So it's finally come. The last Harry Potter movie that will ever be made. The end of a legendary saga. The finale of perhaps the largest cultural phenomenon of our generation. Chances are, if you are even the remotest fan of Harry Potter, this review isn't necessary, because you're going to see it. And rightly so, as it is the closing chapter of a journey that started more than a decade ago. I suppose then, that this is for those casual observers who have only the mildest interest in the franchise, or for those who have been living under some sort of rock for the past 11 years.
The story continues exactly where Part 1 left off, with Voldemort stealing the elder wand from Dumbledore's grave. Harry, Ron, and Hermione continue to search for the remaining horcruxes, which ultimately leads them back to Hogwarts, where the final battle for the fate of wizardkind takes place.
So was it worth the 4 hour wait in line? Of course. But I say that based solely on the cultural impact of the film. It truly is the end of an era. How was it as a movie as a whole? Pretty good - although as a die hard Potter fan, I wish that David Yates (the director) would have taken the opportunity to expand on the few scenes that didn't focus on Harry - namely the battles between Snape and McGonagall and Bellatrix and Molly. In the books, the duel between the headmaster and deputy is perhaps the most magically involved battle depicted, which makes sense as they are the two most talented and powerful professors remaining at Hogwarts. In the movie however, Yates glosses over the battle with a few half-hearted flame bursts from McGonagall and Snape escaping through the window. The battle between Molly and Bellatrix, while not as intricately described, is one of the most emotional fights in the series. In the movie, the fight fails to evoke the emotion it did in the books. Now I realize that of course, the main focus is Harry and his journey. But really, we've seen 7 movies of Harry being a hero - my opinion is that it would have been nice to see others share the spotlight if only for a few moments. That's not to say that the entire movie was lackluster, but those were two of my favorite parts in the book, and I have to say that I was disappointed in those parts particularly. The rest of the film is filled with its usual action, emotion, and humour. The movie is good, certainly, but it just felt like some parts were lacking the epicness befitting the finale of this franchise.
What else can I say about this film that hasn't already been said about the others? The only new player is Aberforth Dumbledore, played by Ciaran Hinds, who shows up for about 5 minutes total. The visual effects are stunning. The main trio have been doing this for so long that you don't even consider the fact that they are not actually the characters that they portray.
All in all, while I found some parts a bit disappointing, it is still a solid movie. And like I mentioned before, you're going to go see it anyways. My final parting word is this though: as good as these movies are, they will never be able to fully do the books justice. If you haven't read the original source material, go grab a copy, and start reading the stuff that legends are made of.
Final Score: 8/10
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