Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows part 1 vs Clash Of The Titans

 

                                             

I haven’t read most of the Harry Potter books. My suspension of disbelief rarely kicks in for fantasy stories. I’m okay with comic books or movies, but when someone in a book is called Dobby the House Elf, I don’t picture a little pointy-nosed creature of myth. I’m more, “So he’s short like me? That’s what you mean? Shorter? Who would play him in a movie, Peter Dinklage? Danny DeVito? Me?” But with a movie, you can just show me the little guy, and I get it right away, you know, by looking at him.

But since not only have I not read the books, I’ve also only seen the last couple movies (I’ve only seen the ones directed by David Yates), the world of Harry Potter is largely confusing and mysterious to me. And guess what? I still think they’re great. Inception played like something that was part three of a series, isolated as one movie. The characters had history, and continued onward on a new adventure, without tying us down by over-identifying the characters or pausing to explain the outcome of every action. That’s the way I choose to look at the world of Harry Potter. Adventures and lives occurred prior to the start of this movie, and they’ll continue after, and I just try to focus on the action at hand. Never mind that I’m surrounded by a theater full of people who know exactly what’s going to happen, what’s being left out,  and what’s new. 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 begins in the heart of a plan so detailed and swift I felt like I hadn’t watched the previous movie closely enough. Harry is on the run from Voldemort’s crew, and is being assisted by his friends, who have all disguised themselves, via potion, into Harry Potter clones. The transformation scene is funny, and the subsequent chase is exciting, but then right away, we’re back to just one Harry, which is how it should be. Harry, Hermione and Ron set out on their own, on the hunt for Horcruxes, which are scattered throughout the land and must be found in time to defeat Voldemort. I don’t mean to make it sound so video-gamey, although throughout the Harry Potter movies I’ve seen, there’s been a small boss/medium boss/big boss pattern to the plot. It’s clear to me that Voldemort will be defeated by three stomps to the head.

I’ll avoid too many spoilers, lest someone else out there, like me, isn’t completely up on Potter lore. What you can expect: excellent special effects, moody skies, a giant scary snake, and two trios of actors keeping the movie riveting throughout. The first is the principle actors of the series, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint. It’s amazing that they were cast as children and grew along with their characters so smoothly. For an extended period in the middle of the movie, they’re the focus of the action, with no classy older Brit actors, no special effects, no magic slang I don’t get. Just three young actors, and they’re fantastic. Much of Deathly Hallows: Part 1 is psychological drama; Ron is in possession of one of the Horcruxes, and it’s in paranoid possession of him as well. He’s become suspicious of their mission, and is viewing Harry as the self-centered source of the danger they’ve found themselves in. How refreshing for a movie series to take a moment to make the lead character justify his actions. In one brief moment of levity, Harry and Hermione dance in the woods. It’s a sweet moment, and one that likely shows as much a bond for the actors as it does the characters.

The other trio of performers is, of course, Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes, and Alan Rickman. Their experience and talent bring a certain degree of gravity to the movie, but I’m not sure it’s completely needed. This is a movie with the word “Deathly” in the title, for crying out loud. In other words, the casting of heavy-hitter actors in fantasy movies has been happening for decades, but it’s rare that the material stands up as well. The Harry Potter movies do, so there’s a welcome lack of campy grandstanding in any of the performances (okay, Helena Bonham Carter goes a little nuts, but in a good way. You can’t wear those teeth and give a subtle performance).

Harry’s trying to stop Voldemort from trying to stop Harry. Voldemort is trying to stop Harry from trying to stop Voldemort. Harry makes progress, then Voldemort gains the upper hand, then the movie ends. Part 2 coming soon. This is apparently irritating to some people, but I’m fine with it. It gives me a few months to find out what the hell a Horcrux is.

Clash of the Titans is also, of course, based on a story most people already know. It’s also about a young hero on a quest to avenge his family, his ties to evil forces, and his battles with various special effects, including a giant snake. The cast of Clash of the Titans is full of esteemed British actors, including, wouldn’t you know it, Ralph Fiennes.

It’s not very good. 

Clash of the Titans is just an occasion for special effects. None are all that believable, and most go way too far. When the Kraken is released, it’s just mouth after mouth after mouth, and stories tall and loud as a pissed-off freight train. There’s so much of it, it loses any menace it might have. How were they containing it in the first place? What does it do? Eat you? The same is true of Medusa. She appears, and isn’t ugly, isn’t scary, and, most annoyingly, isn’t really there. She’s a CG construct, and looks like she slithered in from a video game.

Sam Worthington plays Perseus, who was mildly, it appears, Australian. He’s a good action hero, though, and looks cool upon Pegasus. Liam Neeson plays Zeus in a ridiculous/awesome glowing suit of armor. Gemma Aterton is badass and hot. Calibos gets his hand cut off and giant crab effects attack the good guys. You know the drill. The makers of Clash of the Titans know this. But instead of adding a more human element so that we might at least identify with the hero, they just ratchet up the noise and shiny things to distract us from the predictability. I’m not saying it’s not fun in places. I’m just saying sometimes it’s better not to know what’s going to happen next.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1: B+

Clash of the Titans: C