Harry Potter saga concludes on a spectacular note!

Rating: Null/10 (16 August 2011)

We have finally arrived at the end of the best fantasy series of our time: Harry Potter. Uhm...that distant bustle you are hearing are millions of Potter fanatics still rushing to their local cinemas to watch/re-watch the last installment of the HP movies. And their eagerness will be rewarded because this film does not disappoint! There is just one word to describe Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2: Wow! And if you're going to see it in IMAX 3D: double wow! This may be the last film in the series but the producers have made sure that nobody will forget it easily.
In this movie, Harry, Ron and Hermione continue their mission on hunting down and destroying the last remaining Horcruxes of Lord Voldemort. Their quest takes them to the wizard bank, Gringrotts, and back to Hogwarts where they face the final battle against Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Along the way they encounter, in true fantasy style, various dangerous characters and creatures from the mythology.
Apart from religious controversies, the Harry Potter series has never really attracted negative reactions. Film critics and audiences alike were fanatical about the bespectacled wizard and his adventures at Hogwarts. The only complaint about the movies was that they were prone to neglect certain elements of the books.
Deathly Hallows: Part 2, together with its predecessor Part 1, is the only film that does justice to the books on which it is based. Every element that has made the books so enchanting is present in Part 2. Be warned though: this movie is far from the charming children's movie, The Sorcerer's Stone we came to love back in 2001. Deathly Hallows Part 2 is more dark, intense and violent than the previous movies in the series.
Deathly Hallows: Part 2 reminds us what the word "action packed" actually means. The tension runs high long before you have consumed half of your popcorn. This movie definitely has lots of stamina – in fact, Deathly Hallows Part 2 is a mad roller-coaster ride full of colorful sparks, falling bodies, and flying debris. One hardly gets a chance to breath.
Don't think, however, that this movie is merely a visual extravaganza. Deathly Hallows Part 2 maintains a good balance between character development and the best computer effects since Avatar. The producers clearly had one goal when shooting this movie: to have the viewer's adrenaline glands pumping for more than two hours. And they have achieved it without a doubt. Deathly Hallows Part 2 makes the recent fantasy movie (and competitor), Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader, seem like an innocent tea party.
Speaking of competition: The Harry Potter movies have always been put side by side with the Lord of the Rings trilogy. This time around a comparison between these two movies is also inevitable. Deathly Hallows Part 2 at times feels just like Peter Jackson's Return of the King. Giant spiders? Check. Dragons? Check. An epic battle at the end? Check. The dramatic downfall of the Dark Lord? Check, check, check. It is as though Jackson donated a few leftover scenes from his movie to the team of Harry Potter.
Do not disregard the word "Deathly" in the movie's title; fans of the books will know that there are lots more deaths in this movie, which bring about some poignant moments. And those who haven't read the last book by now can brace themselves for a shocking discovery at the film's climax.
After seven successful movies, the words "I would recommend this" will be futile in a Harry Potter review; the films have really established themselves as a must-see franchise over the years. The lead actors will surely not win an Oscar for their performances, but hey...who are we fooling? We don't go to see a HP movie for the acting, but for the amazing special effects and the beautiful young actors on offer! All I can conclude with is: TAKE EIGHT BLOODY WELL DESERVED STARS HARRY POTTER!!!!