It has been nearly a decade since the first Harry Potter film was released and in that time we’ve seen the cast grow into adults. Daniel Radcliffe (Harry) has to shave, and Rupert Grint (Ron) could play for a rugby team. How fitting that these children-turned-adults bring one of the best, most thematically adult installments into the franchise.
You’re either caught up with the Harry Potter storyline, or you need to begin with the first film, and director David Yates proceed accordingly. Time is not wasted re-introducing characters we’ve seen for six films, as it jumps straight into the darkening world we left off with at the end of Half-Blood Prince. Harry, Ron, and Hermione are by themselves trying to locate and destroy the other six Horcruxes (Tom Riddle’s diary from Chamber of Secrets being the first) in order to kill Lord Voldemort.
Getting these characters alone is the best thing to ever happen to the Harry Potter saga. They are no longer at Hogwarts, dodging professors as they sneak out of their dorms after curfew. Now, the stakes are much higher: not only could the trio be killed, they could also bring torture and death upon the friends and relatives who aid them. You can’t help but think of Nazi Germany and of neighbors turning in their “undesirable” neighbors (“mudbloods” in Harry Potter‘s case), especially since the Ministry of Magic security teams bear the red arm bands and jackboots.
Further, romantic tensions that have been building between the three are finally confronted: Hermione is no longer a silly girl to the gents, but someone who can ignite jealousy. Yates plays with this tension and highlights their lost natures – well, the boys at least (Hermione is still stuck playing den mother). Radcliffe, Grint, and Watson are finally given some material to chew on, and they do a decent job. Most of the film rests on these characters spending time in the woods not knowing what to do – and they are able to support this drudgery.
Which ultimately is both a blessing and a curse for Deathly Hallows Part 1. In Warner Bros.’ attempt to milk the Harry Potter films for all they’re worth, the final book has been split into two parts. This allows for a run time less packed with breathless action, and more focused on character development. Seeing how these characters deal with their messy situations offers connectivity with the audience that has heretofore been absent from the series (due to writing faux pas as much as to acting issues). This opportunity for more thoughtful pacing is positive; however, the meandering leads to an ending even less climactic than the previous film. It’s as if someone walked on set and said, “Okay, we’re done for the day.” Sure, it’s part 1 of 2, but you still have to leave the audience with something that makes them feel like their time was spent seeing something building up toward a goal- instead, the chapter just fizzles to a stop.
Despite these issues, it is a quality film. The amazing thing about the Harry Potter films has been the amount of work put into creating a believable world. You’ll be dazzled by the elaborate real, not CGI, sets (the Ministry of Magic lobby is impressive) and the wand shootout toward the beginning felt like a piece from a cop film. Even in areas where the proverbial ball gets fumbled (writing, story, acting), the tangibility of the world keeps it together (are you listening Mr. Lucas?).
If you think this is just a kids’ movie, think again: Most of the film is filled with talking and an extremely awkward CGI Hermione-Harry makeout scene. And though the film interrupts moments of perfect gravitas with wisecracks to provide levity for this bleak film, in the end it stands as one of the best Harry Potter films.*
*Alfonso Cuaron’s directorial work with Prisoner of Azkaban is the best, Goblet of Fire stands as an atrocious piece of trash
The Filmsmith 
We need to have a long talk about the Potter franchise. I agree about Azkaban being the “best” film of the series (the way Cuaron treats the story as Harry-centric should’ve been done with every movie in the franchise, because it works really damn well), but Goblet of Fire is actually my favorite of the series. It isn’t as good of a film in many ways, but there’s this amazing tension created by the fact that (for the first time in the series at this point) you, along with Harry, have absolutely no idea who to trust, because you have no idea where everyone’s loyalties lie. Characters like Snape who appear bad might be more trustworthy than characters like Mad Eye Moody who appear good, and Harry is left alone to figure out who to trust, especially now that he doesn’t have Lupin or Sirius to help him out much. The reason this mystery works so well is because of the looming threat of Voldemort returning that starts with the very first scene (which is an amazing scene by the way), and ends with his eventual return and an absolutely knock out single scene performance from Ralph Fiennes.
Prisoner of Azkaban very much felt to me like a son’s search for a father, as Harry discovers the amazing friends his father had who are such good friends that they are willing to take it upon themselves to mentor and be father figures to Harry. But Goblet feels like something more to me because it takes all that away from him, and it is the film in which Harry sort of comes into his own as an adult and learns that he needs to look out for himself because in the end nobody will be there for him but himself (this is literally manifested in the final scene where he is one on one with Voldemort and has to fight his way out, away from all the safety and comfort of Hogwarts for really the first time in the franchise).
Anyways, this post is long enough, but given more time I’m pretty confident I could change your mind on Goblet of Fire.
In my opinion, the first 4 films really nailed it, but for some reason David Yates has not been able to bring what I want to the Potter franchise. But that is another conversation for another day.
Just saw the film. I absolutely loved it, more than I’ve loved any movie in quite a while.
I also agree that Prisoner of Azkaban is by far the best film in the Potter series. I think this (among many other reasons) is in part because the book itself bridges the gap nicely between the first two (which were closer to stand-alone stories) and the last three (which are more ambitious and complex in terms of story-line.)
I can’t quite agree with all the hype about HP7.1 not being a kid’s movie. Just because the kids themselves have grown up doesn’t mean it’s not still a story for kids. Yes, it deals with some adult-like themes, but the simplicity of the storytelling, the obvious use of flashbacks and dreams to bring us up to speed I couldn’t quite buy if I was going to see film truly aimed at adults. That having said, I’m 28 and I loved it.
Pingback: The End of an Era: Deathly Hallows Pt 2 sets new bar for fantasy | The Filmsmith