2010-2019, Film Review

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)

Posted on November 30, 2016 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

fantasticbeastsposter — Image is property of Warner Bros studios and Heyday Films

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them – Film Review

Cast: Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Ezra Miller, Alison Sudol, Jon Voight, Carmen Ejogo, Colin Farrell

Director: David Yates

Synopsis: Magical Zoologist Newt Scamander (Redmayne) travels to New York to continue his work of caring for magical creatures, but runs into trouble when one of his creatures is let loose in New York City.

Review: When the last adventure to feature our favourite boy wizard graced the big screen in 2011, fans of the Harry Potter universe must have wondered, if this truly was the last time all the magic and mystery of this incredible world that came from the pen of one J.K. Rowling would ever return to the big screen? The answer to that is well yes, and no, because for now Harry Potter’s story has been told. What hasn’t been told however, is the adventures of Newt Scamander, a magical zookeeper with a great interest in magical animals unsurprisingly. However, with his adventures occurring in 20th century America, this is a very different direction for this magical franchise to go in, and don’t expect to see Harry and his friends here!

As you might expect, almost everything in this new chapter is, well new. New characters (for the most part), new location but that magic that ensured anyone who fell in love with the Potter franchise very much remains. Fresh off the boat from across the pond, Scamander arrives in the quest for more knowledge on magical creatures in the USA when Jacob Kowalksi, (Fogler) an unfortunate No-Maj or muggle as they’re more commonly known, encounters one of Scamander’s magical creatures, and we soon find ourselves delving deep into a mystery that is plaguing the wizarding community in America.

Director David Yates, who helmed the Potter franchise to its grand conclusion is back behind the camera, with Rowling herself on screenplay duties, marking her first foray in screenplay writing. Of course with this being a brand new entry in the franchise, there is much that needs to be set up and introduced to us, resulting in some very exposition heavy dialogue, which while can be, and is interesting to observe, can drag the movie down in places. Unfortunately that does occur, as the screenplay is a bit uneven in terms of pacing. However, seeing all these incredible magical creatures is fascinating to watch, even if you do struggle to remember all of the creatures names. Yates showed he could bring tremendous visuals to the world of Harry Potter, and here he does so again in fine magical style too, with some excellent action scenes being brought to the fore.

Scamander as our hero is a very different sort of hero when compared to Harry Potter, but Redmayne does a tremendous job. He might seem a bit irksome, but Redmayne works hard to make sure that you end up on his side. Katherine Waterston is also on fine form as Porpentina Goldstein, there is great chemistry between these two characters but there is too much focus placed on the relationship between Fogler’s No Maj and Tina’s sister Queenie (Alison Sudol) which does detract from the story that you signed up to see. Ezra Miller is haunting as a young man with a disturbed past while Colin Farrell completes the core cast, all of who deliver solid performances.

After five years, it is undoubtedly great to be back in this magical world that everyone first fell in love with all those years ago. However, for all its wonder and all the magical creatures, the screenplay could have been just that bit sharper and more focused. Nevertheless, the interest in this franchise, not that it ever went away really, has been truly reignited and with a further four films expected, fans of this universe will undoubtedly be grabbing their wands with excitement and keen to delve deeper into this new aspect of this magical franchise.

It’s undeniably brilliant to be back in this magical world, and Rowling does her best to bring it from page to screen in an enthralling way, but one would hope for a much more focused story next time around.

2000-2009, Film Review

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (2009)

Posted on November 9, 2016June 26, 2017 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

Image is property of Warner Bros,Dreamworks and Heyday Films

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince – Film Review

Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Michael Gambon, Jim Broadbent, Helena Bonham Carter, Maggie Smith, Robbie Coltrane, Alan Rickman, Evanna Lynch

Director: David Yates

Synopsis: Now into his sixth year at Hogwarts, and after a turbulent fifth year, Harry comes across a mysterious book belonging to someone known as the Half-Blood Prince and begins to delve deeper into Lord Voldemort’s past.

There will be spoilers ahead, so if you haven’t read the book or seen the film, turn back now you silly Muggle!

Review: The world of Hogwarts may have started off as a delightful adventure for the whole family to enjoy. Yet as the series has gone on, each film has gradually got darker, with some rather bleak events taking place for all who attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, in particular for one Harry James Potter. After a traumatic fifth year which culminated in the death of his uncle Sirius, Harry is now one detached individual. Yet, the work must continue to bring down Voldemort, and in this chapter, we learn quite a little bit more about the Dark Lord’s past and how he can be defeated.

After boasting some incredible action sequences in the fourth and fifth films, this is significantly reduced here, to allow for significant character development, and not just for Harry but for many others including Dumbledore, Draco Malfoy and Severus Snape. The screenplay by Steve Kloves once again is not perfect, there are some puzzling additions, such as the scene one scene The Burrows which was not present in Rowling’s novel, which just feels a bit out of place. Yet there is some great character development, although some characters are much better fleshed out than others. As with the previous films, there is humour to ensure the gloominess doesn’t become too overbearing.

