by Kat Musselwhite

Created on: November 24, 2010

Certificate: 12A

Release Date: 2010

Director: David Yates

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Rhys Ifans, Tom Felton, Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes

Sex: No (one fantasy-based scene contains mild nudity)

Violence: Yes, often unsuitable for small children

Language: Minor, and not often Rating: 9/10

Ten years ago, Warner Bros plucked three practically unknown 10 year olds out of their lives and placed them into this slighlty dark, but nothing too sinister children's film, based on a popular children's set of novels. Their acting wasn't the best, they were all incredibly adorable and sweet, and the films were okay...ish.

Move forward ten years, and The Deathly Hallows, alongside it's now very grown up cast, could not be any more different. Gone is the flowery "niceness", the bad acting, and typical children's film. Instead, replaced by a dark, incredibly sinister film, that has well and truly grown into something much more mature, and sometimes not entirely suitable for children. It seems right that the films are now more mature, as it appears to have grown up alongside the cast, who have well and truly settled into their roles. No longer are we forced to watch three kids reading lines with no real skill. But, we are honoured with three incredible performances, from three of the best talent that England has to offer, right now.

Looking back and remembering the film, I'm still in a state of shock, as two and a half hours melted away into nothing, because this film managed to whisk me away from that early scene involving Hermione and her parents (and yes, I cried!), right until the final scene with Voldemort, that had be sit up and say "that wasn't two and a half hours, surely?"

Of course, it's not possible to write a review for this film, without mentioning the superb supporting casting. Helena Benham Carter is so intensely creepy as Bellatrix, especially during Hermione's torture scenes, that you can't imagine her playing anything else. She just is Bellatrix, and boy is she horrible.

Rhys Ifans as Xenophilius Lovegood was such as inspiring casting, that even though I knew I recognised him from somewhere, I never would have guessed that it was Rhys Ifans. In fact, when the credits rolled, and I saw his name, I exclaimed "who the heck did he play!" and the fact that I couldn't tell, just emphasises what a great actor Ifans is, when he allows himself to step away from the typical roles that we know him best for (Eyeball Paul, and his role in Notting Hill spring to mind).

As usual, Alan Rickman played Severus Snape, with such a stoic air, that even though I've read the books, I'm still never sure whether he's a good guy, or a bad guy!

It was slightly sad to not be at Hogwarts, but somehow it seems right to have stepped away from the school, which kept the story slightly innocent. Instead, the taking away of the safety of Hogwarts (and of course Dumbledore), forces the story and of course Harry and Co. to grow up, as they are forced to deal with the real world. But what is nice, is that even though these are Dark Days, we can still keep the humour of characters such of the Weasley twins, and Luna Lovegood going.

It's definitely fair to say that I am incredibly excited (and sad, at the same time) about the final film next summer! It'll be the end of an era, but it'll be a good end, no doubt!

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