When I first heard that the filmed version of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — the final installment of the hugely popular series of books about everybody’s favorite boy wizard — would be split into two chapters, I had two thoughts.

One, the film was clearly in need of an editor. The book didn’t run much longer than any of the other books in the series, and Hollywood managed to make entertaining and comprehensible films out of those tomes. And two, the producers were trying to milk this juggernaut for every dime they could get.

But after seeing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, I’ve completely changed my tune. I believe this is one of the best chapters yet — rivaled only by the third film, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (which had both director Alfonsa Cuaron and a thrilling time-travel plot line going for it).

And the split into two parts is key to the film’s success. In fact, the effectiveness of Deathly Hallows – Part 1 has me wondering how much better the other films might have played if given more room to breathe. It’s too late now, but perhaps the series would have been a true masterpiece if each segment had been stretched out like this one.

I suspect this film will play better than the rest for lovers of the books but worse for those who’ve enjoyed only the films. This theory is borne out by the reaction of my Muggle brother-in-law, who has enjoyed the first six films but found this one tedious.

That’s because the other films, forced to pack a whole lot of plot into the length of one feature film, were fast-paced and action-packed. Deathly Hallows – Part 1, on the other hand, spends a lot of time with the three main characters, who spend a lot of time not doing much of anything.

I won’t bother with a plot synopsis (anybody who cares enough about this series to read my review already knows what happens) except to say that the main action of the film involves Harry and best friends Ron and Hermione searching for four remaining Horcruxes — objects containing pieces of the evil Voldemort’s soul — and they get a whiff of only one of them. Mostly they journey, make camp and explore the dynamics of their complex teenage relationships.

That includes Ron’s simmering jealousy of “Chosen One” Harry, whose platonic chemistry with Hermione threatens Ron’s own unspoken romantic feelings toward the brilliant young witch. Ron has always been a favorite character of mine. He doesn’t have the talent of Hermione, or the destiny of Harry… his power is in his strength of character and his courage in the face of danger. That he does everything he does while being so very ordinary makes him extraordinary indeed.

Hermione is the most competent and accomplished of the group. I love how both boys know it, too. Early in the film, Ron catches Harry trying to sneak off to begin the quest on his own and Harry invites Ron along. “We can’t leave Hermione behind,” Ron says, in what seems like a chivalrous concern for her safety. “We won’t last two days without her.” She is a feminist hero beautifully embodied by Emma Watson, the most natural actor of the trio.

The kids are asked to carry this film more than any of the others. By now the series has amassed such a stable of great British thespians that it’s kind of a shame none of them gets much screen time. Because the movie is the first to not take place at Hogwarts, we don’t get the usual sampling of Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Maggie Smith and the rest.

Rickman, in particular, is missed. His Severus Snape is one of the series’ richest and most complex characters and he hasn’t been well-served over the past few films. Here he has basically one big scene, and he typically knocks it out of the park. You can see the desperation in Snape’s eyes as he must give himself over to Voldemort entirely as part of a dangerously complex plan. I’d love to read a book, or see a movie, dedicated to only his perspective.

Later, Imelda Stanton turns up in a few scenes as the delightfully evil Dolores Umbridge and Helena Bonham Carter chews the scenery as the frighteningly evil Bellatrix Lestrange.

Director David Yates, who helmed the previous three Potter films as well as next summer’s Deathly Hallows – Part 2, doesn’t have as many whimsical touches to work with as his counterparts did in the early films. Hogwarts is an embarrassment of cinematic riches and giving it up for dense forests and icy mountaintops must have been a challenge.

But he finds magic in unexpected places, such as a gothic cartoon come to life to explain the origins of the titular hallows or a not-in-the-book dance scene between Harry and Hermione. That short scene is already one of the film’s most discussed and debated moments — anytime the films go off-text it’s guaranteed to generate controversy among fans, especially when it’s a slab of raw meat for the Harmione shippers.

I loved the dance. Harry is looking to cheer up Hermione, who is despondent over Ron’s absence and their failure to make any real progress on their quest, and a Nick Cave song over a shortwave radio provides an excuse to let loose. Their sweetly awkward pas de deux tiptoes to the edge of romantic tension but ultimately underscores that these two are nothing more or less than the best of friends.

I’ve read some fan complaints that the film doesn’t include a key line of Harry’s in the book, when he explains to Ron that he’s not romantically interested in Hermione: “I love her like a sister.” I much prefer the more touching and complicated treatment of their relationship we’re given in this film.

The truth is, I’ve found most of the Harry Potter films forgettable. They are entertaining echoes of beloved books but lacking in emotional resonance. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 is a welcome exception. Whether it’s the extra length, the comfort level of a cast and crew that has been at this for a decade or the heightened stakes in the story, this one feels different.

My guess is more than anything it’s the realization that something I’ve treasured is coming to an end.