Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1

I remember reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in about two days when the book appeared on store shelves. I can recall being excited to read the last chapter of the boy wizard's adventures - but the reality fell short. Apart from mourning the loss of the occasional character who dies along the way, and the saddening realization that this dark, foreboding story represented the last I'd read of these characters, I felt emotionally detached. It was not for lack of plot, depth, or even climactic wizard battles. It was for lack of fun.

You see, now that Voldemort has come back to corporeal form, has brought all of his Death Eaters together into one big dysfunctional killing machine, and all good wizards (and muggles in the know) have gone into hiding to escape Voldey's wrath, there's just not a lot of good ol' fashioned fun left in Harry's world. That's not to say that the book, like David Yates' visually-stunning film, isn't captivating, even entertaining. But would it have hurt to include a few more broomsticks, edible frogs and oversized, mythical, schoolchildren-eating creatures hovering around Hogwarts? Harry and his friends Ron and Hermione may be grown up and facing extinction, but they've also become undeniably too serious. Combined with the fact that the film (on DVD and Blu-ray now) is "Part I" of the franchise's conclusion, this sad reality results in an awkwardly depressing film that staggers from one lonely, (often) boring scene to the next.

The story picks up at the start of the school year as usual, with Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) about to turn 17, and, one would expect, ready to hop back on the express train that brings our characters back to the school of witchcraft and wizardry that served as setting for the first six films. Not so fast! With the Voldemeister (Ralph Fiennes) mucking about, Harry, Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint) must go into hiding while they simultaneously search for the remaining "horcruxes" in which the Big V has stored pieces of his soul. Only by destroying the horcruxes can they hope to defeat the increasingly powerful dark wizard, whose minions keep doing nasty dreadful things to the good denizens of the magical world. That's not an overly complicated plot, mind you, and it involves months of searching, mysterious research, and at least a half dozen deus-ex-machina assists. To alleviate the lightweight nature of the final book, author J.K. Rowling threw in a final attempt at a love triangle between the three lead characters, as well as a level of pining for his parents that in Harry hits an all time high.

Oh, and the movie stops halfway through the book, of course, which means that when the credits roll we're left harmed, homeless and haplessly hopeless. We'll have to wait until June for the happy conclusions.

I must admit that Yates' visuals are stunning, and the technical team on the picture produced some fine work with regard to audio, special effects and mood. Scriptwriter Steve Kloves has massaged an incredibly complicated book into fine form - although the picture still runs a hefty 2.5 hours. And musically, Alexandre Desplat produced the right vigorous tone for the tense, turgid chase sequences.

But the cast looks - dare I say it - a little bored. With so many characters introduced in the first six chapters, Rowling had to wrap up far too many stories. Some characters she killed - but that was time-consuming to the plot, because they needed to be properly mourned. The result is that much of the more interesting moments in Harry's life - such as his attraction to Ginny Weasley (Bonnie Wright) - are glossed over. In some cases, terrific characters such as Severus Snape (Alan Rickman) and Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham Carter) appear only once or twice for short segments. And some wonderful, well-loved characters such as Minerva McGonigall (Maggie Smith) don't even appear in this installment.

Unfortunately, that means some actors pop in for a few moments of film, and then disappear entirely, and those that are in the film long-term (such as the three leads) are overtaxed in an attempt to introduce new emotional cycles late in the game. It results in an awkward group of characters in a character-driven story - and misfires for its audience on at least this level. There are long stretches when Harry, Ron and Hermione, stuck in a tent out in the wilderness, do little more than wax on about the scenery. Is this Harry Potter or Walden Pond?

But for most, the book worked. And it did so because all of this heavy-handed soul searching catapults the characters into a deadly, climactic wizards' battle in the halls of Hogwarts, culminating in the expected dual between Voldemort and Harry Potter. I'm going to disagree with Potter fans and suggest that, had Yates and Warner Bros. opted to make a single film out of Rowling's final novel, the film would have worked. And yes, it could have fit into a single movie. But this is Hollywood, and we'll sacrifice dramatic payoffs for box-office payoffs any day.

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3-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack includes:

� Exclusive Sneak Peek of a scene from the highly anticipated upcoming film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2

� Maximum Movie Mode - Join host Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy), and other members of the cast and crew, on an interactive journey through Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1. Plus, revisit important moments from the previous films to prepare for the final battle that takes place in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2.

� Dan, Rupert and Emma's Running Competition - While filming the escape scene from the Snatchers in Swinley Forest, Dan, Rupert and Emma engage in a little competition of their own. With colorful commentary by Director David Yates, see the competitive spirit on set and this hilarious rivalry between the three leads.

� The Seven Harrys - See how Daniel Radcliffe recreated the personalities of the different characters that transform into Harrys in the hilarious Privet Drive scene.

� On the Green with Rupert, Tom, Oliver and James - Accompany Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley), Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Oliver Phelps (George Weasley) and James Phelps (Fred Weasley) for a round of golf and get a glimpse into their 10-year friendship that developed while making the Harry Potter films.

� The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Promotional Trailer - Join Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson and other cast members from the Harry Potter films on their first visit to the Grand Opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

� Additional Scenes

� Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1: Behind the Soundtrack

� Standard Definition DVD of the feature film

� Digital Copy of the feature film

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1
Blu-ray/DVD Combo
$35.99
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