Ten years, eight movies, one incredible franchise ... when 2011 came around, I couldn’t believe it ... the HP movies were actually concluding. Whether you’re a fan of the Harry Potter franchise or not, you still can’t deny that it’s a classic series of films, which have been remembered and celebrated for years. It left a huge impact on my childhood, it lasted throughout my teenage years, it then concluded at the beginning of my young adult years, and I feel so lucky to have been a part of the generation that grew up with this saga. Now at last, we reach “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2”, the eighth and final film in the series ... and I’m so pleased to say that the franchise closes on a very, VERY high note. Without question, it's one of my favorite in the series ... top three easy, and should be immortalized as one of the best final chapters of all time.
Following up immediately after the events of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1”, Harry and his friends find themselves back on their quest to find, and destroy Voldemort's seven items in order to defeat him once, and for all. This leads to another thrilling sequence where the gang sneaks into the wizard bank, collect another item, and make a daring escape on a fire breathing dragon. It’s just an awesome scene, and it gets things started with a kick. After words, they find themselves back at Hogwarts, where they seek the final items to destroy, and later find themselves defending the castle from Voldemort's invading army of dark wizards. It’s actually a very simple premise, but everything is done so well. The action/ adventure sequences are thrilling, the performances are powerful, the visuals are dazzling, and all the characters are given the proper amount of attention. The films message regarding sacrifice is effective without feeling preachy, and despite the constant violence and dark concepts, everything still feels magical. This is something that the last film just couldn’t accomplish.
Also, unlike “Part 1” of “The Deathly Hallows”, this film gives the supporting characters plenty of attention. Everyone gets their shining moments, dramatic moments, and they all have a charismatic sense of hummer to boot. The comedy in this film is very subtle, and they all hit bull’s-eye’s. The characters are also given a significant amount of development, and Professor Snap gets an incredible back story that ties everything together so well. Seriously, the scene when Snaps story is revealed to Harry was absolutely electrifying, and could have won its own little academy award. I also find myself cheering for the cast more then I have in any of the previous films.
Harry Potter in particular makes the big sacrifice move by giving his life for the good of his friends. After learning that a part of his enemy’s soul lingers deep within, Harry Potter confronts Voldemort, and willingly sacrifices himself, so that his friends could have a fighting chance. In the aftermath of his sacrifice, he’s reunited with the spirit of Professor Dumbledore, and the two share one final conversation within a mysterious void that resembles Kings Cross Station. Picking a favorite individual moment from this movie is challenging, as there’s so many great moments to pick from, but if I had to place one select moment above all the others … it’s this calm and humble conversation between these two characters that resonates with me the most. There’s just something profound about sharing one last meaningful talk with someone who previously passed away, and the sentiments they exchanged with one another are as humble as they get. I especially love Dumbledore’s final comment to Harry … “Don’t pity the dead, pity the living, especially those who’ve lived without love”. This scene was shot, paced and acted perfectly. I also admire the silent soundtrack, as it adds to the peaceful atmosphere of the moment. It’s fascinating that for all the fantastical wonders present in this film … it’s one single conversation that feels the most magical of all.
Many people have compared this film to “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King”, and to be fare, both films are very similar. Both plots revolve around a battle on castle grounds, which involves an army of monstrous creatures, and a hero who has to destroy evil objects that will vanquish the main villain. Personally, even though “The Return of the King” was another great final chapter, I think “Deathly Hallows Part 2” can stand apart on it's own strengths, and actually has some select improvements. The battle of Hogwarts is a thrilling spectacle with statues that come to life, lots of destruction, lots of wand duels, and a busy environment ... however, it’s mostly in the background of the film, while all the attention still goes to our hero’s. Personally, I felt that “The Return of the King” spent way too much time on its battle, and making it a larger than life spectacle out of it, while the characters were all moved to the sidelines. Also, the pacing is much better in “Deathly Hallows Part 2”, as it’s the kind of fast pace that never feels dull, but it also doesn’t come off as rushed, as it still gives the characters enough time to breath. The final battle between Harry and Voldemort is the stuff of legend, and is worthy to go along other classic confrontations of good vs. evil, like Darth Vader vs. Luke Skywalker.
My only criticism toured this film is the final scene with the trio after the climax. When the battle concludes, Harry, Ron and Herminie share one last scene together on a bridge, and all they do is discus who Voldemort's wand properly belongs to. That sucks ... this is our final scene with these characters, this is the moment when they should be reflecting on how much they’ve experienced over the years, how they’ve prevailed against so many odds, how their friendship has only gotten stronger, and what they plan to do with their lives now that all the dark times have passed, etc. Bottom line, I feel like there could have been a really nice bonding moment between these three characters in their final scene, and it was all wasted. Thankfully, the film redeems itself with a nice little epilog, which takes place 19 years in the future. We see that our hero’s are all married, they have kids, and Harry sends his son off to school, so it’s like everything has come full circle from where Harries journey first began. I love how simple, pleasant, and to the point this scene is, unlike “The Return of the King”, which had to beat you over the head with an ending that just wouldn’t end.
To sum things up, I couldn’t have asked for a better send-off to a beloved film series. It’s magical, epic, action packed, powerfully acted, and ties all loose ends together so nicely. It's actually on par with "Star Wars 6: Return of the Jedi" as one of my favorite final chapters of all time. I realize that this was a relatively small review, especially in comparison to all my previous Harry Potter posts, but I can’t think of anything else that needs to be addressed ... just see the movie for yourself, because I can’t do it justice. If you’re a big fan of the Harry Potter series, I think you’ll be perfectly satisfied with this epic, powerful, emotional, magical, and all around stunning conclusion to the timeless Harry Potter series.
Thanks for reading my review of the 2011 sequel “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2” ... and continue to enjoy whatever movies you Love!
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