Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

The Harry Potter franchise is perhaps the finest example of serial story telling in film history. Really, can you think of anything else that comes close? This is the seventh film and there's still one left to go. While the earlier films were somewhat light and formulaic, director David Yates has done a masterful job of gradually shifting the tone since Order of the Phoenix. The bleak tone established at the end of Half-Blood Prince carries over immediately to Deathly Hollows as Harry and his friends are fugitives on the run from the usual dark forces. This is a welcome change-up from previous installments, though I sort of miss Hogwarts. One of the strongest sequences has Harry, Ron, and Hermione sneaking into the corrupt Ministry of Magic while donning some crafty disguises. The scene has all the pacing of a tense espionage film. Other parts feel more like a road movie, but without a car. Harry and friends are truly outcasts and spend most of their time in the wilderness, seeking out Voldemort's Horcruxes. Apparently these magical items must be destroyed to defeat he who must not be named. But despite the destruction of one Horcrux, the dark lord appears to be just as powerful as ever, as revealed in the final scene. For the most part, this film is a setup for the final confrontation between good and evil. But at no point does it feel like filler before the main event. There's a lot going on here, particularly when it comes to the development of the core trio the series has been following all these years. I've never read the books and have avoided spoilers as much as possible, so I really have no clue how this all will end. Looks like I'll have to wait a few more months.