Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

The last movie promised that number seven would also be a decent movie and it did not disappoint. Though I liked Half-Blood Prince better, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 definitely makes it to the top half of my list of Harry Potter movies.

Although it was long, it was interesting the entire movie. I was wondering if they would end this first installment with Ron's return to the group but it went much farther than I anticipated. This means that the battle at Hogwarts in the next movie is going to take quite a while, which I am perfectly okay with.

Most all of the characters performed admirably. There are not any parts that I can think of that had an obvious lack of talent. The movie was hilarious all the way through. However there were some minor mistakes and two larger flaws which place Half-Blood Prince over this one.

Minor flaws: Bill's scar was not what I expected. I thought it would be much larger and/or cover a much larger area of his face. Though he played his part well, I did not particularly like the man chosen to play Xenophilia Lovegood. I think it could have been more violent. Of the unforgiveable curses I only saw the Avada Kedavra even used and that only indirectly.

Slightly bigger flaws: The camera work at some points was disorienting, specifically when the snatchers are chasing the trio through the woods towards the end of the film. The much talked about nudity scene I felt was interjected specifically so that the audience could see Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe naked and was not only completely unnecessary but out of place. The specific details of that scene do not even happen in the book at all and if they had wanted to put it in then they characters could have at least been clothed. Like I said, it was apparent that they put it in because they wanted to and I don't feel that it enhanced the emotion of that moment even a morsel. It actually somewhat bothers me that they would purposely insert such a scene in a movie that they know many children will watch (and that is probably precisely why they did it).

I loved the character they chose for Bathilda Bagshot.

I am convinced that the next movie will probably be the best of the lot because it will have all my favorite parts of the seventh book. Looking forward to it.