Exciting finale that improves on the book's climax

Rating: 6/10 (17 August 2011)

So the Potter machine is finally at it's end, with the decision to split the final book into two films proving a financial masterstroke. Ten years on from the first, the films have had a number of different directors, used practically every fine British actor there is that's still alive, and have ranged vastly in quality. They have also become extremely dark, with the 'love will triumph over evil' moral and the never-truly-threatening bad guys of the early two films being replaced with murdered house elves, tortured children, mass murder, and main characters being mercilessly killed in the blink of an eye. Author J.K. Rowling wanted the fans to grow up with Harry and mature with the books, and on many levels it works very well.
Part 1 left us with Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) having to bury one of his trusted friends, and Lord Voldemort (Ralph Feinnes), along with his Death Eaters, are closing in on Hogwarts. Harry, Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) have still got some horcruxes (pieces of Voldemort's soul, for those you haven't watched it) left to find, and arrive at Hogsmeade to find a way into Hogwarts, which is being run by the evil (?) Severus Snape (Alan Rickman). They find a way in thanks to Dumbledore's brother Aberforth (Ciaran Hinds), and are quick to take control of the school. But with Voldemort approaching, teachers and pupils alike must join forces in a climactic battle, while Harry scours the school for the horcruxes.
While Part 1 seemed to be stretched out and become rather slow in the middle section, Part 2 is action-packed. I'm not ashamed to say that I am a fan of the books, yet I was disappointed with the last one. After so long reading, the finale was anti-climatic and wasn't as dramatic or revelatory as I was expecting it to be. This is the main reason why Part 2 works so well. It extends the final showdown, making it rough, exciting and worthy of watching seven previous films, as Harry and Voldemort cross wands and fists. A slight disappointment though is the Battle of Hogwarts, which was a great section of the book. Giants, werewolves and stone men alike clash with the wizard and Death Eaters as Hogwarts is reduced to rubble. The build-up to it is great, but then the action shifts away to Harry, and his search for the horcruxes is less interesting than the battle happening around him.
It is as big a climax as you could hope for though, with every penny of the massive budget visible on screen. The special effects are virtually flawless, but the majority of the huge cast are give little or nothing to do. The likes of Emma Thompson, Jim Broadbent, Maggie Smith, Robbie Coltrane, Gary Oldman, John Hurt, Julie Walters and David Thewlis, who are the pinnacle of British talent, are given little more than a few lines. I know, these were major players in previous films, but with this kind of talent reduced to little more than cameos, it makes it upsetting that we're stuck with Daniel Radcliffe for the duration (likeable as he is). Ralph Fiennes though, who only appears briefly in the previous films, is given a lot more to chew on, and revels in it.
A fitting climax to a memorable series of films. Although never achieving anywhere near greatness, Harry Potter notched up some decent films (forgetting the first two), especially Alfonso Cuaron's third instalment, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. It will be interesting to see where the three leads go from this, as none of them are the most gifted of actors, and it's a wonder if they'll ever manage to shake off the phenomenon that is Harry Potter.
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