Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Bonnie Wright, Robbie Coltrane, Alan Rickman, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, Michael Gambon, Tom Felton, Jason Isaacs, John Hurt, Jim Broadbent, David Thewlis, Gary Oldman
Directed by: David Yates
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
2011

Times Seen:
Tim: 2

Summary: Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint), and Hermoine (Emma Watson) face off against Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) as the final battle looms.

Review:

Tim: I'm surprised by how much I loved Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. I'm not a huge Potter fan, but I thoroughly enjoyed the movies (haven't read the books). After a few films that felt good, but not quite great, this movie ends the franchise in spectacular fashion. It's easily in the top 2 of all Harry Potter movies (I loved Prisoner of Azkaban. It's amazing that the 8th film of a franchise has a legitimate claim to being the best. After a decade of Potter movies and watching the cast grow up before our eyes, this is the finale we wanted. It made the wait and the journey worth it.

While I believe the decision to split the final book into two parts hurt the quality of Deathly Hallows: Part 1 a bit, it perfectly set up the events of this film. Part 2 never feels like it slows or pauses unnecessarily- it's a frantic, beautiful conclusion to the story. The movie feels absolutely epic- from the stunning Battle at Hogwarts, to the final showdown between Harry and Voldemort, to the quiet moments perfectly crafted throughout the film, this movie feels like a huge epic. However, director David Yates does a terrific job ensuring that we never lose sight of the characters.

My biggest complaint with the last few movies has been that it didn't feel like enough happened. It felt like the same thing over and over again. This movie didn't have that problem, as our characters zipped forward on their collision course. The movie did a great job of keeping the action moving, while also staying true to the roots and the feel of the franchise.

Without getting into too much (as I haven't read the books), J.K. Rowling did an amazing job of creating the good guy-bad guy combination of Harry and Voldemort. After hearing about and seeing these two characters for seven films, we have so much built up excitement and urgency to see them finally clash. The movie does indeed give us this climax, and it's pretty incredible. There is the terrific moment in the woods where they first meet, an epic and jaw-dropping wand battle, and even more in between. I absolutely love the line, "C'mon, Tom... let's finish this the way we started it. Together!" Potter fanatic or not, how can you not love that exchange?

I thought the entire movie did a very good job of wrapping up the various storylines and nodding to characters who have passed on. In short, it was a fitting and satisfying end to a film series that has been part of the collective consciousness since 2001.

It was great to see Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson play these characters one last time. I loved the resolution we got with their various storylines. It was also great seeing Ralph Fiennes have some serious screen time as Voldemort. The cast included so many great actors, and it was nice to see them get a few minutes here and there.

I've liked all the Harry Potter movies, but there's only been a few I really loved. This final movie is certainly one of the best and ends the franchise in terrific fashion. In fact, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is not only one of the best movies in the franchise, it's one of the best movies of 2011. I did not expect that entering this year, but this film is simply that good.



Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 8.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1