A good movie, but definitely more fun for aficionados than casual audiences

Rating: 6/10 (18 January 2014)

Never have I been looking forward to a movie as much as I did to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 and never have I had a viewing experience in cinemas as great as I had when watching the film, bringing an end to the wonderful franchise I'd so exceedingly adored to read and watch over the course of my whole childhood. But despite all the wonderful moments it holds for the die-hard fans, the final instalment of Harry Potter isn't perfect, remaining as flaw-studded and clichéd as its predecessors.
It's impossible to specifically point out the aspects of the plot I disliked in Deathly Hallows 2 while simultaneously keeping this review devoid of spoilers, although I can say that they mostly concern the deaths of major characters and the newest dei ex machina that J.K. Rowling and Steve Kloves got up their sleeves. Not all of them were grave though and in some cases, it's merely the poor adaption of the source material that causes confusion or illogicality. Either way, it impairs what is actually an appropriate denouement to this outstanding huge story and makes the top rating the film's best moments would definitely rate a no-go.
Speaking of the film's best moments, Snape's memories, the scene in the Forbidden Forest and the Chamber of Secrets (watch and learn, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, these settings can actually be used for good scenes), and, of course, the battle of Hogwarts are also some of the whole series' absolutely best moments and give me goosebumps whenever I watch the film. The intensity of everything that's happening during 130 minutes that actually feel like only half of that is perpetually palpable and stirs up one's blood even when fully aware of how the plot is about to play out. I completely adore Deathly Hallows 2 just because of how greatly it is able to convey the insanely perilous sentiment Mrs Rowling managed to put in words when writing the novel. In some ways, the cinematic adaption is even better – or did your imagination make the fighting at Hogwarts look as fantastic as David Yates and his guys responsible for the visuals did? Although that is balanced out with an epilogue scene unnecessary and poorly made in every way you could think of (how the hell did the make-up department get an Academy Award nomination for this?).
Being an objective film critic, I must admit that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 is far from being a perfect film and that doesn't change with a handful of unforgettable scenes. Nevertheless, I reckon it to be a very worthy finale for the franchise and, as with the other seven, the flaws just can't prevent me from rewatching it over and over again.