An Positive end to a Memorable Franchise

Rating: Null/10 (13 July 2011)

It has been a long time coming, but the Harry Potter series has come to an end, and on a positive note to boot. I was lucky enough to catch it at a midnight screening, where the atmosphere and anticipation was unbelievably high, as you would expect! Having read all seven books (albeit some time ago) and regardless of me knowing what should be happening while I watched the movie, there were many unexpected moments to savor. Aside from a couple of minor nuances, I left the cinema very pleased that the franchise was given such a wonderful end.
This movie is just about everything a fan of the series could want. A plot that manages to incorporate all major events from the book along with an ever-present haunting tone throughout. Virtually every major and minor character from the novel gets some form of appearance as well. Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and Voldermort's (Ralph Fiennes) battle was a little short for my liking, however its intensity made up for a lack of length. In terms of rounding off an adventure, this movie did a solid job.
The movie's intro is short and sweet, throwing you directly into the end of where the first left you, which is great. Pacing is, for the most part, cleverly done. The movie's action sequences are balanced nicely with some more reflective moments. This is where Snape (Alan Rickman) shines. His screen time was actually much less than what I was anticipating, but he makes excellent use of what time he has. You can't help but feel some form of empathy for Rickman's character as his story unfolds. It almost steals the show.
Tone and lighting were done to perfection. We've come a long way from the cheery and very colorful opening films to the gritty and dark ones in the past few years. The darkness continues increasing to an exciting crescendo in this movie. There is again a ridiculously limited color palette to the scenes, but it's appropriate. They've become evident since the third film, The Prisoner of Azkaban. Some don't and won't like it, but it all feels worthwhile now for the climax in this final chapter.
The film is by far not perfect though. The movie felt a tad broken up and rushed in several parts, particularly in some battle scenes towards the conclusion of the film. Sometimes we would be thrown from one place to the next unnecessarily. Some will like the chaotic pacing in these parts, but for me it gave an impression of easiness to the lead trio's task of destroying horcruxes (which the books show it was anything but). It's almost as if they were simple side tasks before the final confrontation, instead of crucial and necessary steps they should have been.
The biggest criticism of the film must lie in its ignorance of any character that happens to not be named Harry Potter. Because of this, many relationships between other characters don't feel developed enough. Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) are constantly distanced from Harry. When you compare the book to the film you almost feel that anything outside of Harry was tacked onto the story line here. The concept of 'good' vs. 'evil' seems to be lost and substituted with 'Harry' vs. 'Voldermort.' People would argue that that's how it should be, but that doesn't do justice to the other characters present. There was nothing more painful though than seeing some people swept aside like they never existed.
But, for almost everyone, the intense build-up to the final encounter between Voldermort and Harry will make up for that. Ralph Fiennes as Voldermort is as menacing as ever playing the pale-skinned antagonist. Notable appearances that deserve a mention include Helena Bonham Carter (as Bellatrix Lestrange) and John Hurt (as Ollivander) with amusing and pensive roles respectively.
The attention to visual details is also amazing. Hogwarts, where majority of the film's setting takes place, changes dramatically as the film goes on. You almost feel trapped within the school with the other characters as the darkness draws nearer. The school, ironically, never felt so alive during this movie. Sound and music were as sharp as any of the previous movies, and contributed to this wonderful mood.
In the end, the film rounds off well. Although I despised it in the book, the final scene, and in particular the final shot of the film, brought a smile to my face. A superb ending to a franchise that's been magical in more ways than one.
7.5/10