Though it can't avoid an element of place-setting as the over-long book is split over two films, this is less drawn out than I remember. The camping scenes are needlessly long, but the wartime, almost apocalyptic atmosphere is brilliantly constructed; the dread hanging over the central characters and ever-encroaching darkness is palpable; I found the litany of names of missing wizards on the radio especially effective. The influence of Tolkein is strong here also in terms of plot, themes and world-building.