured to death but he didn't betray Harry which made Harry realised he may have been too harsh on Rufus Scrimgeour. I love Bill Nighy but he played this character like an insane sort of guy. The guy in the book described as lion like would have been more formidable looking.

I still feel Harry is lacking the anger and emotional turmoil although Daniel Radcliffe was funny when he had to be different characters. He has a gift for comedy. But the dramatic acting is still lacking. Rupert Grint lacked some anger in some pivotal scenes but frankly he is the best actor of the younger actors. He has serious talent in comedy and I think he did well. Emma Watson improved and I love the fact that the scene of her wiping out her memory from her parents was included in the movie, shows the urgency of the situation and the sadness. However she is way too serious to be the level headed Hermione I know from the books. Good thing is that in Book 7 Hermione has to be so serious looking. But I still don't like Emma Watson who still doesn't seem where to stand in a room full of people; she looked awkward. The adults were all great even if their role is reduced. Helen McCrory was a miscast and also terribly underused.

Anyway I felt some scenes were great, like when Harry, Ron and Hermione drank Polyjuice potion and entered Ministry of Magic as 3 adults and these 3 actors portrayed the 3 younger actors' personalities perfectly! I love how Snape appeared. I love all those scary scenes were not deleted but in fact played out in full. I really love how the 3 brothers' story were told in animation and I find that creative and artistic. I love Dobby! And when he died I was very sad, I was sadder reading his death but the movie did the scene justice. When Hedwig fell from the sky I was in shock eventhough I knew that was coming. I like the fact that Fred and George are given something to do than to just stand around like in previous movies. I dread Part 2 because of what is coming for the twins. I cannot stand Ginny so I am glad her role is minimal. The most waste of space of the role of Narcissa. No dialogue at all, just wallpaper. Draco had some scene but not enough. And I thought Dumbledore was buried standing up instead of laying down. And most of all, the last scene should not have ended with Voldemort getting the elder wand, it should have been a long or far shot of Hogwarts since Part 2 will deal with the great battle at Hogwarts and the destruction of further Hocrux and a major revelation.

I have a feeling the director will manage that well but I hope Neville will be given his day of glory and Ron as well. Very significant roles as well for Mrs Weasley. But I really want Neville to have his day. And more importantly, Snape. This will be Snape's moment and I hope this movie, after 7 movies will not screw up Snape's big moment and the answer to why he did what he did.

Anyway for all my complaints, Part 1 is a great adaptation. You can't have it all, especially for such a rich book as this one. But I would have hoped another 20 minutes on the above scenes would have made this movie into a brilliant one. Do read the book to fill in the gaps.

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HARRY POTTER & THE GOBLET OF FIRE [Mov]

Written by Funn Lim

SOME SPOILERS

Released In : 2005

I saw Harry Potter 4 tonight and I will say visually, Mike Newell is not a cinematographer. Either it is my cinema or the movie is too dark in almost all scenes. Movie 3 remains as the most visually beautiful, movie 1 remains as the characters' most accurate depiction as per the books but movie 4 has the honours of some really very good acting. For once I see the tension and the fear in Harry's eyes. Voldermort's appearance in here, thanks to the brilliant performance of Ralph Feinnes showed to me how cruel, in a rather manic way and evil and scary and dangerous Voldermort is. When I read the book I thought the tasks were dangerous but this movie shows to you exactly how dangerous they are. Daniel Radcliffe gave what I would say is his best performance thus far, sometimes fearful, tense but most of all I see a bit of the real Harry Potter that the movies have never quite been able to show, his sarcastic side. The actor who plays Cedric Diggory is surprisingly very good and I ended up liking his Cedric. Matthew Lewis I think who plays Longbottom did very well too, and so did many of the older extras whose job here is to fill in spaces. The older actors had to give way to Michael Gambon who has a lot of scenes but I thought his Dumbledore did not have an ounce of grandfatherly concern for Potter. In fact when Harry's name was read out during the selection process, the first thing old man Dumbledore in here do was to rush at Harry and shook him very hard, demanding to know if Harry did indeed put his name into the goblet. That to me was so out of character. I dislike his performance which I believe is because the screenplay is badly adapted, again.

Ronald Weasley again has been sidestepped, making him into nothing but a jealous bumbling fool instead of the rather witty, sarcastic Ron we all know from the books. Rupert Grint didn't do too well, in part the character sucks but mostly he had very little to do.

Hermione again became the almost central figure which was annoying because she took the many scenes which should have been Ron's. Because SPEW was taken out, Hermione in here seems more than tense; she seems too serious that I miss the rather bookish, sometimes thoughtful and many times increasingly lenient Hermione. I failed to see the practical side of Hermione in all adaptations and it didn't help when the adapter sees fit to change certain key scenes like Moody's class where Hermione was rather emotional when being such a bookish type she wasn't. The hug of Harry came much too soon and the over emphasis of her appearance in the Yule Ball scene all made me detest how Hermione's character became rather melodramatic. And it should have been Ron who was in awe of Hermione's new image, NOT Harry. Is this movie suggesting a romance between Harry and Hermione? Because it looks like it and Ron in here simply didn't look like he carries a torch for Hermione. Performance wise, Emma Watson had a good character which is made bad because I kept thinking how junkasised her character was as compared to the book. I dislike her quite also because Ron's time was taken away to showcase her when this movie should showcase the rip in the solid friendship between Ron and Harry. That was dealt with like much too fast with no emotional attachment involved though it was funny. Emma Watson is a horribly inadequate actress. She cries much too much, seems much too upset and doesn't seem like the bookish Hermione I learn to love through the many books. I find her character changed too much and the actress who played her much too annoying.

