Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 [Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray] [2017] [Region Free]

Over the last five weeks I have watched all the Harry Potter films. I read the books when they first came out and have now managed to watch all the films. It certainly holds the attention and offers a story with plenty of twists ans turns. Definitely worth watching.

Really? In 2021? The film's native aspect is 21:9 but plays back with black bars at the top and bottom. Not everyone is watching on a 16:9 display. The "usual" widescreen fixer extensions had no effect on the video at all. Stuck with black bars at top/bottom and therefore left/right as well as the video doesn't fill my monitor.

I was very skeptical before I saw this film about whether it could find it's feet and satisfy the many Harry Potter fans who have waited so long to see this epic story brought to a close.Not since 'prisoner of Azkaban' have I really felt justice had been done to the books, and though lots of reviews say 'stop going on about the book' ,it is important to many of the fans, J.K Rowling wrote such a fantastic series of books, it would be such a shame if we didn't.All that said, this, the seventh film ,has restored my faith and has finally brought some balance back to the series and can stand beside the first three with it's head held high.The tone of the film is felt immediately, no more Hogwarts, no more children, they are all grown up and ready to fight the dangerous battle which awaits.It is a nicely rounded film with some humour, some tears, plenty of action and lots of old faces we haven't seen for a while. I was particularly pleased to see Dobby and they managed that part of the book perfectly.The ending of this first part felt just right, plenty in this film and plenty to look forward too in the second part, I wasn't sure they would be able to break it up in to two solid films but again I was pleasantly surprised.Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson carry most of the film and do an excellent job of it but there are some fantastic performances from Rupert Grint and Helena Bonham-carter and of course Ralph Fiennes who got Voldermort to a T.I can't wait to see part two now, I hope they make sure the last one is the best and go out on a high.

As the ultimate wizarding battle between good and evil draws ever closer, Harry, Hermione and Ron bunk off from Hogwarts to go search for the "Horcruxes" with which to halt the ever stronger Voldermort and his army, on the way they learn the importance of the Deathly Hallows artifacts.So this is the one that see the comfort confines of Hogwarts left behind as our intrepid trio of best pals hit the mountains and forests in search of the tools to stop old snake face in his tracks. In what is ultimately a chase/escape movie, one where the characters have to fight not only a number of challenges that come their way, but also their new found in-fighting capabilities, Deathly Hallows 1 wonderfully dangles the carrot for the final series entry to come. But the overriding thoughts you come away with from it is that firstly it's not really that much fun, and secondly that it shouldn't have been a stand alone movie. Too much of it plods where exposition and padding strains to get the film through its near two and half hour running time. Without the hustle and bustle of Hogwarts, and the myriad of characters that reside within, film struggles to escape the over reliance on just three central characters and a ream of MacGuffins. While some of the comedy and tender moments falls flat because tone is firmly pitched at dark clouds a gathering. However, where it does reward is with the action sequences, with David Yates once again proving he's a considerable talent when it comes to directing such passages.New additions to the cast list feature Rhys Ifans, Peter Mulan and Bill Nighy, all welcome, and all sadly underused. As is the return of some older characters from earlier series entries (do you remember John Hurt was in the first film?!). While the thread involving the Ministry of Magic, and its nasty transformation into a Nazi like call for non-magical folk ethnic cleansing, is supremely adult and hits the nerves it should do. Of the three principal young adult actors, it's still Emma Watson leading the way on ability, but alongside her, Radcliffe and Grint have earned our love and respect over the years for having to carry the weight of such expectation that has come with these roles. Fact is, is that now, having grown up with them and their characters for over ten years, we surely accept them as not being multi ranged child actors....Tension is high and the magical moments engaged big time, but the draggy nature of the beast makes this a film purely working as an appetiser to something sure to be far bigger and better. 6/10

This one hits the mark in all the right ways. It just doesn't seem rushed at all, and for that we have to applaud the decision to split the final book in two. Finally we get a Harry Potter film which isn't desperately trying to cram too much plot into too short a span. The cinematography is superb throughout and there is time to sit back and soak up the atmosphere. I got a real sense of the enormity of the the task Harry and friends were trying to accomplish. Sure there are some great action sequences but I thought it excelled at creating menace out of the darkness and melancholy out of the isolated British countryside. It seemed like the films had matured in the same way the books did. Gone are the protective walls of Hogwarts and the comforting presence of Dumbledore and Hagrid, the parties, Quidditch matches, classrooms and dorms. Even Christmas has grown up - no longer the exuberance of presents, snow fights and trips to Hogsmeade but rather the more reflective and sombre occasion it sometimes becomes as we grow older, here shown at the graveyard at Godric's Hollow. Previously my favourite scene from the movies had been Harry meeting Buckbeak for the first time in Prisoner of Azkaban but there are a wealth of great scenes in this one too, some quite unexpected like Harry and Hermione dancing in the tent, the ethereal Patronus doe in the dark of the forest, Hermione remembering her childhood in the icy Forest of Dean and the pell mell chase through the trees pursued by the Snatchers. Most importantly though the friendship and bond shared by Harry, Ron and Hermione really comes across strongly, which is what should always be at the heart of all of the Harry Potter books and films. I'm certainly looking forward to seeing the final two halves together when the last film is finally in our hands - it's going to be amazing.