B+
It’s amazing that after 7 films (and counting) there is still plenty of magic in this franchise! It’s the series darkest film for sure. The acting is the best we’ve seen so far, and the dynamics of each character just gets stronger and stronger. Now, for people who have NOT read the books or seen the previous films, avoid The Deathly Hallows at all costs and start from scratch. You will be lost and scratching your head. But for the avid followers and fans of the franchise, this first part of the two part finale is exquisitely executed.

In this seventh and final installment of the beloved Harry Potter series, Harry faces new troubles; he must collect all of the Horcruxes that the evil Lord Voldemort has left behind. He has no idea where these are and he has to destroy them all, even without the faintest idea how to do so. The trio of Harry, Ron, & Hermione find themselves on the run from everything they know and love, trying desperatly to figure out how to defeat the dark lord.

The problem here, is that this is just half a story. It’s HALF of the final book. So really, you don’t get the satisfaction of everything planted at the beginning here. I’m sure when the conclusion comes around next spring, people will be going ga-ga over it. There’s plenty of neat film nuances here that aren’t in the book, as well as a plenty of great stuff from book, left out of the film.

The bottom line: HP7 part 1 is still magical, dark, and completely worthy of your money.