Movie review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows ****

Stars: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Ralph Fiennes
Director: David Yates
Rated: PG-13
Showing: Speciality Cinema Thursday, December 2 at 2:30/6:15/9:30pm. Showing week of Friday, December 3 - Daily 2:30/6:15/9:30pm except Sunday 3:30/7pm. For more information about film times, call 292-2135.
Runtime: 146 minutes
Fantasy/adventure

The penultimate episode of the Harry Potter series — the first half of the seventh book in the popular series.

The franchise has been the biggest movie event of the generation with millions of fans worldwide desperate for the final installments to hit the big screen.

Critics and cynics have slammed the decision to turn the final book into two movies as a money-grabbing exercise but given the length and detail of the last novel, it was probably a wise move.

The extra time lets director David Yates give the intricate story more depth and sophistication.

This latest chapter sees Harry, Ron and Hermione on a mission to track down evil wizard Voldemort’s horcruxes, magical objects containing fragments of his soul. Destroying them is the only way to defeat him for good.

But during their quest they also learn about the Deathly Hallows, three items that can give their owner power over death — an undefeatable wand, a resurrection stone and an invisibility cloak.

It’s a race against time to find the Hallows and horcruxes before the Dark Lord and stay alive in the process as the wizarding world crumbles around them.

Every Potter movie is described as the darkest one yet but this one really deserves the title — it’s the scariest and most mature film with plenty of chilling undertones and despair.

Evil forces are dominating and all looks lost. Good guys are scared and pale. Bad guys are sinister and even paler.

There are no cosy, familiar elements such as train rides on the Hogwarts Express, quidditch or lessons.

The colours and landscapes are muted and even the music is more subtle and understated. The movie drags a bit in the middle and it all gets a little Lord Of The Rings — our heroes are hiding out in forests being emotionally manipulated by evil jewellery, in this case Slytherin’s locket.

There are some impressive setpieces, notably an early broomstick chase through a storm as Harry — and several fake Harrys — are targeted by curse-casting Death Eaters.

There is also a Mission: Impossible-style foray into the Ministry of Magic, which is now controlled by Voldemort.

The action scenes are well orchestrated and there are some great special effects, which all help distract you from the fact there is no real climatic ending since it’s a film about half a book.

A real highlight is a beautiful animated sequence detailing the Tale Of The Three Brothers, the wizard fairytale that tells of the Deathly Hallows.

The acting is fine throughout, with the three young stars on their best form yet.

There is too little screen time for favourites like Alan Rickman (Snape) and Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy) but good new characters like Yaxley (Peter Mullan).

Roll on next summer and the grand finale.

Watch if you liked: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.