I was waiting for the hype to die down a bit before going to watch Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, but I finally did and, in short, I really enjoyed it. I don't know if I liked it more than the first part, but it was well-directed and well-acted, if perhaps a little rushed (this is the shortest of the seven Harry Potter films). Among the delightful cameos of characters that were absent in the first part (Professor McGonagall, Neville Longbottom, etc.), there is significant character development in this last film, especially with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. This is possibly the only movie in the Harry Potter series in which all of the actors were nearly perfect in their roles; emotional, passionate, charismatic, memorable. The tone of the movie is perfectly set, from the stark and sullen beginning to the emotional and triumphant end. The story-telling is just really well-done.
The only thing I have to complain about is the lack of response and emotion after Voldemort is defeated. It's like, "Voldemort is finally gone; where's the celebration?!" I also would've liked it better had the film just ended with the scene in which Harry, Ron, and Hermione are standing on the bridge leading to Hogwarts, with Harry having just threw away the Elder Wand. It feels like a much more appropriate given the overall tone of the film, and it would have felt more like a true ending. I know that the epilogue in the book features the "19 years later" bit, but I felt that they should've kept that for a DVD bonus feature instead, because the story is, after all, about the main trio and their adventures. The epilogue in the film makes it seem like it's introducing a new chapter to a different story, rather than giving closure to the previous seven films.
I have been involved with Harry Potter since I was 11, so it's really bittersweet that it's all ended now, nearly 14 years later. But Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is, overall, a brilliant ending to an epic saga.
Rating: 4.5/5
I was really happy with the movie as well! The first few Harry Potter movies were a lot more upbeat and the story line gradually got darker and darker.. I admit I enjoyed the first few more :p
ReplyDeleteHaha, I'm the opposite -- I liked the films more and more as they progressed... :P But I guess it's with the actors, too; they were so young and "green" back then with no experience, and they've grown up and developed so much, so it was more enjoyable for me to watch them in the later years.
ReplyDeleteI agree w/ your thoughts on the ending. The "19 years later" was odd, and would definitely have been more poignant w/ them on the bridge.
ReplyDeleteMy favourite is still the third movie, Prisoner of Azkaban!
Ahhh, "poignant"! That was the word I was looking for!
ReplyDeleteDid you read the books? The "19 years later" is actually the epilogue in the book... But even there, it feels odd. Like, it feels like J. K. Rowling got pressure from her publishers or maybe even her fans to write it. Like, this is the story of our main trio, and the 7th book marks the end of their adventures. I didn't like that the epilogue feels like the introduction to another story. But maybe that's what she meant to do...? It would be kinda lame to read about Harry Potter's kids, though, lol.
Hmm... I'd actually have to say that it's a tie for me between Prisoner of Azkaban and Deathly Hallows: Part 1 as being my favourite. :)