A lot has changed in the world of Harry Potter since 2001, when Harry first hit the big screen as an 11-year-old kid with no knowledge of the wizarding world: Dumbledore was head of Hogwarts, Quidditch was actually played, and Voldemort was nothing more than an ugly growth on Professor Quirrell's head.
On the other hand, nothing's changed at all: Harry, Ron and Hermione still have compelling on-screen chemistry, Harry still looks like he's crying when he's just cold and vice versa, and the initial magic of J.K. Rowling's creation is still captivating.
David Yates, who is now directing his third installment, has grown along with the characters, developing a knack for compressing Rowling's narrative while maintaining its emphases and cadences. Though "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1" represents only half of the series' final book, it somehow feels like Yates' most complete effort thus far.
The decision to divide the concluding book into two films was an apt one; as is, "Part 1" runs close to two and a half hours, and from a business perspective, it's clear that two films are more lucrative than one.
Despite its length, the film moves swiftly and manages to avoid any dull scenes at all. Of course, there are still awkward moments (Harry's dance scene with Hermione and his zipping-up of Ginny Weasley's dress stick out), but they are so vastly outnumbered by well-handled action and suspense sequences that all is forgiven.
One persistent problem with the earlier films was reminding viewers, many of whom hadn't read the books in several years, what had occurred in the previous installment. These reminders always seemed forced and intrusive.
In this film, that problem is circumvented by excluding any explanation whatsoever, which, though it would seem to leave viewers high and dry, is ultimately much more effective.
Instead, the intricate plot of Rowling's book is suggested but not dwelt upon, giving us just enough detail to remind us of the essentials but not enough to distract us with all that we've forgotten.
A major challenge of Rowling's final book is the absence of many of her world's most familiar and comforting elements. Dumbledore is dead, Hogwarts is totally missing from the narrative, and the early childlike wonder of the magical world is gone. The colorful and bubbly settings of Diagon Alley and the Quidditch pitch have been replaced by bleak landscapes, shadowy attics and cloudy skies.
Without Hogwarts as a secure backdrop, the film is without an anchor; the characters "apparate" rapidly to one remote corner of the earth after another in the attempt to evade their enemies. Though this makes for some beautiful cinematography, it also leaves the viewer feeling somewhat lost.
Additionally, the absence of Hogwarts means the absence of school robes, which have been replaced by street clothes. For the most part, this substitution is welcome, but the wardrobe change becomes a malfunction when Harry and Ron sport horrendous matching velvet vests during one early scene.
Yates also has a few completely new tricks up his sleeve. Fragmentary and blurred camera work during chase scenes as well as generally interesting frame compositions make this film more tangibly and creatively Yates' work than any previous "Potters."
He also inserts a totally unexpected animation sequence that serves as the depiction of a story that's being told. The animation—a cross between anime-style flashbacks in "Kill Bill" and the clever shorts that precede recent Pixar films—proves to be an effective depiction of the story and a refreshing variation in the film's visual narrative.
Also visually refreshing is the slight, but striking, presence of the "Muggle world" in this film. As the three heroes apparate to the middle of urban London and nearly get plowed by a double-decker bus, we are given a rare dose of realism in an otherwise fanciful and improbable world.
Overall, this film is a serious success for Yates; he manages to use it as a transitional piece to set up the grand finale, but also manages to create a self-contained and satisfying film at the same time. If nothing else, "The Deathly Hallows: Part 1" will certainly rekindle the enthusiasm that this series deserves and leave audiences impatient for the final chapter.