As an overall product, it's glorious. As a finale to a great series, what more can be asked for?

Rating: 9/10 (22 July 2011)

After months of waiting patiently, I have finally seen the second half of the final installment of the Harry Potter film franchise, The Deathly Hallows.
In the film, Harry, Ron, and Hermionie are still on their search and destroy mission for the final four horcruxes, items in which the deadly Lord Voldemort has laced with fragments of his soul. Only problem is, Voldemort is now fully aware of their mission, and intends to stop them at any cost. Soon, the three are back at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but the overwhelming influence of the Death Eaters has now left it totally bleak. As the dark armies prepare to strike Hogwarts down, Harry comes closer to his final showdown with Voldemort, a battle that will determine the fate of the wizarding world.
Splitting the last book of the series by J.K Rowling in half was found to be a divisive decision. Most thought that it was a wise choice, so that it would give the characters more development, while others saw it as a greedy chance to milk the cash cow. After seeing Part 2, my verdict is this: Totally. Justified. Decision.
This is easily one of the best entries in the Harry Potter film series. It establishes a very grim tone, but finds an even blend of action sequences, and the occasional humorous sprinkles. The movie takes a little time to get into, but as a result, the final hour of the movie had me tuning everything else out. The climax of the film is a huge rush of adrenaline, and the film's ending is a delightful return to the light spirit of the first film that has me itching to watch the series all over again, even as I speak.
Also, the film's cast and characters must not have been easy to keep properly developed. Not much of the adult cast are over utilized, but they serve the purpose that they're given. Daniel Radcliffe is at his best, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson perform admirably, Ralph Fiennes and Alan Rickman stand out amongst the cast (And one scene involving Rickman is a serious tearjerker), while new entries to the cast, Kelly MacDonald and Ciaran Hinds, make effective use of their small roles.
And to the many technical crew involved with the film, I tip my hat to you. The visual effects, cinematography, and makeup are most impressive. The sound design is exceptional. The excitement of watching the movie in IMAX 3D is gripping. Alexandre Desplat writes the only score of the series that is successfully able to duplicate the same thrilling, and whimsical sound John Williams brought to the earlier films. But most to thank is Stuart Craig, whose years of service as production designer, coupled with the fact that this feature might very well be his crowning achievement of the series, leads to me to say that the man, plain and simple, deserves this year's Oscar for Best Art-Direction. Case Closed.
But like many Harry Potter fans, I stand thinking, "Now what?" I'm very sad to see the series end, but happy that the filmmakers have given it a worthy finale. The Deathly Hallows Part 2 must not be missed on the big screen. If you loved the previous films, you will adore this one.
I give it ***1/2 out of ****