1. Notes: 1 / 10 months ago 

   Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

   For many, the second part to the final chapter of the Harry Potter “film” franchise is literally… THE END. It would seem that there is no way a feature film could ever satisfy every fans expectations, especially considering that this is, as we have already stated, THE END. Also, many fans have chosen to claim the original written work of the seventh chapter to be their favorite in the series, featuring more battles, more danger, more dragons, more death, more grit, than any of the other chapters. So how could a film adaptation, which is more than often a recipe for disaster, possibly establish a satisfying conclusion to an enormous fanbase’s expectation for THE END? Long answer short? Somehow it does. 

   Its all the more impressive considering how difficult it would be to create a compelling story arc out of half of a book, which would easily remove any possibility of new fans finding an easy entrance to the series here. Then again, givin just how intensely passionate our generation is about the franchise, you would be hard pressed to find a friend who was not in some way “in” on everything the series was about, making the decision to split the final chapter into two parts an incredibly wise, albeit bold move. This second chapter functions not so much as a standalone film as it does a two hour climax. Considering that this climax is full of wizard battles, dragons, swords, ghosts, and explosions, your almost guaranteed to be glued to your seat so long as you have a basic knowledge of what happened in the previous episodes. 

   The number one complaint of any fan of this franchise will be the translation from book to screen, and fortunately, this is one of the most faithful chapters yet. Most of the inevitable embellishment here lies in the battles themselves. Many of these details work for the narrative’s good, some work against it. There are some moments which are incredibly disappointing, particularly for me in the very end of the film. There were a few drastic changes in the small details which made some of the scenes within the novel so beautiful and compelling. Whether it was an issue of screen time, direction, or reshoots I am not sure. However, know that any HARDCORE fan will leave with one or two sighs, but thats easily ten less then any of the previous films. 

   David Yates was incredibly delicate with the material he was responsible for given the circumstances behind turning ANY book into a film. All of the most important details are handled with care. The acting feels fluid, albeit occasionally a little rushed. Then again, being the climax to a franchise which has literally been in the making for over a decade, this is easily forgive-able. Radcliff, Watson, and Grint deliver some extremely convincing performances, especially when compared to their earlier days in “Sorcerer’s Stone”. Not to say that the supporting cast ought to be overlooked either, Rickman gives us a particularly complex and touching role in the last chapter as Professor Snape, although he is also lookin a bit pudgy these days… 

   The movie looks spectacular. Every scene practically looks painted like a dreamscape, although I felt like the Gringotts scene was a little too bland on the eyes for my taste (thats saying a lot from me considering its the most prominent dragon scene in the film). However, the battle at Hogwarts is particularly breathtaking in both scope and spectacle. This was a film I actually regret not seeing in 3D. Although I have one complaint, the final battle between Harry and Voldemort felt very… anti-climatic in comparison with other events throughout the film. One would have thought the filmmakers would have pulled off all the stops with this one, but things actually felt slowed down during this fight montage. I wont spoil what happens, but I will say that things felt a little too easy and simple during the showdown. 

   The film functions as a nice bookend as well. The last ten minutes are particularly, touching, although they feel slightly off balance with the rest of the story (this was a common complaint with the book too). Still, its nice to have a moment to slow down the intensity which has finally been released from the series to reminisce on the previous six episodes and to look at how far these characters have come. This final Harry Potter film is not just an appropriate climax, but an appropriate resolution as well. Its sad to watch these faces go, but at least they leave with smiles on their fan’s faces. 

   4 1/2 STARS

2. Notes

   1. laurentheloo liked this
   2. semi-constructive-criticism posted this

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