Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 is the film adaptation of the Harry Potter novel by J.K. Rowling. The film covers the first half of the seventh and final novel in the series. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 is set for release in U.S. theaters on November 19, 2010.http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0926084/ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 will be released in July of 2011.http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1201607/ Both films are directed by David Yates, who has directed two other Potter films: 2007's Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and 2009's Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0946734/

In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), aided by his friends Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) and Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint), sets off to find and destroy the remaining Horcruxes that Dumbledore had been seeking out. The trio hopes to be able to topple the evil Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes), who has taken control of the Ministry of Magic, which is now infiltrated by Death Eaters.http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/harry_potter_and_the_deathly_hallows_part_i/# http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/wb/harrypotterandthedeathlyhallows/

Reviews for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 began coming out in the days leading up to the movie's release. Overall, reviews were generally favorable. On the evening of November 17, 2010, the movie garnered an 80 percent "Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes' "Tomatometer."http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/harry_potter_and_the_deathly_hallows_part_i Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 scored a 71 out of a possible 100 on Metacritic.com.http://www.metacritic.com/movie/harry-potter-and-the-deathly-hallows-part-i

Some of the major critics who seemed to like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 noted that the movie, much like the novel, was much darker than previous Potter films. Among them: Variety critic Justin Chang, who noted that Part 1 is "lumbering and gripping by turns, and suffused with a profound sense of solitude and loss."http://www.metacritic.com/movie/harry-potter-and-the-deathly-hallows-part-i/critic-reviews Lisa Schwarzbaum of Entertainment Weekly says Part 1 is "necessarily dark and serious," adding that it is also "the most cinematically rewarding chapter yet" in the Potter film series.http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20442850,00.html

Not all major critics were enamored with the film's grim tone, including The Hollywood Reporter's Todd McCarthy, who says Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 "has a very different feel from any of its predecessors - a development slightly more disconcerting than it is welcome."http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/harry-potter-deathly-hallows-part-44623 Some critics, like TIME magazine's Richard Corliss, felt that the decision to split the final Harry Potter novel into two films resulted in "slowing the story down just as it should rev up."http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,2031721,00.html David Edlestein of New York Magazine seems to agree that the slower pace is a problem, saying "Hallows' first hour is deadly, all right."http://nymag.com/movies/reviews/69478/

"I felt a swell of love and awe wash over me from the very first wickedly creepy scene until the profoundly moving last one."— Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weeklyhttp://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20442850,00.html

"The film depends more on mood and character than many of the others, and key actions seem to be alarmingly taking place off-screen."— Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Timeshttp://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101116/REVIEWS/101119969

"Equal parts action thriller, political parable, and multidimensional love story, "Hallows" feels sad and strong and true."— Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily Newshttp://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/movies/2010/11/16/2010-11-16_harry_potter_and_the_deathly_hallows_part_i_is_dark_intense_lonely_nightmare_for.html

"By the time Part 1 ends, you'll be anxious to see what tricks Harry has up his sleeve once he's forced to face the ultimate evil."— Christy Lemire, Associated Presshttp://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5g7VX34qILGFeaIErzBdDLL1FRiqw?docId=5154653

"More than even the most faithful of the earlier episodes, this film feels devoted above all to reproducing the novel onscreen as closely as possible, an impulse that drags it toward ponderousness at times..."— Todd McCarthy, The Hollywood Reporterhttp://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/harry-potter-deathly-hallows-part-44623

"Instead of scooting like a Golden Snitch during a Quidditch championship, DH1 is struck with a long spell of aimlessness, and the viewer with the curse of ennui."— Richard Corliss, TIMEhttp://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,2031721,00.html

"To be fair to Deathly Hallows, the filmmakers have tried hard to fill the proceedings with battles and chases and debilitating curses. Genuine filmmaking excitement, however, is harder to provide."— Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Timeshttp://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-harry-potter-20101118,0,3629879.story