Too Bad It Ended Like This

Rating: Null/10 (15 July 2011)

OVerall it was okay, and will make a bunch of money. But David Yates was not the best to direct the Potter films. His method always seems to be to just get through the movie as quick as possible. This has been true since OOTP. The problem is that such a quick pace leaves out many key scenes and doesn't allow the viewer to make more of an emotional investment in the story and the characters. Deathly Hallows 2 was no different. It was enjoyable enough, I suppose. But could have been so much better with just an additional 10 minutes of movie. A few additional scenes and extending a few of them just a little more could have added greater depth and emotion.
Spoiler alert: Just some scenes that could have been added or extended: Snapes memories- a few more scenes to greater establish his closeness with Lilly and his role in fighting Voldemort. It would have helped to explain why Harry named one of his kids after a man he had hated for 7 years. And a few more lines to show his reluctance to have to be the one to kill Dumbledore. This would have shown Snapes greater respect and love for him.
Slightly extend the scene leading up to Mrs. Weasley fighting Belatrix. A few more seconds to establish Jinny's peril in the fight before Mrs. Weasly stepping in and uttering her great line. IT happened so fast, you could miss that Jinny was even fighting Belatrix if you blink at the wrong time.
SHould have shown the death of Fred and Percy's reuniting with the family. This wouldn't have taken very long and Fred deserved to have his death scene, rather than just being an afterthought body on a stretcher.
SHould have shown a few more individual fight sequences, especially with Hagrid. I was beginning to wonder if Hagrid was even going to appear. And there was no emotion from him when he thought Harry was dead.
Extend the scene of Mrs. Malfoy and Harry to better explain why she lied to Voldemort about Harry being dead.
Should have shown more entities involved in the fight, like parents, Hogsmead residence, the elves as lead by Kreacher - rather than showing mainly an army of kids fighting the Death Eaters.
MOre of the school's teachers in the fight.
The final confrontation between Harry and Voldemort could have been done better and stayed truer to the book.
OVer all, Yates' Harry Potter movies have been rather emotionless and anti-climatic. DH2, sadly, was no different.