I have enjoyed all of the Harry Potter films...up to this point. The release of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in 2001 delivered a fully realized, dynamic franchise. I don't mean the characters, those were already taken care of. Christopher Columbus' direction oversaw a matured design that not only brought the book alive but gave the film an inviting environment on which to build.

The subsequent films all met the high expectations of the original outing while still not offending the snitty fan base. As the characters, and actors, aged the tone of the films grew a little darker. The films have progressively gotten monotonous as well. Harry gets wisked away from the oppressive real world. He arrives at Hogwarts. There's smiles and goofy spells. Then a mysterious threat descends on the school. There's plenty of sneaking around and dark corners. Then there's the inevitable showdown that somehow involves the film's big name British actor who just joined the cast.

This time around, the franchise has run its course. Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) is thirty, I think and once again returns to Hogwarts to find a mysterious threat. Still smarting from all the hoopla from the previous film Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Old Man Harry and the rest of the school is under the threat of the Death Eaters. On top of this the spoiled Draco appears to be working with the evildoers. Potter takes up a quest with Dumbledore to obtain a Horcrux a charm that contains a fragment of the evil Voldemort's soul. Getting their mits on this would make Voldemort mortal.

Old Man Harry's efforts this time are just more of the same. While the film ends with a surprise (if you don't read the books) the journey getting to these breif moments is a little too much. The tone is definately dark and brooding. There is doom in the air throughout the film. This is not necessairily a bad thing, but the film takes itself so seriously that it suffocates itself. The tone may be the films ultimate fault. It is unrelenting in its somberness. Other than fleeting moments of awkward teenage love triangles, the film is very short on pleasureable moments. It is a rolling cloud of gloom that doesn't let up until the ending which intentionally leaves you hanging.

This is the weakest of the Potter films by far. This said, it is not a terrible film, nor one you should avoid. If you're into the Potter series you probably have already watched this film. If not, and you enjoyed the previous outings, this one will be a little jumbled and dark but not a complete waste of time.

It is clear this is a bridge film leading to the series final push.