Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 Opinion
It's been months since I've posted anything. It's Harry Potter time and I've seen it twice now (yes twice already) and I have definite opinions. I'm hoping that J will post a recap so I can recap her recap like old times but I will tell you some of my disappointments about the movie. LJ changed so I don't know how to do the under the cut anymore so I have to post it here. Here's your only spoiler warning.
********************SPOILER ALERT*************************
1. The movie felt rushed. In the book, everything took months, and yes there were parts in the woods where you felt like it was taking them forever, but you understand the time frame they were dealing with. In the movie, even though they mentioned once that it was taking months, everything felt like it was done within a short time frame.
2. There wasn't enough detail. I know what you're thinking: They've made it into two books so they are already doing more than they did for the previous books. That may be true, however the extra time was not put into the details. I guess I thought because it was going to be two movies that they would be able to do a lot more detail than they did in the other movies. They left chunks of the book out of this. Unfortunately, I felt like the chunks they left out were significant details. They didn't explain things so I think if you didn't read the book, this would have maybe left you confused on some things.
3. Because of the chunks they left out and the rushed timeframe, it took away some of the emotional impact that the book had.
For instance, they didn't put the conversation Harry had with the Dursleys before they left at the beginning. I didn't miss the conversation with Uncle Vernon, but I did miss the conversation between Harry and Dudley. It was one moment in seven years of Harry's life where you saw a glimpse that he did mean something to atleast one member of his muggle family.
They didn't show (well enough) how sad and lovesick Hermione was when Ron left. And I was extremely disappointed in the "destroying the locket" scene. When I read that part of the book, I actually teared up. The pleading of Harry to Ron about the locket lying and Hermione being so sad when Ron left and then after he destroyed the locket and Harry told Ron that it's never been like that between them, that he feels like she's more like his sister and that she cried every night after he left was something I was really looking forward to being played out on the scene. I wanted to feel that heartache for Ron like I did when I read the book. Instead, they have Harry feebling yelling that the locket is lying. That's it. And then they fall back on a disappointing joke after the locket is destroyed instead of what could have been an outstanding scene.
Hermione's torture scene was very short and although she did a good job with her crying and screaming, they didn't show Ron's torment over it, which made it fall short of the book book's emotions.
And then there was the Dobby dying scene. Although I do think that it was well done as far as Harry being emotional over Dobby dying, I felt like because it was only the three of them burying him instead of everyone, took away the respect that Dobby had earned. Strange as this sounds, I don't think it was a proper tribute to him.
4. The book detailed Voldemorte's moves more, which made you realize the constant danger they just barely escaped. There is none of that in the movie. With the exception of the 7 Potters chase scene, Voldemorte never seems to be close to catching Harry. Even at Godrics Hollow when Voldemorte was basically coming in the window when Harry and Hermione disapparated, he wasn't anywhere in that scene.
5. I like Ron and Hermione together and Harry and Ginny together. I wouldn't hate them with other people, those are just the people I like them with best. There was something subtley sexy about the scene where Ginny asks Harry to zip her dress up. Kind of risque for a Harry Potter movie, but it was definitely sexy.
I'm not sure what vibe they were going for in the scene where Harry asks Hermione to dance in the tent, but to me, it definitely gave off a sexual vibe. I felt myself kind of sit up and go whoa, where are they going with this, it wasn't in the book like this. It turned out to not be sexual, but there were definite sexual undertones to me and it made me wonder if they did that for the Harry/Hermione shippers.
6. They didn't explain any of the radio station stuff and you didn't get to hear any of that. Just random fuzzy radio in the background that got on Harry's nerves, lol.
7. Dobby stuns Peter Pettigrew rather than the hand that Voldemorte gave him killing him. Not the same effect or message.
8. They didn't go through any of the Kreacher stuff with Harry giving him the locket and Kreacher changing his loyalty to Harry (and Ron and Hermione). That would have been good comedy (for Harry trying to soothe him) rather than the forced comedy they did do.
Quick List of the Good Stuff
1. Ron seemed more mature and grown up in this one. He had more of a physical presence as well.
2. Snape. He showed with subtlety that the Charity thing bothered him while still playing the roll.
3. Malfoy doesn't want to kill Harry. Same as in the book but Tom Felton did a really good job showing it without words.
4. Not in the book but the first scene with Hermione obliterating her parents memory of her, so sad.
5. Ron telling how Hermione whispering his name became a light which became a ball of light which went through his chest (heart) which lead him to them. *sigh* How could you not love that.
6. The conversation where Ron asks Harry how long he thinks Hermione will be mad at him and Harry says, keep talking about the ball of light that touched his heart and it won't be long, lol. One of my favorite parts. Good stuff!
7. Hermione taking care of Ron after he splinched.
8. Dobby!
9. NEVILLE! Completely gratuitous scene, yes, but I love me some Neville so I'm good with it *grins*.
10. Harry running to Ron and Hermione and hugging them after the 7 Potters scene.
There are more, but this is all I'm going to list out now. I know it sounds like I might not have liked the movie. That's not the case. I did. But with them making two movies out of one book, I thought it would be more. Maybe they should have made three movies out of the last book, lol. At any rate, I'd love to hear your opinion on the movie.
