When I first heard the news, several months ago, that Tim Burton had been chosen as the latest director in the hugely successful ìHarry Potter” franchise, I have to admit I was somewhat skeptical.† Having now seen the film however, I have to admit he was exactly what the wizarding world needed to give it the proper sendoff.
When I first read ìDeathly Hallows,” I remember wondering how they would deal with the scene where Hermione disguises herself as Bellatrix LeStrange in order to break into Gringotts. I have to say, Burtonís choice to move that scene to the beginning of the film and have Helena Bonham-Carter play Hermione for the entire rest of the movie was inspired ó even if having her on screen with the real Bellatrix was a bit confusing at times.
I was saddened to hear that due to injuries sustained in a barfight with ìTwilightís”† Robert Pattinson, Daniel Radcliffe would not be returning for the final film.† I had hoped they would be able to find an actor who could take on the role convincingly, but I have to say I never thought of Johnny Depp. Depp brought an entirely new dimension to Harry, crafting a more mature, conflicted persona.† It was a risky choice, but in the end I think it really payed off.
Burtonís signature aesthetic was perfect for the dark, brooding final film, with the moody lighting really establishing the tone of the film which kills off more than half of the franchiseís characters.† Some of his design decisions, however, seemed less obvious.† The decision to replace characters who were originally rendered in CGI with claymation creations was kind of a mixed blessing ó it worked surprisingly well for the house elves, but the dragon was oddly non-threatening.
There were some changes to the script which Iím sure die-hard fans will stress over, but I personally thought they brought a welcome change from previous installments.† Voldemortís new zany, upbeat personality, for example, seemed a bit of a departure from his portrayal in earlier films, but props to Ralph Fiennes for pulling it off.† The nightmarish creations populating his home managed to keep him from getting so silly he wasnít scary any more.
The Kingís Cross scene is probably the area where the film diverged the most from the source material ó given Burtonís obsession with the afterlife, itís hardly surprising that Harry would spend a considerable portion of the film dead. I canít help but feel that the ensuing musical number was a bit over the top.† Still, the combination of Micheal Gambonís surprisingly rich voice and Danny Elfmanís score was really a treat, and almost enough to make you forget that this was supposed to be a fairly serious scene.
All in all, Burtonís film was certainly an ambitious reinterpretation of J.K. Rowlingís tale, which I think even die-hard fans will love. The adaptation makes me so much more excited for Burtonís upcoming project ó ìHigh School Muiscal 4.”
This story was run as part of The Wooster Vice, an annual April Fools publication.† It is a work of satire.