Photo by: 2010 Warner Bros. Ent. Inc.

Nine years after the first Harry Potter film adaptation, it’s all starting to come to an end… just when things are getting good.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1,” released today, marks the first of the film series in which Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) don’t return to Hogwarts. And for good reason. Harry is the most wanted wizard in the wizarding world.

With Snape (Alan Rickman) running the school now that Dumbledore is dead, things have taken a turn for the worse. Harry can’t return to Hogwarts without risking capture – or worse, death by dementors.

Instead, Harry and crew travel around the world searching and destroying horcruxes, mystical items in which Lord Voldemort has buried pieces of his soul to establish immortality.

These aspects of the series may seem like a lot to keep up with, but “Part 1” flows easily – unlike the choppier, dialogue-heavy and, frankly, downright boring sixth installment of the series, “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.” “Part 1” is non-stop action from start to finish, with laughs and love sprinkled in between the dramatic sequences.

There’s enough of a plot line in “Part 1” to keep you interested, simplifying the Harry Potter storyline just barely so anyone can jump into the series and understand what’s going on without having to see prior films or read the books.

And yet, “Deathly Hallows” still holds true to the books enough to not cheat the die-hard fans.

In advancing the plot line and inching us closer and closer to witnessing that inevitable final showdown between Harry and Lord Voldemort, the story also welcomes the return of familiar characters like Dobby the elf. This time around, however, Dobby provides comic relief. As does Ron’s goofy persona and his awkward, love-drunk interactions with Hermione – who has swapped her role as book nerd for an attractive, confident young woman.

But don’t just take my word for it. Witness the magic yourself, muggle.

This is a Harry Potter film to rival all other Potter films, and it sets the bar high for the final movie in the series. Though “Part 1” and “Part 2” were filmed at the same time, you’ll have to wait until July 2011 to find out what happens in the series. Unfortunately, waiting will be the hardest part. After 120 minutes of movie magic this time around, you’ll be begging for more.