Forget the phenomenon. Forget the fact that Warner Bros split this into two movies to garner a few extra bucks, but like hardcore potter fans like ourselves, the split was inevitable anyway. Forget the merchandise that’s going to fly off shelves, including those lousy Potter games EA churns out every time. For this time, at 2 and a half hours with very little or no magic, this movie manages to grab your attention throughout.

Ever since the 4^th Potter film, the movies began to sort of mature, giving it a whole new vibe.(Except the 5^th, which was utter trash). And after the debacle of the 5^th, where the writer was rightly sacked, and Steven Kloves was brought back into the mix, that things got better. The 6^th was beautifully shot and had some fine acting work by Brit’s best talent on show. The ending, in my opinion was sorta soft but, we learnt to live with it. So we were expecting a brilliant finish to the finale, and in my case I wasn’t the least bit disappointed.

Harry Potter and the Deathly hallows is by far the best potter movie out yet. It stays true to the book, is once again beautifully shot, the lead pair grow in terms of their acting skills (Emma Watson doesn’t heave at all in the movie!) and manages to hold your interest throughout.

With Dumbledore’s death, Harry finds himself in a fix, with Voldemort have perpetrated the Ministry of Magic and having launched a nation wide search for the boy. Also there’s lockets to find, Secrets to uncover,Dumbledore’s childhood and horcruxes to be destroyed. So the lead trio run off on a jolly old mission to set things right, and also come across the Deathly Hallows, and that the person who possesses them shall become the Master Of Death.

We’ve all(well most of us anyway) read the book and if you do remember it well, this movie is for you.  There’s also a few cinematic liberties that’ve been taken (The harry and Hermione dance in the middle of the forest was an amazing idea, and was  executed really well) that do manage to cause a lump in your throat. As for the cast, how can you fail with Britain’s best? Bill Nighy makes his first appearance in the Potter movies as Rufus Scrimegeour (Delightfully portrayed), the minister of magic. Ralph Fiennes continues to dazzle as Voldemort, and Rupert Grint turns in probably his best performance till date. He made us laugh in the previous ones, and we get to see the other side of him in this one. For instance, the scene where he begins to suspect Harry and Hermione’s “relationship”.  Also a special mention to Nick Moran who plays Scabior, the lead Snatcher.  Do watch out for the trip to Godric’s Hollow, because it does give you the chills. The scenes at Malfoy Manor are nowhere close to as hair raising as they were in the book, but after all it is a children’s movie. Also a noteworthy mention to the wonderful sequence of the Tale Of The Three Brothers. Never has storytelling seemed that magical.

The score is probably the only let down in what appears to be a pretty flawless film. Desplat tries, but fails to create magic the way either John Williams or Nicholas Hooper did. (I read somewhere that people were glad that the main theme was avoided. I’d very much like it if they went and drowned their heads down the toilet.)

But all in all, David Yates gives us probably the most mature Potter film yet.  And It sets up an exciting showdown between Harry and Voldemort in the next one. However at 2 and a half hours (with some drag worthy moments), it does test your patience. I’m going with 3 and a half on 5 for deathly hallows part 1. If you’re a Potter fan, you’ll love this. If not, read the book first.

Also Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy) is in some serious need of screen space.