The first part of the last Harry Potter book turned movie was, like the book, dark. It did drag in spots, but there was a lot of information to convey, and the book dragged in spots. The visuals were stunning and, given that it's likely that most everyone in the theater had read the book, the fact that we were all so into the story that we jumped or screamed at several points is, in my opinion, evidence that we were drawn into the story. The effects were stunning, the cinematography was incredible. Overall, highly recommended. I might go see it again at the theater and that's something I almost never do.