All is mostly well

Rating: 7/10 (14 July 2011)

Well, this is it. After fourteen years, we have reached the end of the Harry Potter saga both in print and on film. Like them or hate them, the movies were undoubtedly an entertaining experience to look forward to, and while I always preferred the books to them, I found myself feeling incredibly sad and moved as I left the theatre tonight. The end of an era, indeed.
This is by no means a bad movie, but it sadly fails to deliver as much as the first part did (which, in my opinion, was easily the best Harry Potter movie). The two installments are vastly different; it has been said that the first is a road movie and the second an action movie and the direction reflects that all too well. In fact, at times I felt I was watching a film by a different director. The change wasn't unwelcome, but a little eerie nonetheless. This is the end, and the director wants us to feel this to the very core, from the missing trademark opening theme, down to the feel of this film.
As with all adaptations, certain things have been changed for the transition to the big screen. Whether you enjoy them or not falls under personal preference, but the majority were welcome to me. The trailer makes this perfectly clear, so it shouldn't fall under the spoiler section, but the most noticeable change was inflicted on the very final battle. There is no crowd watching in this time, only Harry and Voldemort, both driven to the edge. The fight feels more personal. Yes, the other characters make it abundantly clear that by the end of the story everyone's lives have been affected by this war, but the burden still falls on Harry's shoulders; everyone else can only pave the way.
I won't waste time waxing rhapsodic about the film's special effects. The battle of Hogwarts is an absolute thrill to watch, though I never once doubted the well-trained Hollywood crew would fails us on that aspect.
Everyone gets their moment of glory in this film, be it as a character or as an actor. I had expected that Alan Rickman would steal the show this time around, and brilliant though he is, this is Daniel Radcliffe's movie through and through. Our little trio has grown up, and along with their blossoming into adults, we have witnessed them become better actors. Both Emma and Rupert do a fine job indeed --the latter thankfully not a mere comic relief- but it's Dan who truly shines. He has never embodied his role as much as he does here. The much-awaited forest scene is his crowning moment, where his performance had everyone in my vicinity in tears (or in the verge).
For specific nitpicks and personal favorite moments (including spoilers), move on to the lists below. If you're interested in my conclusion, skip to the last paragraph.
The Good:

The opening scene

The whole Gringott's scene.

The Battle of Hogwarts as a visual spectacle

The many shout-outs to the previous movies. From props to creatures and even a past running gag (Seamus blowing everything up), the creators of the film paid homage to the journey that led up to this, like a personal wink to the viewer. Very nice touch.

The way Harry makes his presence known when in Hogwarts, signaling the start of the battle.

The Prince's Tale. Understandably missing a few memories, but the way they blend into one another, and the way certain scenes seem to crop up to help the viewer place the later events during the movies made for a beautiful and touching montage.

The final battle

The Bad:

Voldemort's laughter when Harry's body is brought back from the forest. Never been a fan of Fiennes in this part (good actor overall, but he overacts in these films) and the laughter was just plain awkward.

Neville's 'rousing' speech. Corny to the max and badly written.

The many, awkward attempts for humor when it was not needed. The film has a very precarious balance here. Some one-liners are very well-timed and placed (Ron's line when the trio returns to Hogwarts comes to mind), but many will most likely induce more groans than chuckles.

Dumbledore's entire backstory gone. Wasn't expecting a detailed analysis like in the book, but they could've made time for a little more.

The off-screen deaths of important characters. Really hoping they end up on the director's cut or even as deleted scenes on the Blu-Ray.

Voldemort and Bellatrix literally disintegrating. What? Why?

The epilogue. I like that it focused on the most important part (AKA Harry's private word with one of his sons), but I always thought the essence of the epilogue lies in Harry's final thoughts as the train leaves King's Cross. Thinking of past horrors, he rubs his scar absently as Ginny tries to reassure him that everything will be fine. This wasn't really touched upon here.

Overall, the end, like the saga as a whole, was a bittersweet affair. As a film it has its faults and is certainly not a movie the non-book fans will easily follow, but it's the end, and it's thrilling, it's entertaining, a non-stop ride chock full of blood, sweat and tears.
All is mostly well.