The fifth movie set a high bar in my opinion because it so well done and well paced. The sixth installment fell flat on its face terribly. firstly the pacing was so unbelievably slow - it took forever for the narrative to progress because it was mired in silly 'teen angst/romance' moments, all of which were severely changed from the book - totally unnecessary. The only time it started to pick up was when Harry requires the necessary 'memory' - and you will have to wait like an hour and half for that.
Secondly, the acting was utterly appalling. There is just such an odd juxtaposition between seasoned actors like Alan Rickman et al compared to the young cast - OK, no one is expecting academy performances but still...the script gave the cast absolutely nothing and Bonnie Wright utterly floundered in delivering any line credibly. Everyone else was hopelessly dry - Radcliffe seemed somewhat animated once he downed that luck potion but otherwise he could barely muster more than a bewildered stare. Watson looked in physical pain or as if her soul was being compromised.
The cinematography though nice all around, succeeded in washing out any warmth, which I suppose was the point, but some of the cast just looked ghastly - which I guess was also the point.
Action sequences were far and few between the plodding of scenes in which little was explained - HUGE, significant chunks of the story were completely not there; i.e Voldemort's thinking behind the Horcruxes, Snape's past in Hogwarts, the room of requirement - there was no build up for any of the really big meaningful moments so that most of the pivotal scenes were flat - even the climax, which was supposed to be deeply heart wrenching (why have Harry just witness from below in that random basement thing when the scene in the book was so much superior - why not capitalise on the drama that is already there?)
I have no idea what David Yates was thinking, what the editor was thinking and what the execs were thinking giving the thumbs up to a hollow, hollow film. Even if I wasn't a fan of the books, I would still think the same - I was severely bored. To achieve that from a brilliant story is quite a remarkably awful feat.
Secondly, the acting was utterly appalling. There is just such an odd juxtaposition between seasoned actors like Alan Rickman et al compared to the young cast - OK, no one is expecting academy performances but still...the script gave the cast absolutely nothing and Bonnie Wright utterly floundered in delivering any line credibly. Everyone else was hopelessly dry - Radcliffe seemed somewhat animated once he downed that luck potion but otherwise he could barely muster more than a bewildered stare. Watson looked in physical pain or as if her soul was being compromised.
The cinematography though nice all around, succeeded in washing out any warmth, which I suppose was the point, but some of the cast just looked ghastly - which I guess was also the point.
Action sequences were far and few between the plodding of scenes in which little was explained - HUGE, significant chunks of the story were completely not there; i.e Voldemort's thinking behind the Horcruxes, Snape's past in Hogwarts, the room of requirement - there was no build up for any of the really big meaningful moments so that most of the pivotal scenes were flat - even the climax, which was supposed to be deeply heart wrenching (why have Harry just witness from below in that random basement thing when the scene in the book was so much superior - why not capitalise on the drama that is already there?)
I have no idea what David Yates was thinking, what the editor was thinking and what the execs were thinking giving the thumbs up to a hollow, hollow film. Even if I wasn't a fan of the books, I would still think the same - I was severely bored. To achieve that from a brilliant story is quite a remarkably awful feat.