Mad Eye Moody in here is quite neurotic but not good enough. Many liked Lupin because in the end he's the good guy. But for a teacher I thought Moody before we discover the real truth about him was a better and greater teacher. He showed the students great many knowledge that I thought such a pity he had to end up the way he was. Many praised Brendan Gleeson's performance. Quite frankly I hated it. First the way the character was adapted and secondly the performance itself. Doesn't get Moody right. You know who would be just perfect? Anthony Hopkins. Maybe he said no when offered.

Everybody else I shall not comment. Since the book is very thick, it is inevitable many scenes are cut and edited, as many would like to console hard core fans of this fact when their favourite scenes are gone. That I can understand. But many minute changes have been made to the movies that to me is rather drastic departure that somehow the essence of the book is gone. In every movie, a little essence is taken out, the worst was Movie 3 which bears very little resemblence to the essence of Book 3. Book 1 has the honours of being scene by scene but at least I sense the essence of the book there. As the adapter went deeper into the Potter series, he seems to kill off the important elements and leave us with the unnecessary ones and changing many.

This movie is also the same. SPEW is gone, so Hermione is not some rights fighting courageous lady who dares to stand up for others, although to great comic effect. There's no Ludo Bagman, which means the story of the Weasley Twins is taken out. Even the mention of the prize money for the winner of the tournament was curiously deleted and so we won't get to see how much more giving Harry was when he gave his money to the Weasley twins and insists that they use some of the money to buy Ron some new dress robes. It is a crucial scene. Some scenes are out of order. Some scenes are plain ridiculous like how the dragon escaped the iron cuffs holding it and chasing after Harry out of the stadium. How illogical that can be for Dumbledore to allow a student to go through such danger? I mean danger yes but the whole dragon flew away after Harry and I was thinking Dumbledore didn't seem concerned at all. The whole dragon vs Harry scene could have been shortened or at least made intelligently so that some precious minutes could be given to Ron or everybody else. Dobby is also missing in here, and so the one who gave the gillyweed to Harry is Neville but I quite like that change because it gives substance to Neville's character. And I dislike how Hermione is smiling after Krum when really she didn't quite care for him as finds the attention towards him by other girls silly. There are many more gripes about the characters changes.

As for some good scenes, I thought the bottom of the lake was pretty eerie as Hermione, Ron, Cho and Fleur's sister hanging in the water was really scary. Looked like dolls to me.

The one character that I quite like was surprisingly Cho Chang. I may complain about how not to pretty Katie Leung is but I must admit, her big eyes, sweet smile and cute Scottish accent made me quite like her. Performance wise, she had little to do but she was ok.

The World Cup scene was beautiful, exciting but unfortunately cut just when I thought it could begin. Much too soon. The two major complains I have is the missing muggle at the World Cup camping tent. That muggle is crucial because the Death Eaters did torture him in a way and because of so many things cut, the elf, I can't remember her name was also cut which I feel is crucial to the story. The second element is how Harry is so very concerned of telling Sirius of his scar that hurts. He didn't want Sirius to risk his life coming back for him and to take out that scene is taking out the close bond between Harry and Sirius and how he at first perceived himself a bit useless for complaining about the pain of his scar. Dumbledore seems to have changed totally, to a Dumbledore I don't quite recognise because I can't see a regal, respectable and a very concerned Dumbledore. For me Peter O'Toole could be Dumbledore but of course how I wish Ian McKellan would have said yes. The entire emphasis the adapter and director seems to favour is the tournament when I would wish for once they favour the characters themselves. JK Rowling doesn't insert a character for no particular reason and to take away some characters would inevitably create plot holes in the next Harry Potter movie.

One major weird scene was McGonagall teaching the students about dancing. Rather out of character don't you think? She seems more motherly than Dumbledore himself! And the Yule Ball scene itself reminds me of prom night. No complaints, very funny scene.

However, all in all despite the many missing crucial scenes and characters and some really horrible interpretation of certain characters (top of my list is Dumbledore, next is Hermione, then Ron), this movie remains the best of the 4 quite simply because first, it is the least worst in many sense and it boasts some very fine performances. Believe me, Ralph Fiennes alone is worth the ticket price though he appeared for max 8 min. And Daniel Radcliffe is another reason to watch this movie. To see him getting a bit better in each film culminating into this good performance to me is like watching my own son growing up though I am much too young to be his mom. Secondly because it is more realistically grounded. This is due to the lack of magical cinematography, the entire feel of it which made it more like any exclusive schools that you have been to before. But this is also dangerous because what is great about Hogwarts is the fact that it is magical. I don't quite see that in here. The emphasise is not on the set.

All in all, a must watch but if you've read the book and loved it, be prepared for some major disappointment. To me it is not the scenes but the characters that disappointed me. If you haven't read the book, do consider reading it. It is not the best in the series (Book 6 is the worst followed by Book 5, Book 2, Book 4, Book 1, Book 3-plot wise) but it is a million times better than what's on screen. I finally understood why JK Rowling allowed such liberty in changing her stories because it ultimately makes her books look really good.

I am excited that Book 5 is being adapted by someone else. I hope this someone else truly understands the book and adapt it in such a way that won't kill its essence.

By the way the triwizard cup looks very beautiful and the posters amazing.

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