Preview: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2010)

Synopsis:

The first half of the final film in the acclaimed series takes Harry Potter and his friends Ron and Hermione and puts them square into the battle against Voldemart and his resurfaced army as they attempt to bring their new dominion to the world and kill Potter in the process.

• Poster: A-; C+ (3); B-; C+ (7); C+ (2); B- (4); C+; C+; C+

Review:

This could very well be the best poster in the series. It's simple, well designed and gorgeous. Hogwarts on fire was the perfect representation of the culmination of this franchise.

Another series of posters, this one with the tagline "Nowhere is safe" and proceeding to put the three leads into various locations around London (most of which aren't that familiar to American audiences, not that it should really matter since it's set in the UK). And another peeve, why is it that Rupert Grint comes out looking all clean, Daniel Radcliffe just looks a little disheveled, but Emma Watson looks an absolute mess? Are they trying to keep people from looking at her like a sexual object? Who really knows why, but I think it's a bit silly.

This is a poster more in tune with the film's premise. The three leads running through the forest. It's a key element (and often a tedious one) from the book, so it's entirely fitting.

While I like the dark and atmospheric nature of the posters, I think 7 large face-only character posters is far beyond what is needed to attract audiences. And at 12 and climbing, who knows where the end of the HP poster adventure will end.

A continuation of the first series of posters featuring the two "villains" of the film. They aren't an improvement or degradation of the others, so they get the same grade.

Design wise, these seem more congruent with the earlier poster series, but they also have a pairing aspect that none of the previous groups had. The first two suggest a tenuous relationship between Harry and Ron over Hermione, but the same theme doesn't follow with the third poster and the fourth is a little bit more like the first. Still, none of these have yet to eclipse the very first poster for this film.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. And we have another in the long line of similar posters.

And Malfoy makes 20. Another of the series picks up another character poster and this one just adds further to the malaise I'm feeling towards these constant additions.

Even a house elf needs his own poster. Though, after being ignored for most of the series since his introduction, it seems strange to see him earning his own poster.

• Trailer: B; B+

Review:

The boy who lived, then died...but that's talking about the film. After a notable decline in quality after the third and fourth films, this seventh feature doesn't hold much hope utilizing the same director as the not-terribly-great sixth chapter. The trailer doesn't give us a lot of information about what is going to appear in each film, but the saving grace of a trailer notably lacking in thrills is the recognizable theme spaced across the end of the trailer.

Another wonderful trailer from Warner Bros for its Harry Potter franchise. Although not at goose-pimply awesome as past entries, it does quite well highlighting just how spectacular the conclusion is going to be.

Oscar Prospects:

The series has shown a surprising longevity in terms of Oscar recognition. Only two of the previous films haven't earned Oscar nominations (Chamber of Secrets and Order of the Phoenix), so I would find it quite likely that either one or both of the last two films will end up Oscar nominees and may well be the first film since Prisoner of Azkaban to net more than one nod. Art Direction, Cinematography and Original Score are the most likely recipients, but Visual Effects and Costume Design could also be recognized.

Release Date:

• November 19, 2010

Full Review Synopsis:

I have not seen this film.

-Wesley Lovell (July 4, 2010) Original

-Wesley Lovell (September 23, 2010) New Trailer

-Wesley Lovell (September 29, 2010) New Posters

-Wesley Lovell (October 1, 2010) New Poster

-Wesley Lovell (October 6, 2010) New Posters

-Wesley Lovell (October 7, 2010) New Posters

-Wesley Lovell (October 12, 2010) New Posters

-Wesley Lovell (October 14, 2010) New Posters

-Wesley Lovell (October 15, 2010) New Posters