By DAVID MATTESON
The epic adventures of Harry Potter and his allies will come to an end July 15 with the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two.
The predecessor to the anticipated final installment released on DVD Friday April 15. Part One sets the stage for the last battle between Harry (Daniel Radcliffe, December Boys) and his nemesis, Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes, The Reader). Essentially, it picks up where Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince left off. Harry is tortured by the death of his mentor Dumbledore (Michael Gambon, The King’s Speech) and left with the task of hunting down and destroying horcruxes (pieces of Voldemort’s soul which he has stored to remain alive).
There are several moments of cinematic brilliance throughout the adventure story. For example, the opening scene where Hermione erases the memory of herself from her parent’s minds to protect them from dark wizards is touching to watch. Also, director David Yates chose gorgeous landscapes in the United Kingdom to shoot the film. Gone are the dark halls of Hogwarts School; they are replaced by picturesque settings such as forests and mountain peeks.
The movie stays true to J.K. Rowling’s novel; no major changes have been made to the narrative that has millions of devoted followers. Rather than take out scenes from the text, Yates added sequences that even Rowling would support. One such scene is when Harry dances with Hermione (Emma Watson, The Tale of Despereaux) to comfort her.
The DVD also includes eight deleted scenes, including an entire story arc of a conversation between Harry and his Aunt Petunia (Fiona Shaw, Dorian Gray). For those looking to get a sneak peek at the next film, the Blue-Ray edition shows the opening scene; however, it is hardly worth the extra money.
Overall, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One is an artistic and moving film. It will leave any viewer anticipating the final installment in this much beloved series.
Five out of Five Stars.