Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

Directed by David Yates, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 follows Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermione (Emma Watson), and Ron (Rupert Grint) as they set out to find and destroy the horcruxes keeping Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) alive. Filmmaker Yates, working from Steve Kloves’ script, delivers a wildly overlong endeavor that does, at least, benefit from typically strong performances and a smattering of exciting, enthralling sequences, with, in terms of the latter, the picture’s hit-and-miss atmosphere generally alleviated by an ongoing emphasis on larger-than-life and completely entertaining action-oriented set-pieces – including a dangerous escape from Harry’s muggle home and the central trio’s perilous trip inside the Ministry of Magic. It’s disappointing to note, then, that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 suffers from a meandering, padded-out midsection that tests the viewer’s patience on a distressingly regular basis, as Yates spends an almost infuriating amount of time on Harry, Hermione, and Ron’s less-than-enthralling efforts at hiding from Voldemort and searching for the horcruxes – with the far-from-engrossing vibe paving the way for a second half that rarely boasts the visceral impact one might’ve anticipated. The stirring finale admittedly does ensure that, at the very least, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 concludes on a memorable, compelling note, which does, in the end, cement the picture’s place as a woefully erratic adaptation that predominantly feels like it should be an hour shorter.

**1/2 out of ****