Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1

Lord Voldemort grows ever stronger, while Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermoine (Emma Watson) search for horcruxes to destroy the pieces of the Dark Lord’s soul. Is everybody getting burnt out on the series now that it’s coming to an end? Steve Kloves’ script is sloppy, leaving out major elements (like the cloak of invisibility, supposedly one of the eponymous hallows), and David Yates’ direction is nearly as lackluster as on Half-Blood Prince, with none of the energy he gave Order of the Phoenix (he shamefully botches the climax with Dobby the elf). The look of the movie is dreary, murky and cheap, with magic kept to a minimum, playing miser with the special effects yet again. Radcliffe, Grint and Watson all look tired. J.K. Rowling’s great books are heading for a dismal film finale. J.L.