“These are dark times, there is no denying!” proclaims Rufus Scrimgeour (Bill Nighy) at the beginning of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1,” the bleak penultimate installment of the “Harry Potter” saga. He might as well be referring to the movie he’s in because “Deathly Hallows Part 1” is by far, the gloomiest, bloodiest, scariest, and most intense film in the franchise –and the worst is yet to come! This is a movie where three characters are killed and another almost-fatally injured within the first ten minutes alone.

This is no longer a series about kids on broomsticks playing with wands but a thematically mature saga about power, corruption, friendship and responsibility. Then again, the “Harry Potter” films haven’t been kid-friendly since “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” changed the game back in 2004. While the Alfonso Cuaron-helmed third installment remains a watermark for the franchise, “Deathly Hallows Part 1” comes close by delivering action, mystery and vistas of an almost post-apocalyptic world in spades. It’s everything a fan could expect from a “Harry Potter” film. Now if only the movie had an ending, it could have been one of the year’s most fulfilling experiences.

For anyone new to the series, recapping the story of “Potter” and company is futile because without having watched at least two of the previous movies, there’s no way to comprehend the material here. Actually, even if you have watched all the films, there’s a chance you might find yourself a bit lost because a lot of the plot of “Deathly Hallows” depends on your ability to recall the vast number of characters and plot lines introduced in previous films.

“Deathly Hallows” takes off right after the end of “Half-Blood Prince:” Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) and his Death Eaters, led by Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham Carter) are on the rise, having taken control of the Ministry of Magic in a coup d’état; the beloved Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) is dead, murdered at the end of the last film by the nefarious Professor Snape (Alan Rickman) who has now joined the ranks of the dark side and assumed duties as headmaster of Hogwarts. Like in the “Star Wars” universe, a select few noble wizards continue the fight against the dark forces while continually eluding the authorities– among them “Mad-Eye” Moody (Brendan Gleeson), Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane), Lupin (David Thewlis) and the Wesley family.

As for Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint)– they’ve dropped out of Hogwarts after being branded outlaws by the Voldemort-led government. Thus for the first time in the series, none of the film’s action takes place within the walls and corridors of the grand castle. Instead, most of “Part 1” is set in the real world – from the streets of London and the grand forests of Scotland to the Ministry of Magic – as the trio embark on a dangerous quest to find and destroy the five remaining Horcruxes, cursed items containing parts of Voldemort’s soul. Destroy them and destroy the dark Lord. But with no place to start and hardly any clues to go by, frustration, tension and doubt begin to slither in.

By all accounts, the “Harry Potter” series has to be considered a groundbreaking cinematic achievement in the history of motion pictures. There’s nothing to argue about that statement. Even if you take out that each film has taken in north of $750 million worldwide, the series has managed to maintain a consistent level of quality and continuity over the last decade, while retaining almost all members of its world-renowned cast of British actors. Additionally, we’ve witnessed the main trio of Radcliffe, Watson and Grint mature from cute 11-year-olds to mature adults before our very eyes.

Finally, we’ve seen the films themselves mature from the first two kid-friendly Chris Columbus-helmed installments to Alfonso Cuaron and Mike Newell’s dazzling fantasy and action-heavy third and fourth films to David Yates’ progressively dark and atmospheric trilogy. It’s quite astonishing when you compare the trailers for the first and last films and realize how the series has evolved.

While the world remains largely untouched and the overall structures of the movies remain intact (the “Potter” films have always been Agatha Christie-styled mysteries), the biggest change has obviously been the mood and violence. Shot by Academy Award-nominated cinematographer Eduardo Serra, “Deathly Hallows Part 1” is a breathtaking movie to look at. Since a bulk of the film involves the trio hanging about in the English countryside, Serra gets to populate the film with a ton of stupendous vistas of England and Scotland. The action sequences are also very good – especially An intense, frenetically shot opening sequence where Harry and friends are ambushed over London by Voldemort and his swarm of Death Eaters. Visually, the sequence reminded me of the D-day landing sequence in “Band of Brothers.”

Another highlight of the film is a storybook-like back-story about the eponymous Deathly Hallows, which is rendered beautifully in silhouetted animation. The film’s standout sequence though takes place at the film’s middle-point where the trio break-into the 1984-styled Ministry of Magic to retrieve a Horcrux from the loathsome Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton). It’s a sequence that seethes with tension, thrills and surprisingly dark-humor. Think “Mission: Impossible” meets “Harry Potter.”

The acting of “Deathly Hallows Part 1” is easily the best of the franchise with Radcliffe, Watson and Grint once again owning their roles. While neither Watson nor Grint got much screen time to emote in “Half-Blood Prince,” they’ve been given plenty this time around. Grint in particular is exceptional as the progressively frustrated, confused and disillusioned Ron. A sequence towards the film’s climax where he’s tempted and tortured by a twisted sexual vision featuring his friends is surprisingly disturbing. Then there’s Watson who effectively brings strength, heart and humanity to Hermione as she tries to balance her relationship with Ron and friendship with Harry while also taking on the role of the group’s Sherlock Holmes.

As for Radcliffe, well, he is “Harry Potter”! One of his best moments comes early on in a comic scene where six characters transform into Harry leaving Radcliffe with the task of mimicking the mannerisms of all six actors. Another strong moment is an intimate dance he shares with Hermione as he attempts to cheer her.

What prevents “Deathly Hallows Part 1” from being an excellent A-grade film is its overall sense of incompleteness. Although I do agree with Warner Brothers’ decision to split up the final book into two (monetary or artistic reasons be damned), “Deathly Hallows Part 1” flounders compared to other middle-films like “The Empire Strikes Back” and “The Two Towers” because there’s just no payoff. There’s no climactic battle, no resolutions, and no arcs being resolved (unless you count a very powerful and emotional farewell to one of the series most beloved characters). We have to wait until July for everything to resolve itself.  “Deathly Hallows Part 1” also suffers from being episodic in its long middle act where the trio spend what feels like months sitting about in a tent figuring out the locations of the Horcruxes and the meaning of the Deathly Hallows.

BOTTOM LINE: “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1” more than lives up the hype of being the most anticipated film of the Holiday season. It’s gorgeously shot, well acted, strongly written and perfectly sets up the grand finale of the saga. While it may be too intense for some kids and convoluted for anyone not familiar with the previous movies or books, if you’re one of the millions of fans worldwide who have spent years watching and enjoying the previous movies, there’s no way you won’t like this one. Its arguably the second-best film in the series after “Prisoner of Azkaban” and might as well be the best after “Part 2” completes it. The best compliment I can give “Deathly Hallows Part 1” is that it makes me giddy in anticipation for next July.

GRADE: B+

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 1
Directed by: David Yates
Written by: Steve Kloves
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Ralph Fiennes
Rated: PG-13 (for some sequences of intense action violence, frightening images and brief sensuality.)