STORYLINE
The wanderful trio gathered with kindred warlocks and witches to develop a strategy for survival against the waxing powers of Lord Voldemort and his band of mordant miens. Destiny calls Harry to thwart his arch enemy, but the wand between them is hard to overcome. Can the Fable of the Deathly Hallows provide Harry a clue? Only if Hermione reasons well the meaning of the sign on the book that Dumbledore left her.
The sword must be seized, and Dumbledore’s amulet, both of which are part of the sign. Although they were wands apart, Harry hurried, but Lord Voldemort hastened as if harried by his own ambitions. The race belongs to the swift. Against all odds, Lord Voldemort wins by a nose.
COMENTARY
I thought this film was tedious. All the special effects associated with this series are no longer “charming.” A large portion of this film was dreary-looking and unappealing. The trio has long aged beyond their former cuteness and appeal.
Although I found Snape amusing still, there were no others in the whole coven that merited comment.
A half-hearted effort was made to suggest a possible romantic competition between Harry and Ron for Hermione’s heart. Harry was seen dancing with Hermione. A misunderstanding arose between Ron and his pals. However, they soon enough lift their wands, as if to shout “One for all and all for one.”
Death-Eaters were flying about threatening decent warlocks and witches.
The Minister Rufus Scrimgeour had warned of dangers to their community but he had vowed to defend it. He soon died mysteriously. The political reins were then seized by a lieutenant of Lord Voldemort, and a totalitarian regime seemed to materialize with NKVD/KBG-type brutes ready to seize and torture, as circumstances required.
In short the Blue Meanies were in control. Lord Voldemort was the bluest and meanest.
What could the orphan of destiny, Harry Potter, do?
When you are a character created by a writer who should have wound up the series a few books back, if only fame and money hadn’t driven her to burdensome typing, you can only hope that wand thing will lead to another - and then it’s all over.
The best of Harry Potter is now a distant memory, and the viewer slogs on – more out of tradition (inertia?) than belief that something good will come of it.
The film opened with a tight close-up of eyes, belonging to Minister Rufus Scrimgeour who pronounced that these were “dark times.”
PRODUCTION KEYS
David Yates – director, Steve Kloves – screenplay, J.K. Rowling – book, Alexandre Desplat – original music, Eduardo Serra – cinematographer, Mark Day – Film Editing, David Holmes/Marc Mailley – stunt doubles for Daniel Radcliffe
CAST KEYS
Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Emma Watson (Hermione Granger), Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley), Bill Nighy (Minister Rufus Scrimgeour), Alan Rickman (Prof. Severus Snape), Ralph Fiennes (Lord Voldemort), Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Robbie Coltrane (Rubeus Hagid), Michael Gambon (Prof. Albus Dumbledore), Brendan Gleeson (Alastor “Mad-Eye” Moody), Miranda Richardson (Rita Skeeter)

