a finale for the ages..

Rating: 10/10 (22 August 2011)

It's not possible to review Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (to be known going forward as Part 2) without touching on the movies that came before it in the series. It's been 10 years since Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, the first movie in the epic, was released. In those 10 years, we've watched Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Matthew Lewis and Tom Felton, grow from children into young adults. After his unfortunate passing the late Richard Harris, who played Professor Dumbledore in the first two films, was replaced by Michael Gambon, who stepped in and built upon the wonderful work done by his predecessor. Alan Rickman, previously most notable for portraying Hans Gruber in Die Hard, gives his most endearing performance as Professor Severus Snape; and Matthew Lewis' does a fantastic job of giving a top-notch portrayal of a mature and no longer reserved Neville Longbottom. Over the years we were amazed while watching characters we'd read about be brought to life on the big screen; we allowed ourselves to develop relationships with the characters as they themselves developed relationships; we cried, as character we grew to care about sacrificed themselves to help protect our young hero to be; we laughed as the Dursleys got their comeuppance for their terrible mistreating of Harry; and we watched anxiously, awaiting the inevitable showdown with Voldemort. Very much in the same way that thanks to Star Wars, Mark Hamil will always be known as Luke Skywalker, Carrie Fisher will always be known as Princess Leia, and Harrison Ford will always be known as Hans Solo; Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint will always be known as Harry, Hermione and Ron.
Part 2 picks up immediately where the previous movie ended; bringing with it the darkness and desolation that was pertinent throughout. However, it doesn't take long for the things to pick up and once it does, it never looks back. The action is intense and relentless, bringing forth a mass of devastation and destruction. As we build towards the end, the explanations provided for prior events are understandable and acceptable. There are some fateful characters loss, and unfortunately most are done off-screen. Of course, when you're dealing with a book that is close to 800 pages some sacrifices need to be made in order to keep the length of the movie under control. Unlike the first 7 movies in the series, this one was all about Harry; as it should have been. Having spent years preparing physically and mentally for his eventual battle with Voldemort, Harry appears ready to deal with the task at hand; and willingly accepts and meets his fate head on in a fitting final encounter.
Part 2 brings to a close the most successful franchise in film history. David Yates, director of the final four movies in the series, does a fine job of including as much detail from the book as possible and ensuring a majority of its readers a necessary happiness. Part 2 takes its viewers on an emotional roller coaster, but that's all part of the journey we signed up for. Writer J.K. Rowling could have continued the adventures of Harry and his friends as young adults, and even into their later years. Having said that, I can't complain about the whirlwind ride I was lucky enough to have experienced. I wasn't a Potter fan when the books first came out. I didn't give the first book a try until a few months before Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire came out, thanks to a suggestion made by a very good friend of mine. After reading the first book, I was hooked. The appreciation I have after reading the books and watching the movies was one I never expected to have. Something that started out as a fun little adventure ended up being so very much more than that for me and millions of others around the world. I look forward to the day when my children will want to read the books, and watch the movies for more than just entertainment allowing them to grow an appreciation on their own.
Grade: A+
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