The high standard of visuals is maintained here, and Yates steers the ship excellently through these dark waters. Although the action has given way for some crucial character development, the acting isn’t as good as it could be. The three leads have certainly grown into their roles but this is not applicable for everyone. What’s more, their is something of a lack of chemistry between Harry and new love interest Ginny Weasley (Bonnie Wright), as such you do not just buy their romance, which does detract from the story a little. It’s not cringe inducing but it could be so much better. By contrast, the romance between Ron and Hermione is where a bulk of the humour lies, as it’s a bit off and on between them with a new love interest entering the picture, namely Lavender Brown, but it never feels like a comedy, as the audience knows, it is dark times for all of those who inhabit the wizarding world.

Each film boasts a new arrival to the cast, and this time the key new introduction is Jim Broadbent’s Horace Slughorn. A man who has some crucial information connected to Voldemort’s past that must be obtained in order to defeat him. Broadbent is a welcome addition and reinforces the stellar standard of acting that the more experienced actors, such as Gambon and Rickman provide. Speaking of which, Gambon gives perhaps his best performance yet as Dumbledore, the scenes between him and Harry are extremely well executed and both actors really deliver. Of course this results in the crucial scene which results in Dumbledore’s death at the hands of Snape. Everything about this scene is just masterful in its execution and the resulting aftermath is heartbreaking, but incredibly well realised by Kloves and Yates, and the score by Nicolas Hooper in this sombre scene is just outstanding.

Every film has got darker than its predecessor, but with this heartbreaking twist, Hogwarts will never be the same again, and for Harry, there is no to mourn for the loss of Dumbledore, there is work to be done to ensure that Voldemort is defeated. It is the climax that all of these films have been building towards, the battle between good and evil is coming.

Darker perhaps than ever before, but with brilliant visuals, and franchise best performances from Radcliffe and Gambon, this is another fine addition to the Potter filmography.

Rating: A-

2000-2009, Film Review

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)

Posted on October 26, 2016June 26, 2017 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

harry-potter-and-the-goblet-of-fire-movie-poster — Image is property of Warner Bros Studios and Heyday Films

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire – Film Review

Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Michael Gambon, Ralph Fiennes, Gary Oldman, Maggie Smith, Robbie Coltrane, Alan Rickman, Brendan Gleeson

Director: Mike Newell

Synopsis: Now in his fourth year at Hogwarts, the school is playing host to the Tri-Wizard Tournament, and Harry is somewhat unexpectedly selected to take part in this deadly contest.

Review: By the time a franchise reaches its fourth instalment, there is a risk that things could start to get a bit formulaic and a bit repetitive, and viewers may soon start to lose interest. Yet in the case of Harry Potter, after coming on the back of the quite brilliant Prisoner of Azkaban, the interest remained sky high, and to counter the argument that things may start becoming repetitive, this franchise has an answer to that: The Goblet of Fire.

After the dramatic end to the last instalment which went all sci-fi on the audience with the time turner adventure, the excitement picks up almost immediately with our key trio of Harry, Ron and Hermione along with members of the Weasley clan off to the Quidditch World Cup. Visually brilliant, it’s all smiles and joyful with everyone having a good time, until it all goes a bit dark and violent as hints of Voldemort are getting louder and louder. This sets everyone off in quite a melancholic mood as they board their train to start their fourth year at Hogwarts, all the while with Harry having some very dark and sinister nightmares.

With this new year, Hogwarts is the stage for something special, the aforementioned Tri Wizard Tournament in which three champions compete in deadly magical tasks, with one champion from the schools of Hogwarts, with the ladies of the Beauxbatons Academy and the fellas of the Durmstrang Institute, all chosen by the mysterious Goblet of Fire. However, this one champion per school situation is made a bit complicated when Harry is also chosen alongside the other champions. Faced with no other choice, Harry must compete in this competition.

After Alfonso Cuaron brought tremendous visuals to the preceding chapter, new director Mike Newell continues this trend, and also bringing perhaps some of the most gripping sequences of the franchise to date. The Tri-Wizard tasks are very well put together and edited supremely well, with excellent CGI to boot. Despite all the magic and danger involved in this chapter, Newell manages to bring something everyone has experienced at some points in their lives, growing up and falling in love. The hormones are raging throughout the story, as our lead characters in particular are having a tricky time displaying their feelings for one another. The film’s screenplay is far from perfect, but Kloves does his best to squeeze the key elements from Rowling’s novel in just over 2 and a half hours.

As the actors age, their performances improve quite significantly, particularly the core trio of Harry, Ron and Hermione. The bickering between Ron and Hermione is at times funny but also at times sad, because you want them to get together, but with all those teenage angsty feelings they have going on it does make things difficult. The cast for all the movies to this point was perfect, and it remained so with the addition of some colourful new characters to the mix. The best of the bunch being Brendan Gleeson’s Mad Eye Moody. With him, the clue is in the name, he’s a colourful character, but also just a bit mental. Robert Pattinson also does a sterling job as the Hogwarts champion Cedric Diggory.

Yet the most important new piece in this puzzle was Lord Voldemort, who finally makes a full appearance and is played fantastically by Ralph Fiennes. Much like the core trio of Harry, Ron and Hermione, the casting of the Dark Lord had to be just right, and in Fiennes, they had just the actor to bring this fearsome dark wizard to the big screen. With a brilliant closing battle to close this chapter of the Potter saga, it sends a chilling reminder to its audience, the dark times are returning and no wizard that dwells in the world of magic is safe.