Sunday, November 21, 2010

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

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We went to see the much awaited Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 this weekend. Having just read book seven within the past year, I was wondering how they would make this book into a movie.  The first half of the book is full of quiet moments of uncertainty where Harry, Ron and Hermione felt they had no idea what they were doing.  And that exactly what is portrayed in the movie.  The action scenes did not disappoint either with fast-moving magic and effects.  Adam said it was simply "awesome".

Adam and I sat next to each other during the movie and we kept whispering to each other what was coming next.  This was actually the first of the Harry Potter movies that we've seen in the movie theaters.  Previously, I felt that it would be too intense for the kids, although we've seen them all on DVD.  During the movie, I got a little concerned if six-year-old Dova was getting too frightened, but she said it was fine afterward.  Then again, this girl is completely fearless.

*** Spoiler alert past this point! ***

This was the second Harry Potter movie that Adam and I have watched where we have read the books beforehand.  In some ways, this ruins how the plot unfolds, but in other ways, it adds to the anticipation when a bad scene is coming up.  In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince I was disappointed in the scene where they find the locket horcrux.  The book clearly says that the basin is filled with a green potion, yet in the movie, the scene is shot in black and white and the liquid is clear.  They could have at least colorized the liquid green and kept the rest of the scene black and white.  It would have added to the magical effect of the potion. At least that's how I would have done it.
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The Deathly Hallows Part 1 had only one disappointing deviation from the book where Harry failed to take Mad-Eye Moody's eye back from Dolores Umbridge's door.  The eye was shown spinning around in the door, but we didn't get to witness Harry's misjudgment in taking it. Otherwise, the movie was remarkably true to the book.

Doug and Dova, who haven't read the books, felt a bit confused about role of Xenophilius Lovegood during the movie.  Since he looked quite different from the wedding scene to the scene at his house, they didn't realize that he was desperate because the Death Eaters took his daughter Luna.  Doug also missed seeing Hogwarts, which we know is coming in Part 2.

The movie covered about 3/4 of the book and ends at the beginning of Shell Cottage, at page 502 of 672 pages. Part 2 will have to spread out the last quarter of the book.  The revelations will be bittersweet and we all can't wait to return to Hogwarts for the last time.

See these links for the contest and quiz on Asian Symbolism in Harry Potter and answers.

1 comment :

Anonymous said...

I am going to see it soon.