As innovative as J.K. Rowling’s books have proven themselves over the years – pairing a self-contained universe which parallels Star Wars in terms of detail and scope with fictional characters struggling with the same obstacles as their real life counterparts – they have also hosted a number of flaws. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I may attempt to tell an epic tale but it is ultimately tripped up by archetypal characters and lazy narrative techniques. It is somewhat ironic that Hermione Grange constantly espouses the benefits of the logic throughout the film only to be let down by the director and writers at every turn.
One of the strengths of the series is the tapestry of compelling characters although this rich weave is ignored in the latest Potter instalment. Countless key characters are relegated to cameo appearances, depriving the audience of a chance to see more than a dozen experienced Shakespearean actors in action.
It has been so long since Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince that introductions would actually make the story easier to follow. This is unfortunate because eighty-percent of the film focuses on the trio of protagonists, who are portrayed by unskilled and unsophisticated performers who cannot communicate the complicated emotions required to make the film real. Since viewers can only see thumbnail sketches instead of portraits, they are deprived by the depth which had enriched the franchise until now.
On the positive side, the special effects are spectacular and keep the audience engaged when the story drags. Lord Voldemort’s Horcuxes are mere MacGuffins which justify a dreary work that would have otherwise wrapped up the series after about three hundred pages had Rowling not felt obligate to write and write and write. Some of the dramatic sequences are so artificial that readers would have scoffed had they been included in the first book. Harry, Ron, and Hermione only survive because of ridiculous deus ex machina help.
HP 7.1 moves adequately for a two and a half hour work but if it were the sole recommendation to see the final installment, the only reason to line up and see HP 7.2 would be to watch the resolution of a thirteen year story. *½