Harry Potter: Ranking The Movies From Worst To Best
2. Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)
Director: David Yates
If you think I am placing Deathly Hallows Part One this high to be a contrarian or to court controversy you are wrong, I truly believe that this film deserves to be acknowledged as the great work that it is. I understand that it has the lowest ranking on Rotten Tomatoes of any Harry Potter film, I understand that many people think it was just emblematic of a studio making an awkward cash-grab, and I understand that people were unhappy with a certain scene between Harry and Hermione while Ron was away. But that doesn't change the fact that Deathly Hallows Part One is a great film.
My preferences may be playing a role here (Book 7 is my personal favorite), but there were too many good things in here to deny its rightful place on the list. It has to be acknowledged that Dobby was actually a lowlight of the Chamber of Secrets. His high-pitched voice and annoying nature actually hurt the pacing of that film because everyone in the audience knew he was there to play an important role as the doom and gloom foreshadower. But in Deathly Hallows Part One he is turned into the hero he deserves to be, and his tragic death at the hands of that b*stard Lestrange was surprisingly poignant. Furthermore, the movie made the long sequence of the gang hiding out in the forest (dare I say it?) better than what was in the book. T
his may be because it takes up an inordinately large chunk of the final text. We are left desperately wanting Rowling to get back to the horcruxes and Voldemort killing rather than continuing to focus on Ron's jealousy towards Harry. But even if it takes up the same percentage of the film's run time, it is on the screen for less time than if you were reading it. The awkward floating ethereal sex scene between Harry and Hermione aside, that portion of the movie improves on the book. The scene where Harry dances with Hermione ruffled a lot of fans feathers.
They thought: "This is too romantic! If a male and female character dance together they're obviously in love now! I can't believe Hermione would do that to Ron!" But that wasn't the scene was about. They danced together to get their minds away from the difficult nature of their lives away from everyone they know and love. They were in constant fear of being found out and murdered. It was nice moment, and their realisation that they have to go back to their lives at the end of the song showcased just how much the actors had improved over the 10 years since the first Harry Potter film.
And we need to talk about the beautiful animation sequence that accompanies Hermione's reading of the Deathly Hallows tale. An expressionist's wet dream, the animation breaks from the gritty style of the rest of the film to tell a morality tale, but this ain't no Babbity Rabbity. The Deathly Hallows Part One affirmed that the Harry Potter films could stand on their own, and prepared/excited you for the final chapter. It's the Empire Strikes Back of the HP franchise.