Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2

Rating:	★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Kids & Family

With no idiot box at home, and two movie choices of Transformers (Dark of the Moon) and this last installment of the Harry Potter movie series, guess where I ended up on a late Sunday night?

{You must be already familiar with the Harry Potter characters and story if you will read this review.}


While Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 (from what I could remember of it) wasn't too bad, there's a certain resignation and jaded eye I had expected to encounter when viewing this film - after all, I'd read and re-read the books so many times, and the last book was not even my favorite - even if it was the conclusion of a long-awaited confrontation between the Boy-Who-Lived and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

It is a good enjoyable film, and one I could claim comes 2nd favorite in my list for the Harry Potter film series. How it treats certain aspects of the story is a little bit different from the book but is still certainly acceptable in the Harry Potter universe.

There are underlying messages in how some of the dilemna are solved (such as how to get rid of the Elder Wand - that was surprisingly simple! *grin*) which would probably be used in some philosophical discussion over tankards of beer and chips somewhere hehehe...but all is well that ends well.

I've seen the three actors portraying the lead characters practically grow up into teenagers on this series - I am just happy it was possible that they completed all of them instead of being replaced.

Speaking of actors, this is one of those times I can really appreciate Helena Bonham's versatility. I could really think of her as Hermione transformed through Polyjuice potion in how she conducted herself in the Gringott's bank robbing scene. Another kudos from me to to Alan Rickman. Though he wasn't what I had actually envisioned for Snape's character (I thought Gary Oldman would be more menacing as our oily-haired, snivellling Professor Snape), I did shed a tear or two over Snape's scenes explaining his duplicity.

{SPOILERS...beware!}
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You won't get to see Percy's reconciliation with his family. In relation, you don't get to see them bonding (if you will excuse the term) over Fred's death.
Mr. Ollivander ends up as the one who confirms or completes the explanation about the Deathly Hallows instead of Luna's eccentric father.
The Bloody Baron's relationship with Ravenclaw's Ghost (The Grey Lady) and her connection to the Ravenclaw Horcrux is twisted neatly.
The dark facet of Dumbledore's past is also treated very lightly - no mention of skeletons in closets in the film at all or of Dumbledore's guilty past!
Crabbe is not seen anymore as Draco's sidekick when they fight it out in the Room of Requirement (I thought at first Crabbe became a colored person in the film! wth?)

You will get too see though (different from the book) how Ron and Hermione got the basilik fangs and destroyed another Horcrux - Helga Hufflepuff's cup - as well as their kissing scene (or the back of Ron's head) in the familiar Chamber of Shadows.



If there is one thing I really enjoyed so much in this film, it was the battle scenes between Voldemort's forces and the Hogwarts' defenders.
For these scenes, as well as the dragon escape alone, I'd be happy recommend the movie.

It must be the bloodthirsty part of me - all those magical fighting scenes, giants, ginormous spiders, dementors and spells sproinging all over the place was enough to make me cheer and enjoy the movie.
There's even some light scenes as well - with Neville Longbottom, and with the Harry Potter and the Hogwarts students as he first reunites with them - talk about the English gift of understatement *wink* His character, like in the book shines a bit more in this conclusion - such a big step from his timid image at the start.
I won't say anything anymore on how I felt about abbreviated scenes of some of the more familiar characters as I understand its a movie and difficult to really portray all scenes in the book which may have affected us greatly during our reading them.

Oh well, enough rambling on....what are you waiting for?
Go ahead, sit back and enjoy the conclusion.
You might as well giggle too as you see the "adult" Harry and Ginny, Hermione and Ron, and even Draco with their respective brood in the last scene 19 years later as the train follows the faithful tradition and takes their children this time to Hogwarts.

As for me..I'm left with the question - what do they do with all those new wands if its a case of winning it off its owner...bugger..