Evaluation

Rating: 8/10 (27 November 2011)

According to an objective evaluation of the film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2(2011),was a success. The director, David Yates, effectively reached the film's level of ambition by giving a sense of closure to the end of the Harry Potter series. The film embodies the theme of conclusion and growth as the director shows Harry Potter and his friend's journey as they destroy all the Horcruxes, kill Lord Voldemort, and grow up into adults.
The strongest contribution to the theme was the scenes with character development. When the director shows Snape's child hood memories, the audience was finally able to understand Snape's motivation. The director also shows how Harry Potter changes by his journey because at the end, he names his child after Severus Snape. Other characters also grow, Neville Longbottom takes the roll of a leader with his speech in the end when facing Voldemort. In the battle ground of Hogwarts, David Yates incorporates a long, passionate kiss between Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. Each of these scenes marks an end to the Harry Potter story.
One of the weakest elements of the film was the lack of explanation of the Horcruxes. To a viewer who had not read the Harry Potter books, it would be difficult to understand the back story of Helga Hufflepuff's cup because in the film, the director just shows the Gray Lady upset, leaving the viewers to make their own interpretations. At times, for someone who is not a Harry Potter fan, it would be confusing for a viewer to understand the complex plot at the end of the story.
But at times, David Yates bridges this gap for by simplifying the concepts to make it clear. For instance, he makes a connection between destroying the Horcruxes and Voldemort weakening by parallel editing. In this simple way he explains an aspect of the story without causing confusion. Overall, the film was a brilliant end to the series. The actors played their roles well and the special effects strengthened the Harry Potter diegesis. The film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, was able to reach its level of ambition.