Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 is as dark as it can get. The movie has grown along with its characters (and original audience), so it's no longer quite the typical made-for-kids adventure film.
In one of the first scenes, an overcast sky dominates as the Dursleys, the family that raised Harry, are in a hurry to move out from their house, leaving the boy wizard alone. The scene sets the dark, grim tone of the movie.
This observation was validated during a special screening in Dubai on Monday night when a child was overheard crying during one of the scarier scenes. The action is intense and jarring, such as torture scene involving Hermione (Emma Watson), making it much more like an adult thriller than a children's adventure movie.
Speaking of action, I think some of the special effects would have looked wonderful on 3D. The action isn't kept up throughout the film: midway, I found Harry, Hermione and Ron's (Rupert Grint) camping trip boring to say the least. On the bright side, it did feature some amazing scenery and some dramatic shots, which could help arouse the senses if one gets bored by the repetitive camping scenes (one was tempted to think that the tent was a main character, considering the number of prominent shots it was given).
While it was not very dramatic, the film's ending leaves me looking forward to the second part, which is scheduled to be released mid-2011. Despite the sharp change in tone, the movie is still very entertaining and even manages to throw in a few genuinely funny scenes, including one with multiple Harry Potters.
A must-watch for both Potter fanatics and non-fans.
