These are dark days. Voldemort is rising, the boy wizard is running for his life and soon countless British actors will find themselves out of work. Yes, the saga that has kept every British thesp worth their salt off the dole queues over the last decade is finally drawing to a close. The decision to split the final book into two features may cause consternation in fans who are loathe to wait until February for the conclusion but on the evidence of Part 1, it will be worth it.
We rejoin Harry, Ron and Hermione still searching for those pesky horcruxes but as Voldemort infiltrates the Ministry of Magic the trio are forced into exile. Wandering the most remote areas of the English countryside, they find themselves truly on their own for the first time; without Dumbledore and without the safety net of Hogwarts. This marks a huge turning point in the series as we approach its climax and Deathly Hallows is certainly the darkest of the series to date. The most striking and mature revelation is the new tone of uncertainty that pervades not only the relationships between the characters but also the narrative itself. The weight lying on their shoulders is considerable and suddenly the odds seem insurmountable as their allies diminish and they find themselves without plan or hope.
The decision to split the final film has given this air of stasis and confusion time to grow and gives the young actors more time to shine than in any of the previous films. Yates’ palette of dark, smoky greys and bleak landscapes are the perfect reflection of this mood as paranoia splits the once inseparable friends.
So, Deathly Hallows is an intelligent and thoughtful film but this is not to say that it is lacking in action. Harry’s time in exile is punctuated by some memorably spectacular action sequences including magical takes on those action staples the motorway car chase and the barroom shoot out. Yates handles the more high octane elements just as expertly as the drama of the piece- each sequence is a tightly choreographed burst of primal energy, serving as welcome breaks in the tension.
A masterful piece of both filmmaking and storytelling, Deathly Hallows Part 1 does justice to a series of films that for many has been a friend over the past ten years. Roll on Part 2.