********************SPOILER ALERT*************************
1. The movie felt rushed. In the book, everything took months, and yes there were parts in the woods where you felt like it was taking them forever, but you understand the time frame they were dealing with. In the movie, even though they mentioned once that it was taking months, everything felt like it was done within a short time frame.
2. There wasn't enough detail. I know what you're thinking: They've made it into two books so they are already doing more than they did for the previous books. That may be true, however the extra time was not put into the details. I guess I thought because it was going to be two movies that they would be able to do a lot more detail than they did in the other movies. They left chunks of the book out of this. Unfortunately, I felt like the chunks they left out were significant details. They didn't explain things so I think if you didn't read the book, this would have maybe left you confused on some things.
3. Because of the chunks they left out and the rushed timeframe, it took away some of the emotional impact that the book had.
For instance, they didn't put the conversation Harry had with the Dursleys before they left at the beginning. I didn't miss the conversation with Uncle Vernon, but I did miss the conversation between Harry and Dudley. It was one moment in seven years of Harry's life where you saw a glimpse that he did mean something to atleast one member of his muggle family.
They didn't show (well enough) how sad and lovesick Hermione was when Ron left. And I was extremely disappointed in the "destroying the locket" scene. When I read that part of the book, I actually teared up. The pleading of Harry to Ron about the locket lying and Hermione being so sad when Ron left and then after he destroyed the locket and Harry told Ron that it's never been like that between them, that he feels like she's more like his sister and that she cried every night after he left was something I was really looking forward to being played out on the scene. I wanted to feel that heartache for Ron like I did when I read the book. Instead, they have Harry feebling yelling that the locket is lying. That's it. And then they fall back on a disappointing joke after the locket is destroyed instead of what could have been an outstanding scene.
Hermione's torture scene was very short and although she did a good job with her crying and screaming, they didn't show Ron's torment over it, which made it fall short of the book book's emotions.
And then there was the Dobby dying scene. Although I do think that it was well done as far as Harry being emotional over Dobby dying, I felt like because it was only the three of them burying him instead of everyone, took away the respect that Dobby had earned. Strange as this sounds, I don't think it was a proper tribute to him.
4. The book detailed Voldemorte's moves more, which made you realize the constant danger they just barely escaped. There is none of that in the movie. With the exception of the 7 Potters chase scene, Voldemorte never seems to be close to catching Harry. Even at Godrics Hollow when Voldemorte was basically coming in the window when Harry and Hermione disapparated, he wasn't anywhere in that scene.
5. I like Ron and Hermione together and Harry and Ginny together. I wouldn't hate them with other people, those are just the people I like them with best. There was something subtley sexy about the scene where Ginny asks Harry to zip her dress up. Kind of risque for a Harry Potter movie, but it was definitely sexy.
I'm not sure what vibe they were going for in the scene where Harry asks Hermione to dance in the tent, but to me, it definitely gave off a sexual vibe. I felt myself kind of sit up and go whoa, where are they going with this, it wasn't in the book like this. It turned out to not be sexual, but there were definite sexual undertones to me and it made me wonder if they did that for the Harry/Hermione shippers.
6. They didn't explain any of the radio station stuff and you didn't get to hear any of that. Just random fuzzy radio in the background that got on Harry's nerves, lol.
7. Dobby stuns Peter Pettigrew rather than the hand that Voldemorte gave him killing him. Not the same effect or message.
8. They didn't go through any of the Kreacher stuff with Harry giving him the locket and Kreacher changing his loyalty to Harry (and Ron and Hermione). That would have been good comedy (for Harry trying to soothe him) rather than the forced comedy they did do.
Quick List of the Good Stuff
1. Ron seemed more mature and grown up in this one. He had more of a physical presence as well.
2. Snape. He showed with subtlety that the Charity thing bothered him while still playing the roll.
3. Malfoy doesn't want to kill Harry. Same as in the book but Tom Felton did a really good job showing it without words.
4. Not in the book but the first scene with Hermione obliterating her parents memory of her, so sad.
5. Ron telling how Hermione whispering his name became a light which became a ball of light which went through his chest (heart) which lead him to them. *sigh* How could you not love that.
6. The conversation where Ron asks Harry how long he thinks Hermione will be mad at him and Harry says, keep talking about the ball of light that touched his heart and it won't be long, lol. One of my favorite parts. Good stuff!
7. Hermione taking care of Ron after he splinched.
8. Dobby!
9. NEVILLE! Completely gratuitous scene, yes, but I love me some Neville so I'm good with it *grins*.
10. Harry running to Ron and Hermione and hugging them after the 7 Potters scene.
There are more, but this is all I'm going to list out now. I know it sounds like I might not have liked the movie. That's not the case. I did. But with them making two movies out of one book, I thought it would be more. Maybe they should have made three movies out of the last book, lol. At any rate, I'd love to hear your opinion on the movie.