Off to see the wizard

IT’S DIFFICULT to know how to review Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (US/12A/146 mins).

Do you evaluate it in terms of how faithful it is to JK Rowling’s final offering in the Harry Potter series, the basis on which the Potter fans will judge it? Or do you judge it according to the criteria that applies to every other film?

The very fact that The Deathly Hallows has been split into two parts suggests that Rowling’s fans will be very happy with David Yates’ latest Potter offering (Yates has already directed The Order of the Phoenix and The Half-Blood Prince), given that the 146-minute running time gives the story plenty of time to breathe.