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

Marit Rogne

The release of the eighth, and final, installment of the highest grossing film series of all time, the highly anticipated Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, was celebrated at midnight showings across the country. Twitter and Facebook chirped with updates about the new film. Even if you happen to be one of those few Americans who have not seen a single Harry Potter film or read any of the novels, it’s doubtful you have escaped Harry Potter madness completely. Since the release of JK Rowling’s first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in 1997, Harry Potter mania has been in full swing. Even upon the release of Rowling’s final novel in the series in 2007, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, fans still had the upcoming final movie adaptations to look forward to. “It all ends” – the tag line for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 – sums up what every fan already knows. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 marks the end of a fantastical literary and cinematic journey that has lasted fourteen years.

Ten years have passed since the first film installment in 2001, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (as American audiences know it). A series that has grown along with its audience, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is a far cry from its early predecessors, some of which could easily be considered children’s movies. This metamorphosis of both the plot and the characters in the series is one of its greatest strengths, in that through its development, the series has remained relevant to its initial audience. The growth of the film series mirrors that of the novels as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is probably the most adult film of the series, as was the concluding novel of the series of the same name. Protagonists Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Emma Watson (Hermione Granger), and Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) have grown into their respective roles, and their acting is notably better now than when the series began.

The increasing intensity in the series crescendos nicely into its epic conclusion with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. The movies all have, in a sense, focused on spectacle, and the conclusion of the series is, if anything, even more spectacular. It is obvious that this is a film with a big budget, but as we all know, a big budget doesn’t always equal a good product (remember 2002’s The Adventures of Pluto Nash?). However, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 puts its money to work with fabulous sets, costumes, and precise CGI (computer generated imagery) work. If anything, this is a movie that is visually spectacular. It does a great job of immersing the audience in a fantasy world.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 picks up where Part 1 left off, without much recap. Immediately the audience is thrown into Harry’s search for the remaining Horcruxes (enchanted items responsible for Voldemort’s apparent immortality) accompanied, of course, by his best friends Hermione and Ron. As their search continues, it becomes clear that Harry will have to eventually face Voldemort directly. The film has, undoubtedly, the darkest themes of all the movies. Although it mostly embraces the heaviness of its plot, the film also continually breaks tension with jokes. While this did succeed in lightening the mood of the movie, it makes it difficult to remain invested in the story in the same way.

Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, and Daniel Radcliffe in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. Photo by Jaap Buitendijk – © 2011 WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC.

However, despite personal preference, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 suitably marks the epic finale of a series that has bewitched audiences around the world for more than a decade. Fans may squabble about the closeness of the movie to the book or whether the film lived up to expectations, but then again, with such a large audience to please, someone is inevitably bound to be unhappy. The release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is indeed bittersweet, as it marks the end of an era – one of Quidditch, magic wands, pet owls, invisibility cloaks, and jelly beans that taste like vomit – the era of Harry Potter.

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Marit Rogne

Favorite Director is Ingmar Bergman. Favorite Pattern is Paisley. And favorite Quote is "Greenman is totally saving your life right now, bro."

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