It’s all over.
More than a decade has passed since the first Harry Potter film hit the big screen, its been longer still since the first book captivated millions. For all fans of the series, the final Potter film is sure to satisfy their goodbyes to the characters who have turned generations onto reading. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II brings this epic series to a great finale.
As a huge Harry Potter fan myself (I dressed up and waited in line at midnight for the release of the seventh book, I was pleasantly surprised with this movie. Some of the films have followed the books extremely closely (Sorcerer’s Stone), while others have deviated too much, suffering in the process (Half-Blood Prince). Deathly Hallows: Part II is true to the book, but director David Yates has tweaked it just enough to ensure that it stands alone as an entertaining film.
Harry, Ron and Hermione are right where we left them when the movie kicks off. They leave the beach with Griphook to break into Bellatrix Lestrange’s (Helena Bonham Carter) vault at the wizard bank Gringotts. The trio of young wizards is determined to track down and destroy the rest of Lord Voldemort’s (Ralph Fiennes) horcruxes. The last of these items encasing segments of Voldemort’s soul are on the grounds of Hogwarts.
Half of the film takes place within the grounds of Hogwarts. Harry, Ron and Hermione are attempting to track down and destroy the last horcruxes before it’s too late, while the last remaining members of the Order of the Phoenix (the ‘good’ wizards) try and keep Voldemort’s army at bay. Voldemort is determined to destroy Harry Potter once and for all, thinking that this will ensure his grip over the wizarding world. The movie climaxes in a grand scale battle involving wizards, witches, trolls and even stone statues.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II is a great movie, and perhaps the best of the Harry Potter franchise, yet it isn’t perfect. I give this movie a 5 out of 5 rating. This is not for the brilliance of the making or the artistic value, but because the Potter franchise has been a tremendous franchise of both books and films, captivating millions with its imagination, relatable characters, and thrilling stories. Ten years of hard work from some of Britain’s most dedicated and talented actors and filmmakers have made this a series that will be remembered for generations to come.
Of course, lovers of the books will be even more touched by the fact that this is the end of Harry Potter for good. Yes, the last book came out years ago, but the films have been a constant reminder for fans that Potter is still there. Despite the last scene being by far the worst moment of the movie, even I got a little emotional as the credits rolled and I reminisced all of my memories associated with the Harry Potter series. People who haven’t read the books can still enjoy this movie as much as the other Potter films, but like I always tell my friends who haven’t yet read the books- read them, the books will always be better then the films.