Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

It’s the beginning of the end for what will likely be herald as the most successful franchise in film history. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, the 7th film installment of the Harry Potter saga, is suppose to function as a spring board for the most anticipated portion of the protagonist’s story arc. Unfortunately, at the core of this film, loyal fans are only rewarded with even more anticipation.

In part 1 of this 2-part finale, Harry and his inseparable mates Ron and Hermione are on the lamb from Lord Voldemort and his minions. Laterally, the trio is also in a quest to find and destroy the four remaining horcruxes, which encase splinters of the dark lord’s soul. In fact it’s not just Harry who’s being hunted, anyone from non wizard or witch bloodlines is in danger as Voldemort attempts a takeover of the Ministry of Magic. With the “Wizarding World” under his control, Voldemort’s only remaining caveat to his supremacy would be the reminder of his greatest failure . . . Harry Potter himself.

The inherent flaw with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 is that unlike the rest of the films in the series, this chapter does not hold firm as a stand-alone story. It’s like going to see an Aerosmith concert with Huey Lewis and the News as the opening act. The only problem is that after 2 hours and 20 minutes of Huey Lewis, he leaves the stage and tells the audience that Aerosmith will be out to play in about 8 months. Deathly Hallows Part 1 is the chocolate cookie part of an Oreo that just won’t twist off; it only serves to set up the cream that cannot be accessed and in the end creates more frustration than satisfaction. The film is simply manic, following the core three characters on a roller coaster ride that spins at 55 mph but only inches forward. Too much time is spent trying to strengthen and crystallize the relationship between Harry, Ron and Hermione. Other fan favorites such as Alan Rickman’s Severus Snape or Mathew Lewis’ Neville Longbottom deserved more than just a one-shot cameo, no matter how the source material was constructed.

Perhaps the eminent factor to this film’s square-peg syndrome is the lack of the series’ most colossal staple, the Hogwarts School. Hogwarts, the school where Harry and his peers have been learning magic for the past 6 films, is one of the most important and overlooked characters of the franchise. To see the condition and state of Hogwarts in this film would have been very satisfying even if it were skewed by dark influences. In fact, that revelation would have strengthened the film’s overall and encompassing emotions to a higher degree than characters constantly running through the woods.

What Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 does manage to achieve is the seamless and continuing submersion of darkness where The Half-Blood Prince left off. David Yates is back in the director’s chair for his third Potter film (Order of the Phoenix, 2007, Half-Blood Prince, 2009), which was the appropriate choice as he carries out the facelift of mood and undertones from the last film. Yates shrouds this film in chaos with more of a documentary “shaky cam,” style to convincingly sell the fact that the protagonist’s lives have turned upside down.

The silver lining to the film’s obsession with the trio’s relationship is that it gave the actors a chance to somewhat expand on their characters. Performances from Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint as Harry and Ron respectively, were just as solid as their past performances. Radcliffe though was able to show a little more gusto than he’s used to with his character as Harry exhibits small flashes of why he’s the “chosen one,” still waiting for his “Neo” moment. However, it was the character of Hermione played once again by Emma Watson that really captured center stage in this chapter. Hermione is the most intellectual of the close-knit chums and takes on the responsibility of keeping them safe in their fugitive status. Watson was able to deeply tap into Hermione’s angst of balancing her love for her best friend (Harry) and her boyfriend (Ron) while simultaneously trying to remain strong and focused on the task at hand.

Since Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 was based on only a portion of a complete book, it certainly plays out as such, and to no extreme fault of its own will most likely be the least replayed chapter of the series. However, there were some golden opportunities overlooked by the writers and director that could have eased rabid fan’s appetites as they wait a long 8 months for steak and potatoes after dinning only on Saltines.

Story: 7.0
Acting: 8.0
Writing: 7.5
Captivation: 7.5
Replay Value: 6.0

Total = 7.2

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Big Fish Recap 11/4/2010: We Did It!

Strike First, Strike Hard, and No Mercy. The Cobra Kai softball team has gone through many things together and has been honing their skills over the years preparing and preparing under the tutelage of the Swami for greatness. The team has championships under their belt, many great wins, but that one GREAT win has always eluded the team. It is almost the Amy we have been chasing since inception, something that would define greatness for us.

