If you consider the whole "Harry Potter" franchise as an extended "coming-of-age" story, like I always have, we have indeed arrived at the final stage. Childhood is a distant memory. Puberty is long gone. Adolescence is coming to an end, and adulthood is knocking at the gates. And with age and increasing magic powers also comes greater responsibility, especially since mentor and almighty Hogwarts principal Dumbledore cowardly got murdered at the end of "The Half-Blood Prince", and Harry - with the help of Ron and Hermione, of course - must continue the search for Horcruxes.

"The Deathly Hallows, Part I" is - as usual - a formidable fantasy adventure, and the seventh terrific Harry Potter movie in a row. The tone and atmosphere still become darker, the arguing between the young lovers becomes more bitter, and the high body count proves this is as much a movie for adults as for children. But what I personally appreciated most about this entry, is J. K. Rowling's addition of a dystopian aspect. With Voldemort growing more and more powerful again, his bad influence and authority spread further. The minister of magic is murdered and strategically replaced by one of Voldemort's minions, Hogwarts gets a dark new leader, half-blood families must fear for their lives, and even that hateful Dolores Umbridge is reinstated. If they don't stop The Dark Lord in time, Harry and his friends grow old in a totalitarian state!

Admittedly the whole middle-section, with the youthful trio running around in the woods, is a bit overlong and easily could have been cut here and there, but the grimly animated and tremendously atmospheric narrated tale of the titular "Deathly Hallows" compensates for a lot! That segment is, hands down, one of the highlights of the entire franchise. Can't wait for the grand finale in Part II, and my two children (aged 13 and 8) neither!