Movie Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, part 1

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, part 1
(M), 160 minutes, 4/5
A sense of Orwellian menace hangs over the penultimate instalment of the Harry Potter story, underlined in the very first minute by the Minister of Magic's pronouncement that "dark days are upon us".
Muggles associated with witches and wizards are abandoning their homes, or in the case of Hermione's parents, perhaps suffering something worse.
Director David Yates has created a dark, frightening world that gives more than a passing nod to Stalin's Terror or the rise of the Nazis.
Harry is now the quarry as Voldemort and his black-garbed cohorts (and Dolores Umbridge) plot world domination - and with Dumbledore dead the plot is ticking along nicely.
But there's a hitch in that the wands of Voldemort (a very creepy Ralph Fiennes) and Harry have the same core so neither can win a straight-out duel against the other.
Voldemort is searching for the most powerful wand, while Harry, who has already destroyed two of the seven Horcruxes, is hunting a third. Each Horcrux holds a part of Voldemort's soul and the set was designed to keep him alive forever.
The first attempt to move Harry to a safe house only just comes off and the "good" faction is panicky. When Death Eaters invade a wedding, Harry, Hermione and Ron disappear together to try to work out what Harry is supposed to do to defeat Voldemort.
Having watched the three young leads grow up on screen, I am happy to report that their acting abilities have grown with them. Daniel Radcliffe (Harry), Rupert Grint (Ron) and Emma Watson (Hermione) are assured - just as well - when this film is rarely without them.
The only shame is that terrific actors like Bill Nighy, Alan Rickman and Helena Bonham-Carter are hardly on screen at all.
After the tension of the first part of the movie, the central section lags a little (although Visit Britain will be thrilled with all the scenic spots in which the tent is pitched). But the action ramps up again for the final third, including an animated rendition of the story of the Deathly Hallows and a moving death.
This is definitely a part-one movie - the ending is surprisingly abrupt. You'll enjoy it more if you're up-to-date with all things Potter as there's an assumption that details don't need explaining.
But, be warned, this is not a film for the very young or the nervous. It's extremely frightening in places.
Roll on part two.