It's a brilliant farewell to "The Boy Who Lived", the last chapter makes sure his exit is the one he deserved

Rating: Null/10 (24 August 2011)

After 10 years and the best part of 20 hours of cinema, J.K Rowling's Harry Potter franchise is departing from our big screens. The cinematic finale of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2″ sticks with director David Yates for a fourth outing, but has the second part of this epic adventure done justice to the grand source material, and can it be anywhere near as good as its eerie and beautiful predecessor? Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) has located the Elder Wand; one of the three components that make up the Deathly Hallows. Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) are aware that his discovery has granted him incomprehensible power and are in terrible danger. When Harry becomes aware that a Horcrux is located in Hogwarts School, the trio must head back to the place where their adventure began and defeat the vicious wizard who so eagerly longs for Harry's blood.
When adapting a work so adored, it's difficult to know how an audience will react to any changes, realistically however these are only made to better the cinematic experience, not to devalue the novel.This movie finds a balance between the two, it's incredibly faithful to the book and only has a very few slight alterations which work perfectly well within the world of the picture.
Part 2 is easily as good as its predecessor; rather than having the calculated suspense of the first part, this picture bursts with action and energy right from the start. Both films are so different from each other but perfectly capture the spirit of Rowling's final book. This film is a marvellous spectacle; it's exciting and intoxicating with its glorious battle sequences, but as well as its cinematography and set design.
Yates' direction is sumptuously executed. He knows Harry Potter so well and he direct the films with dedication which is clearly evident throughout. This film doesn't just rely on its action and spectacle to be brilliant because the real success story lies in the character drama and emotion.
Without a doubt the finest moment is the lengthy montage of Professor Snape's (Alan Rickman) memories and how he has impacted on Harry's life; it's a beautifully sculpted and timed piece that really digs under his hard façade. The film also fantastically pulls at the viewer's emotional strings with the death and destruction of all the characters involved. For those who have read the book, you already know it has an awfully high body count and we see the effects of this in distressing detail proving how adult this franchise is.
However this last chapter does share one major thing with the 2010′s first part; tone. This film is dark in every sense of the word. It has a deeply unsettling and brooding nature, created through its dim and ambient lighting; some rooms only have light from a flickering candle or the trio's wands aided with the "Lumos" charm.
The success of the story is highlighted through the performances of Dan, Rupert and Emma who, like the story itself, have grown in strength over the last decade.
Radcliffe is certainly strong; particularly with the emotional content. His portrayal of Harry is so beautifully defined and controlled. It's the same story with Grint and Watson too – both have high emotional sequences and indeed intimate as the pair's love for one another grows. As always, the finest performer is Rickman. Snape is such a brilliantly complex character. He is a tragic hero, a tragic villain and a hopeless romantic for a lost soul. Rickman uses and portrays all these elements with such skill.
Verdict: ●●●●●
It's a brilliant farewell to "The Boy Who Lived", and although the departure is deeply saddening, the last chapter makes sure his exit is the one he deserved; an utterly unforgettable one.
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