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This is the first movie Liz and I have seen together in the theater since the FIRST Deathly Hallows film. That’s sort of sad. But I have been looking forward to seeing the final chapter of this saga for quite some time. I never read the books, and I somehow managed to avoid all the spoilers so that the twists and big moments were all surprises to me. For those who haven’t read the books, there will certainly be some SPOILERS below.

I watched HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2 (2011) in theaters on 7.23.11. It was my first viewing of the film. TRAILER HERE

So it’s all done, and it’s all gone. Harry made it, Hermione and Ron made it. Snape and Voldmort, not so much. There are some real goose-bump inducing moments in this flick. When McGonagall stands up for Harry and evicts Snape, that is one. When Ron and Hermione finally make out, that’s two (though more on that in a moment). When Harry sees Snape’s memories that is, for me, the best moment in the series (more on that later too). And, of course, the last duel.

I have a few very small problems with this film, and with the series in general. The biggest is that everything is a little too easy. There are these tiny objects hidden all over the world, and they are found a little too quickly. In the first place, why would Tom Riddle hide something in Hogwarts? And even if he did, why not bury it a hundred and fifty feet below the ground in a sealed bunker? He leaves it in a box… on a table… in plain sight. It just didn’t work for me.

And my other issue is the way this film treats intimacy. I know this isn’t a romance. But we’ve had eight films of expecting some of these young adults to get together. And, no, I’m not advocating a sex scene or even some big make out scene, but any sense of intimacy (or chemistry for that matter) was downplayed so much, that it felt like an afterthought that these KIDS FINALLY HAVE FOUND SOME GODDAMN HAPPINESS IN THEIR LIVES! Let them enjoy it, for God’s sake! We have no problem killing people in a film like this left and right, of course. But we can’t have any happiness.

But neither of those two small things detract from what is a great last chapter to a great series. This film never stops. Alan Rickman was just perfect as Snape through this saga. Has there ever been a character who has spent more time on film being bad only to turn out good? The tragedy of this series is his tragedy. A life spent heartbroken but loyal, seemingly evil but always on the side of good. He faces his death nobly (though I still don’t get why the snake didn’t completely eat him like it does everyone else). Love Snape. Best character in the series.

The action in this is a non-stop pleasure. We get a few nice lines, someone actually swears at someone else, and some minor characters get a big triumphant moment. I do wish Hermione and Ron could have played a slightly larger role in the climax, since they were always there to help Harry, but I understand why Harry had to face Voldemort alone.

I’m glad I’ve finished this series. I plan to put it away for six months or so (long enough for the Blu Ray set to hit this Christmas) and go through the entire thing again. I’m pretty sure Liz will be up for it considering the fact that every time I’ve walked in the house over the last month, a Harry Potter film has been on television.

SCORES

FILM: 6; MOVIE: 9; ACTING: 8; WRITING: 5

6+9+8+5+0=28

FINAL SCORE: 7

~ by johnlink00 on July 24, 2011.

Posted in ~ H ~, ~~~ 2011 ~~~
Tags: fantasy