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Of course you saw it. Everyone saw it.

Kim Hollis: For those of you who have seen Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One, what do you think of it?

Josh Spiegel: I thought it was very well-done, and is the first one of the series that felt more like a movie with something close to realistic characters. Now, I'm an ardent fan of the books and I think the movies have all improved in some way on their predecessors, but the many stretches in Deathly Hallows - just like in the book - where Harry, Hermione, and Ron are by themselves in various parts of the English countryside were beautifully rendered and poignant. If it was a perfect world, the climactic sequence at Malfoy Manor might have been a little longer, but in general, I think it's potentially the strongest entry in the series, if only for being so unlike the others.

Matthew Huntley: I'm in total agreement with Josh about his "realistic characters" comment. This was the first HP movie where I felt I could identify with the characters' ordeal and really empathize with them (that's pretty impressive when you consider they're wizards and witches). They didn't just seem like fantastical characters this time around, but real people with real problems.





Along with its keen character observation, the movie also displays a lot of patience and reflection (perhaps too much), but we walk away more invested than ever, and for once, I wasn't certain of the characters' safety. I haven't read the novels, and I'm pretty sure I can anticipate the overall saga's conclusion, but the idea that the movie was able to make me fear for the characters' well-being is a testament to the film's power. In my opinion, it is not the best in the series (that recognition still goes to Goblet of Fire), but it is close. And, as usual, the production values and special effects, especially with the scenes involving a snake, are exciting to watch. To say the least, it is a very rich film (no pun intended given its grosses so far).

Edwin Davies: I thought that it was great, and whilst not on a par with Prisoner of Azkaban, which is my personal favorite, it is certainly on a par with the excellent work that David Yates has been doing since he took over the series with Order of the Phoenix.

I was one of those people who moaned when it was announced that the book was going to be split into the two films because I thought that it was just a cynical cash grab and that it would make for a long, boring film in which nothing happened. Whilst the huge success of Part One suggests that the former may still be true, the latter absolute isn't. The extra time afforded by the fact that much of the resolution will lie in a second film means that the cast and crew can explore the fears of the characters without rushing to get to the finale as a lot of the other films have done. It is all set-up, and I can see that annoying a lot of people who just want, to quote The Simpsons, to get to the fireworks factory, but I found it to be a fun, exciting blockbuster that also doubled as a sad and mournful prelude to the final chapter.

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