Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint. Rated PG. Opens Friday, November 19, at the Ridge Theatre

It turns out there is something more deadly to sensitive young wizards than snake-faced Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters (which would make a great band name, by the way). To really put your magical teens in a world of hurt, do as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 does and drop them into the wilderness to mope and squabble for days on end—just like real-world camping trips, but without the crap Wi-Fi and weed.

By now, Pottermaniacs know that J. K. Rowling’s seventh and (supposedly) last book in her fantasy series about the boy wizard with the lightning-bolt scar was so whopping-ass huge that screenwriter Steve Kloves and director David Yates had to slice it in two. Honest, kids, Deathly Hallows: Part 1 is still 146 minutes—are we cool?

Fans will undoubtedly be chill with this possibly darkest-yet installment, in which Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), with mates Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint), goes into the wild to evade Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) and to find and destroy three more Horcruxes. Er, do readers even remember what a Horcrux is? Okay, never mind.

There are some highly imaginative, crazy-paced action sequences, including one in which the teens go Horcrux-hunting in the Nazi headquarters–like Ministry of Magic. The irresistible Bill Nighy and Rhys Ifans join the who’s who of Brit actors (including Helena Bonham Carter, Brendan Gleeson, Alan Rickman, and Robbie Coltrane), and Dobby the house elf (voiced by Toby Jones) steals some of the wittiest, liveliest, and most poignant moments.

But it’s tricky being part one: the ending feels less cliffhanger than “Hey, who stopped the film?” And even fans might get a little glum with the postapocalyptic-feeling wilderness stretches, despite the teen angst. Or maybe not. Does anyone else miss spells class and Quidditch?