| Posted by Bel | The time is 12.33pm here in Wellington NZ |
First up, has anyone else been saying "Deadly" Hallows this whole time, or was it just me? How embarrassment.
Second up, preemptive SPOILER ALERT. If you haven't finishing reading all of the last book yet, then what are you doing wasting your time here??
Me and three other adults excitedly went along with our token 10 year old to Wellington's best cinema (yes, The Embassy) on a sunny Saturday afternoon to see Harry Potter and the Deadly Deathly Hallows.
The films have definitely gotten bigger and better as they've gone along. Just as the storylines have darkened and the characters grown older, the films have managed to balance keeping pace with the fact that their audience is predominantly children who need to be able to actually view the content. However I do think this film was a bit much for the 7 year old sitting next to me, who was more interested in distracting herself by swinging her feet during the scary bits than being careful about not kicking the nice lady in the chair right by her.
The biggest joy is that the lead trio seem to actually be able to act this time round. Hermione was so painful in those early films, and Ron only enjoyable because you assume he is supposed to be a complete ham. But the kids have all grown up and so has their talent. The dialogue of the script lets them down frequently, but the chemistry is natural and perhaps what we're seeing is their real friendships shining through.
Though it does suffer from a touch of the LOTRs (jewellery that gives you the grumps? ummm deja vu, anyone?), it's the wonderful magic tricks that makes us love the Harry Potter franchise that makes up for it. People disapperate at a rapid rate, everything and anything is accio-ed, potions are flung over wounds for instant healing. Oh and my favourite, the TARDIS-like tent. I could actually get into camping if that thing was real.
My big disappointment was in not seeing enough of the characters that we've grown to love thanks to the film adaptations. Evanna Lynch as Luna Lovegood has been gold, and we barely got a glimpse of her and her perfectly on-trend jumpsuit, while the stunt casting of Rhys Ifans as her father seemed to be on the screen for hours. (Does anyone else recall the book stating that Xenophilius Lovegood was known for being weirdly over tanned? No? Me neither. Harrrumphf.)
The biggest scandal even than Neville Longbottom turning out pretty hot in real life or Emma Watson's post-shoot cropping of her previously contractually protected locks has been the ripping off of an Alexander McQueen design for the wedding scene.
And scandalous also was the deviation from the sacred tome itself, which states that Hermione wore lilac to Fleur and Bill's wedding. Instead in the film she shows up in this number:
Shocking hot red colour? Gorgeous detailing? A-line skirt? Flattering length? Sexy neckline? Sensible shoulder straps? Yep, Lou and I will have one each, thanks. Plus that nifty clutch purse with the Undectable Extension Charm wouldn't go amiss either. Hand it over and all is forgiven for not following the book letter and line!!
Yes! The Nick Cave bit! I have to say that I would NEVER have bothered to see the film if it weren't for the fact it was a fundraiser screening for Clementine's trip, but the dance made it all worth it.
But I didn't remember the fight scenes being so bangbangbang in the early films, that the combat was much more imaginative. Perhaps that's just a sign of me not doing my homework... but it did seem like a James Bond-style gun fight a lot of the time, with... wands?
(teeheehee! verification word is 'fedboa'. yes, I'm sure the muggles studies teacher went down VERY well...)
Oh how I wish my boy was old enough to take along without making me want to tear my hair out for the duration!
I cant wait to sneak away at the next given opportunity (probably 800 years from now) and watch HPatDH!
FEDBOA!! hah!! :D
The earlier films are pretty dreadful, I feel sorry for those caught up in the apocylptic hype who think they'll do the good thing and start from the start and are faced with the wooden exposition of the first ones... (Although, first glimpse of Diagon Alley... squee!!)
Mel, I've said it before and I'll said it again: one word - laudanum.
Ohh forgot what I was actually going to say - the 'fedboa' scene is a good example of how things have really been cranked up.
Remember how in 'Order of Pheonix', Umbridge makes Harry write lines and it scours into the back of his hand? And in the book, it's described as being like torture. But in the movie, he's all 'oww stingey' and we get one look at the scar?
Whereas in this movie, it was quite horrific seeing that woman dangling there wounded, bloodstained and begging for mercy. I honestly found it a little unsettling - let alone what the kids in the audience were thinking (probably too busy plotting their next solid kick to my ankle).
I'll take your Embassy and give you Empire out in Island Bay... Couches!!
Also, agree on the pretty dress, shame she had to stuff it into her bag.
Am orf to see HPatDH (that looks strangely symmetrical) tomorrow with a few friends. Luckily, the evil australian megaplex which is our local is showing it pretty much around the clock, and I thought 7.20 would be a weird enough time for us to go sans bratlets (aka other peoples' darling kiddies).