You'd be forgiven for questioning whether this was a Potter movie after all. No Maggie Smith, no floating candles, no Quidditch - we never even set foot inside Hogwarts. But believe me - we get a Potter movie like you've never seen.

Most of the visual magic takes place in the first act, as we're treated to a batch of Polyjuice Potion, a Wizard wedding and a rather spectacular chase sequence on a flying motorbike. But for the main chunk of the film, Deathly Hallows Pt. 1 is a character study, plain and simple. Supported by beautiful landscapes and top-notch cinematography, the film focuses almost exclusively on our three heroes as they travel far and wide in their search for an answer to what is turning into a full-scale war.

Deathly Hallows goes to places not previously explored, particularly given the franchise's lighter beginnings under the guidance of Chris Columbus, as we now tackle heavy issues of racism, ethnic cleansing, slavery and Rowling's magical interpretation of Nazism. The style and atmosphere is reminiscent of post-apocalyptic fiction and cosy-catastrophe concepts worthy of H.G. Wells or John Wyndham. The icing on the cake would be Ben Hibon's superbly animated "Tale of the Three Brothers", one of the finest sequences in the entire franchise. As if that weren't enough, we also get perfectly timed blends of horror, romance and, finally, tragedy.

Aside from a few niggling points that only a reader of the book could complain about - maybe Harry's farewell to the Dursleys was too rushed - the film is a wonderfully atmospheric prelude, a tight interpretation of its source material, and a perfect quiet before the storm.