Movie Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2

Jul 20 2011 by Ian Bunting, Airdrie & Coatbridge

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

WELL, the end is indeed nigh as the story of Harry Potter and his magical world comes to an end in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.

Picking up from where Part 1 left off, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) continue their quest to find and destroy Lord Voldemort’s (Ralph Fiennes) three remaining Horcruxes so they can be rid of him once and for all.

Through eight films and seven books (which I’ve still not read) the world has been gripped by Harry Potter fever for 14 years.

So the question is, has director David Yates brought things to a fittingly memorable climax?

The answer is a resounding yes. The first part took us out on the road but this time we are back in Hogwarts to see the characters’ final fates... and it’s a very different place to the warm, glowing venue of earlier entries.

The last film was the least kid-friendly instalment yet but while there’s a fair share of death and a stunningly nasty scene where Voldemort walks through blood, we are at least heading back towards the magical wonder of previous movies.

Yates has more than capably directed the final four movies in the franchise and once again his camera swoops, swirls and goes through windows to showcase the scale of Hogwarts and provide a literal rollercoaster ride during an impressive bank vault break-in/out sequence.

The film’s colour is so desaturated at times you’d be forgiven for thinking you’re watching a black and white oldie but one scene in particular is bathed in brightness as the lines between good and evil are made clear.

We’ve seen Radcliffe, Grint and Watson grow up on screen and know exactly what we’re going to get from their performances.

It’ll be interesting to see how their acting careers progress. I think Grint has the best chance of prolonged success.

Fiennes is perfect as the monstrous yin to Harry’s yang, Alan Rickman (Snape) shines in some superb flashback scenes that fill in a lot of gaps in the story, and Matthew Lewis (Neville) gets some wonderful moments.

The biggest complaint I have with the film, though, is the treatment of some previously well-established characters.

If, like me, you haven’t turned a page of the books you’ll be left wondering what happened to the likes of Wormtail (Timothy Spall) and Umbridge (Imelda Staunton) and why old faces like Robbie Coltrane’s Hagrid have been reduced to small cameos.

Several key characters die off screen again, which lessens the impact, and new faces add little to the story.

But back to the positives. This time it really is war and Alexandre Desplat’s suitably epic score lends the dazzling battle scenes, culminating in Harry and Voldemort’s lightsaber-like wand battle, plenty of heft.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 closes things out in style and ensures the franchise’s place among cinema’s best.

Goodbye Harry Potter, it was magic knowing you.

Rating - 8 out of 10.