Unlike its predecessors, none of the first installment of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” takes place at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Instead of getting on board the Hogwarts Express to attend their final year at the magic academy, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint) spend the entire film eluding the grasp of the evil Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) and his army of Death Eaters.

In continuing the story line of the previous installment, “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” Harry and the gang are searching for Horcruxes, pieces of Voldemort’s soul he has hidden throughout the world in order to remain immortal.

But it’s not just Death Eaters standing in the way of the young adult wizards this time. More than ever before, jealousy, sexual tension and dread threaten to tear the group apart before they complete their quest without the level-headed guidance of Dumbledore. All of these elements combine to make the darkest “Harry Potter” film yet.

This darkness is not unwelcome, though, as it is clearly the direction the series has been moving toward ever since “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.” As Harry, Ron and Hermione have grown up before our eyes on screen, so too have their problems become decidedly more adult and somewhat more realistic. This can be attributed to the many allusions to World War II throughout the film.

Themes as gravely serious as ethnic cleansing are featured prominently in the film, such as when the Ministry of Magic is converted into a propaganda machine used to locate and arrest people of not purely magical origins, or “Mudbloods.” The effect of these scenes is rather chilling and, thankfully, done in good taste.

Another adult theme that gets more explicitly dealt with in the film is the burgeoning sexuality of the three main protagonists. Romantic tension mounts at an unprecedented rate amongst the characters and Radcliffe, Grint and Watson all showcase their formidable acting chops by conveying it convincingly. Watson, in particular, shows surprising depth and understanding as the center of the love triangle, and continues the transformation of Hermione from apt pupil to brilliant witch with believability.

Radcliffe and Grint continue to define and expand their roles with equal skill. It is quite interesting to see how these actors have come to fully inhabit these roles after playing them for a decade. Because of this familiarity and natural progression of the characters, this is the best acting this trio has provided throughout the entire film series.

Director David Yates, the man behind two of the series’ darkest entries “Order of the Phoenix” and “Half-Blood Prince,” infuses this film with a sense of stark austerity that is as beautiful as it is foreboding. He somehow makes the modern outside world as enchanting as anything seen at Hogwarts, thus bringing a welcome sense of realism to the film. He uses this world as a stage for some pretty incredible action scenes as well.

Those who may have worried that this entry would be nothing more than a bleak, moody character study have nothing to fear. The many action scenes in the film are uniformly incredible and filled with ridiculous amounts of tension. The dazzling special effects prove that you don’t have to make everything 3D to make it pop out at you.

There are some minor quibbles to be had with the film, however.

The supporting cast, which is excellent as usual, isn’t given enough screen time. Each member continues to shine in their role but is only given (in some instances) about two lines in the whole film. The deaths of characters crucial to the plot’s development are either glossed over too quickly or aren’t given enough time in the film to warrant legitimate remorse.

I have never read the book series, yet I have never had a problem keeping up with the storyline of the film series. Some parts of this newest addition, however, proved to be an exception. There are numerous instances in the film, such as images seen in Harry’s dreams, that aren’t explained well enough for those of us who haven’t read the book. This confusion, however, is never enough to deter from the general enjoyment of the film.

Just as a movie, “Deathly Hallows” is filled with enough tension and visual splendor to satisfy just about any moviegoer with a love for fantasy films. As a part of the series, “Hallows” contains the same reliable mark of quality as the other films while remaining different enough to stand out on its own. As a prelude to the series’ highly anticipated finale, it is only going to make Potter fans even more anxious and excited for the conclusion next summer.

Runtime: 146 minutes MPAA Rating: PG-13

CW Critic’s Rating: 3 out of 4 stars

Bottom line: While it has a few minor problems, the first installment of this final two-parter is still riveting because of its increasingly dark tone, fine acting and spectacular action scenes.