Pure movie magic <3

Rating: Null/10 (17 July 2011)

For the biggest movie franchise in the world, director David Yates had a numerous amount of pressure to bring the decade-long phenomena of Harry Potter, to a close. One might predict that the fear of failure may show itself should the 4 time HP director face a boggart, but of course to say this film was a failure would be "Ridikulous." Yates does it again with the final installment to the wizarding world of Harry Potter, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows- Part 2.
In the epic conclusion to the series, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), Ronald Weasley (Rupert Grint), and Hermoine Granger (Emma Watson) must race to find the remaining horcruxes in order to rid the world of Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) once and for all.
The screen fades from black to the familiar scene of Voldemort raiding the former headmaster's tomb, he sends a bolt of light to the sky, and the WB logo fades from white. A soft and haunting score plays, a masterpiece at the hands of Alexandre Desplat (composer of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows- part 1 and The King's Speech) welcoming the darkened and ominous Hogwarts castle, made all the more beautiful by Eduardo Serra's vision. Strings and a magnificent choir fuse together and create a sound more enchanting than a mermaid's song.
As the second half of a whole, this film moves fast to a hard-hitting and epic battle at the school where we all fell in love with magic, Hogwarts. Stuart Craig's Production design and Serra's point-of-view bring the audience to a significantly changed and matured school to match the wonderful storytelling by Steve Kloves and J. K. Rowling. Reminiscent to the past films, we hear the scores from Harry's first escapades from Sorcerer's Stone, to the melancholy music from Half-Blood Prince. Both enough to bring tears to the eyes. Also gracing the screen is the cast from the entire series, including Maggie Smith as the darling Professor McGonagall, David Thewlis as the howling Remus Lupin, and John Hurt as the mysterious Ollivander. If you want Fantastic Beasts, here's the place to find them. Rowling's world is as magnificent as ever, strewn with Goblins, Animated statues, Acromantulas, and yes, a Dragon!
The magic is bigger and bolder as the main actors give the performances of their careers. Rupert and Emma share a long anticipated moment and some powerful screen time. Of the actors in this film, although each one gave it their all, three were most notable. Alan Rickman, returning as the sniveling Prof. Snape gives the most heart wrenching and beautiful performance of his career, leading to a mind-blowing realization. As the villain who is slowly losing his mind, Ralph Fiennes terrifies and entrances. Lastly, Daniel Radcliffe, the young hero audiences have adored for a decade, awes. Daniel's maturity and absolute dedication to this role has left me breathless, there is no doubt in my mind, if ever there was a Harry Potter alive? -- it is this 21 year old actor.
Words cannot express the perfection of this bold exit for the Harry Potter franchise. Yates, with his talented cast and crew standing beside him, has released the single-most enchanting conclusion in film history. Action, Adventure, Mystery, and Emotion, this film has it all. (Oh, and don't be fooled, albeit the serious nature of this film, there are laughs hidden in there too.) The film left the audience roaring with applause as they sniffled and wiped away their tears. Yates must be a wizard, because I can not imagine any other director taking Rowling's beautiful books, and making them into this immaculate reality without a little magic to help out. For those who have grown up with this series and who have fallen in love with each adventure the troublesome trio have taken us on, this conclusion is everything Harry Potter ought to be: Pure Magic.
I strongly recommend this film!
"It's one thing to be called "the chosen one," but another thing entirely to stand up and be that hero." --Brandy Jensen