Enter the Sharks. In 2002 the Sharks won their first ever Red Bug Lake Championship and proceeded to dominate the league relentlessly for nearly the next decade. The Sharks beat up on a young and up and coming Cobra Kai team many times over the years without mercy. They even made it personal by signing our 2008 1st round draft pick and rookie phenom AC after only 2 promising seasons with the Kai.

Well, sometimes when you want something so bad it becomes your every obsession. Our team never admitted it but a win over the sharks was the one pelt we wanted to add to our trophy case more than anything. “I’ve always said Obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it." Capt tucci told the team before the showdown.

Enter The new and improved Cobra Kai in an epic showdown of good vs evil October 29, 2010 as a day that will live in Red Bug Lake infamy. The game started off in usual Kai fashion we struck first behind a leadoff single and consecutive hits by the team to set the table for the Swami to give the team a 3-1 lead after one inning and just enough confidence to let everyone know……we can do this!

The Teams battled back and forth for 4 innings trading barbs and the Cobra Kai defense was playing the usual bend but don’t break attack. Johnny Blaze came to play on this day and certainly set the pace defensively in the infield. He broke out his Miyagi Glove and swatted down everything the Sharks shot his way killing every Shark Attack ripping out the teeth of the line-up by taking away their shots down the 3rd base line. “Experience tells you what to do; confidence allows you to do it." Blaze said after the game.

The Sharks kept coming but the Kai kept winning every inning and that was the game plan….stay within striking distance. “ I told these guys, keep us in the game until the seventh and that’s when we strike, I guaranteed the guys if we are in it in the bottom of the 7th WE WILL WIN!” Oil Can Spragus told the press after the game. Spragus made his usual veteran stop at 2nd killing another Shark rally snagging a hot screaming line drive up the middle as his veteran presence helped propel the team’s confidence.

With the Sharks rallying a crucial play at the plate allowed Sully to make his presence known by putting his club foot in front of home plate to tag out at home plate and kill the Sharks rally in the 5th. “ My foot is a few inches bigger from the Club Foot infection and it is a bit numb, so I just wanted to catch the ball and make sure they didn’t score so I could tell my new girlfriend all about it” Sully said after the game.


DonJuan continued his league leading OBP% raising it to .992 and Super Koko was right next to him in the line-up providing his SuperPowers at the bottom to propel the team. When an opposing Sharks General tried to put down the Kai at 1st SuperKoko stepped in and said “Excuse me, General, would you care to step outside?” and at that moment you could see the trepidation in the Sharks eyes and they knew they were no match for the New Cobra Kai.


Well, the team kept chipping away. We had our moment in the 7th when the Sharks made their move.

Enter the bottom of the 7th the Kai down 4 with everything on the line. A crucial coaching move by the Capt Tucci’s new and improved line-up allowed the kai to start the 7th with the top of the line-up leading the way. A single, a Spragues double ensued, a Swami deep fly ball for a quick run chipped away at the lead. And then it happened. The Sharks decided to walk Trox and his mighty bat to get to Roundhouse Reger. A proper coaching report would have let the Sharks now RoundHouse owns THE Hottest Bat in the Kai clubhouse currently as he was sporting 13 hits in his last 13 appearances including 3 crucial big hits in the game so far. “I Changed my approach and with a few more power bats in the line-up I put forth my concentration on giving the team the best chance to win by smashing line-drives instead of HR’s” Reger said after the game. Well, his new approach has sparked the Team tremendously. Then it happened………………Roundhouse took a 3-2 pitch and drove it to Deep Center over the CF’s head with Cliff and Capt. Tucci sprinting for his life representing everything we have worked toward since the beginning. “You become a champion by fighting one more round. When things are tough, you fight one more round.” Capt Tucci said as he was greeted at home plate by the whole team in celebration of our first victory over the Mighty Sharks.

The Kai left that night winners………but our Journey is Not Finished.

To Be Continued Under the Friday Night Lights