It's important to start this review by stating the reviewer has not been a big fan of "any" of the previous Potter films, although the Cuaron one was more entertaining than the others. Also, this reviewer "hated" and was bored by the first film!  With that out of the way, "THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, PART 1" is far more entertaining than expected, and definitely, finally, has this reviewer excited and eagerly awaiting the finale, "PART 2." It's also a shame the previous ones weren't as thoroughly engrossing as "THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, PART 1" is!
 
Voldemort has seized Hogwarts and Harry and friends are hiding. The bulk of the film follows Harry, Ron and Hermione, as they take on obstacles that pose uncertain outcomes, break into the Ministry of Magic and do everything they can to prevent Voldemort's nefarious plans from becoming fully realized. 
 
As Harry and friends are on their own, without the direct aid of the adults they'd been able to rely upon in the past, "DEATHLY HALLOWS, PART 1," is even more impressive, in the way it can keep an adult's attention, as much as the younger viewers, in gripping suspense! 
 
Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint are great, of course, but who'd have thought Ralph Fiennes, so many years after "THE ENGLISH PATIENT" could assume the Voldemort role, and make it his own in the way he has here?  He's incredible!
 
As far as the story goes, "DEATHLY HALLOWS, PART 1," is arguably the most moving of the series, thus far. The characters feel and act in a completely natural way, within a supernatural setting, part of what gives the series appeal, but never(in this reviewer's opinion)as completely as it does in this film.
 
Harry is uncertain of what the right move to make is, making his plight and that of his friends, all the more moving, and believable.
 
As mentioned already, having not been a major fan of the previous Potter films, and definitely not a fan of Klove's earlier films, it's all the more surprising to find the narrative as compelling as it is here. While there are those unhappy with the final novel being split into seperate films, it actually serves the material well. Nothing here feels unnecessary, rather every scene propels the story along farther, as a great script is supposed to. The actual in-depth description of the plot is intentionally being withheld, in order to protect those who've not yet seen the film.
 
Yates' tight direction, a magnificent score, exquisite cinematography and more, make HP: THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, PART 1" the best of the series, thus far. It also raises the bar, so the upcoming finale is going to have to really pack a whallop in order to deliver on the feats accomplished within the first part.
 
WARNER BROS has provided the correct 2.40:1 aspect ratio for this AVC MPEG-4 encoded 1080p blu-ray release.  Having such an intentionally dark production design, inherently brings occasional limitations to detail. However, as dark as scenes can get,(VERY DARK!)the power behind every image is intact! Of course, one shouldn't expect vibrant colors, yet even with restrained hues, they appear flawless in their presentation. The state of the art effects never succumb to artifacts, and WARNER BROS has provided a reference quality blu-ray!!!
 
WARNER BROS has provided a DTS-HD MA 5.1 mix. While most of the previous "HP" blu-ray mixes offered terrific audio mixes, "THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, PART 1" offers what is arguably the best mix of the series. There's terrific attention to detail, with a whirlwind of discrete and panning effects, keeping this mix on par with the best blu-ray releases available by any studio. But, more importantly, the mix employs select moments wherein silence resonates effectively as well, with dramatic impact untapped in the previous HP films. That's not to suggest bass isn't pushed to the max, either! For anyone with a great sound system and subwoofer, there are plenty of scenes that will shake the room, creating a palpable tension. All this, together with perfect balance of the score and dialogue, create a mix that's pure excitement from beginning to end!
 
This 3-disc blu-ray set offers a variety of extras, making it an even more tempting option over the single blu-ray disc option.
 
The 1st disc offers the option for "MAXIMUM MOVIE MODE." This option allows for a concurrent Picture-in-picture viewing experience, providing plenty of behind-the-scenes footage, interviews, redings from the actual novel, and much, much more! Again, having not been a fan of the previous films, it was even more of a surprise to find how entertaining this option is, and it's easy to revisit, at least in parts, over and over again!
 
Various featuretes are also able to  be selected from the "MAXIMUM MOVIE MODE" option.
 
The 2nd disc offers 5 featurettes as well as 8 deleted scenes, all in HD. While the review product offered didn't include the "sneak peek" of "DEATHLY HALLOWS, PART 2" advertised, due to potential leaks, consumer versions offer this as well.
 
The 2nd disc also includes footage from the grand opening of "THE WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER, and a short devoted to the film's score.
 
BD-LIVE extras are also available. 
 
All of this, with a dvd and digital copy??? Don't miss out on this!!! Sure to be a great gift now or for any occasion!!!!