Friday, July 17, 2009

Harry Potter 6, Review *Spoilers!*

I've seen Harry Potter 6 nearly twice, read the book through, and thus am a bit of an expert on the movie. The reason I saw it *nearly* twice is that there was a fire at the theater I saw it in the first night and we were evacuated. The screen cut off just as the golem-like creatures had dragged Harry underwater (I have issues with their appearance.... when I read it, I pictured undead humans, dripping and gross but not disfigured). It's the most suspenseful part of the movie, if for a moment you suspend disbelief, and faith that Potter will live to make another film. And I had to wait 24 hours to see how it resolves; a film enthusiast's nightmare.

The film's aesthetic retained the wholesome and magical quality of the previous 5 films, and the adherence to the HP story is satisfying if not entire. There are significant chunks missing (Bill and Fleur's wedding, for example... since Bill has been absent completely from the previous movies, there was no need to include him in this one. The death-eater attack is dealt with in a different way) but nothing is missing that changes the plot or would be too compelling to omit.

The hilarity Rowling infused into the 6th book is maintained, and most (if not all) of my favorite funny lines are included. The treatment of Luna Lovegood (temperament, costuming, her overall glow) is absolutely perfect. While certain events are merely alluded to (Lucius Malfoy's imprisonment being one), they perhaps necessitate audience members to be following the story.

I'm going to watch the movies in succession soon, to see if they are followable on their own (analyzed as if I never read the books, if such analysis is possible). I believe that by this point, someone unfamiliar with Harry Potter's saga would be baffled completely by Harry Potter 6. Not that it's confusing in and of itself the way HP5 was, but there are things that you could miss if not listening properly and which are never explained (the Room of Requirement being one).

The onscreen chemistry.... is absolutely to die for. Keeping the same cast for several movies seemed to help them become close, as one expects the characters would, and their interaction is sublime. Sure, they're good actors, but being together so long could only help. I'd like to see them develop Hermione and Ron's relationship well through the next movie(s). They don't really seem 'a couple' by the end. Word is going around that 7 is being shot as two films.... I'm not so sure. I sort of think they'll keep it short as they've done with the others, which would not do the story justice at all.


In summation, GO SEE IT. It's beautiful.

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