Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, part 1 (2010)

Entertainment Rating: A

The show was great. If anything, I’d agree with Orson Scott Card that the movie is better than the book because it keeps a good pace and doesn’t linger on some of the lengthy details. There are quite a few “jump” scenes that I think help make it worth seeing the film in the theater, don’t wait for DVD.

Moral Rating: 3

The presentation of good and evil hits a climax in this last installment(s) of the Harry Potter series, and the film does a good job of displaying it. I can’t say that it really struck any chord with regards to making me want to become a better person. The friendship between Harry, Ron, and Hermione displayed some good examples of real-world conflicts that can arise and how we can overcome our own selfish behavior in light of a greater good (the friendship itself over our own immature feelings).

In particular, even though Ron and Hermione are “together”, because Harry’s the focus of everything we can understand how Ron might feel a little cheated for attention from Hermione. So when Ron leaves out of frustration, it’s not a real surprise. What is a surprise (even though it was the needed thing to be done, but required quite a bit of courage and humility) is to see Ron return and ready to try to overcome his silly teenage jealousy and practice being a true friend.

Regarding the supposed nude scene in the movie, I think Orson Scott Card addressed the matter quite well:

“You may have heard of the mini-firestorm (a candlestorm?) over the "nude scene." My first thought had been, Why would the producers add a nude scene to the story?

Then my daughter reminded me that the scene in question was in the book. It comes when Ron, under the evil influence of one of Voldemort's horcruxes, pictures Hermione, the love of his life, in the naked embrace of his best friend, Harry Potter.

Of course, naked in a book is not the same thing as naked in a movie. In the book, you can gloss over it as long as the writing is not explicit; but in a movie, the actors are really naked, and there they are on the screen, second after second.

Still, the filmmakers did a fairly tasteful job. There were no more body parts visible than you might see on primetime TV, and a lot less than in the SPORTS ILLUSTRATED swimsuit issue. There was nothing arousing about it -- the whole thing was just to show us why it was making Ron so crazy.

Could they have cut the scene or made it even less nude? Maybe, and if some viewers decided to stay away because it's there, I won't argue with them. But I was not offended or even made uncomfortable with it. No child is going to learn (or even guess!) the facts of life from the scene. But it's the parents' call.”

I can’t say that I was offended or uncomfortable because of the “nudity” but it was a bit odd seeing Harry and Hermione together. The dance scene was fun, but the end was a little too awkward, it just didn’t jive with me (whether it was the characters or the actors’ portrayal of them I’m not sure).