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

I like to think it goes without saying, but SPOILER ALERT for anyone who hasn't watched the film yet.

I feel I should preface this with an explanation of why this film is so important to me, and what is probably a contributing factor in my enjoyment of it (because I know there will be people who disliked portions of the adaptation).  Deathly Hallows, and particularly the second half of the book, has always been the most resonant and emotional for me to read, so there was something uniquely both devastating and wonderful about seeing the moments that have become such a part of me unfold on the screen four years after the fact.  Any complaints I have are pretty nit-picky, and I think on the whole the filmmakers put the care and passion into this film that it so wholly deserves, and it shows in nearly every frame.  Ultimately, I'm very very satisfied with it, and I honestly could not have asked for a better ending to such a spectacular phase of my life.

But let's talk details, shall we?  I will try my best to choose a few highlights (which will inevitably turn into many highlights) from the final film that really stood out.

The most anticipated kiss in recent movie history:  Say what you will about liberties taken in the details, I thought it was done perfectly.  It was a great moment to have it happen, and it was done in a way that made it special without dwelling on it too much, calling us back to Harry's line from the book during this event:  "Is this the time?  There's a war going on here!"


Snape's redemption:  Yes, changes were made, and some purists will be unhappy about that.  But on the whole I thought the way it was handled was really great, and that it befit the overall tone of the film.  I liked that Snape's memories kind of merged with a montage of significant interactions with Harry over the years, allowing us to journey through their relationship while establishing Lily's importance to Snape.

Neville:  I'm fairly certain the alternate title of this film is The One Where Neville is Awesome All the Time, and a Total BAMF.  Seriously, I am so glad that he was given this time to shine, and that the film really delved into the leader Neville became at Hogwarts in Harry's absence.  Matthew Lewis gave a great performance in his final turn, and absolutely did this beloved character justice.

Harry & Ginny:  As I've previously asserted, the films have not really handled the development of this relationship as well as they ought to have done.  Until now, that is.  I was pleasantly surprised by the number of little moments we were given in DH2 showing their affection for one another, and though I was disappointed they omitted his walking past her into the forest, I was grateful for the scene on the stairs, with the kiss and Ginny's "I know" in response to Harry's unspoken declaration before parting ways to fight.  It was an understated moment to be sure, but somehow it was just about perfect.

Gringotts:  This was almost exactly as I envisioned it, exciting and nerve-wracking and even at moments humorous (Helena Bonham Carter playing Hermione posing as Bellatrix was every bit as fantastic as I'd hoped), and it was a well-paced introduction to the rapid deterioration to come.  Also, was it just me or did Ron look kind of weirdly attractive with that beard?


Harry's walk toward death:  Gosh.  Every single thing about this was amazing, and that is impressive because my hopes for it could not have been higher.  And Daniel Radcliffe gave a performance that I don't think anyone realized he was capable of.  From the moment Harry emerges from the pensieve to the moment Voldemort's spell hits him, I could not stop the tears.  So much of it was taken directly from the pages of the book, and the parts that weren't were just perfect (Hermione's response when Harry tells them he's a horcrux?  I thought I could cry at that alone for a hundred years).  The resurrection stone bit was nearly verbatim, and judging by the silence in our theater punctuated only by sniffles and quiet sobs, I was not the only one who's heart was breaking.  I know a lot of people (myself included) were anxious about the execution of this scene on film, but the filmmakers made it more beautiful and heart-wrenching than I dared to hope.

Supporting players:  For all of the actors, this final film was (obviously) their last chance to really make it count.  And my goodness, did they.  So many of the minor characters had fantastic moments to shine in this film, standouts among them including Luna Lovegood, Professor McGonagall (her duel with Snape was downright bitchin'), Dumbledore, and the Weasley twins.  And even those who didn't have a notable part to play in the final film were present in an entirely different way; not to mention, it was fun to see a kind of proverbial curtain call for so many of the unsung heroes of these films, and of the wizarding world.

The fight:  The battle of Hogwarts was fucking epic.  There's just no other way to say it.  I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, despite the fact that I literally knew everything that would happen within its duration.  And I knew going into it that the filmmakers were going to draw out the final fight between Harry and Voldemort

Multiple perspectives:  I loved how much the film was willing to break (albeit briefly) from Harry's limited point of view in order to show us what other important characters were up to.  I loved that we got to see Ron and Hermione go into the chamber of secrets, and all the glimpses we got of Voldemort and his followers during the battle.  This really added much-needed layers to the film that would have otherwise been very difficult to translate from the book.

The ending:  I was concerned that with so much focus on the battle itself, the filmmakers might short-change the ending a bit.  My fears were unfounded, though, because I think it really wrapped up on just the right note, with the trio standing together amid the ruins of Hogwarts in silent solidarity, looking ahead to whatever might be on the horizon.  I was even pleasantly surprised by the epilogue, which turned out much better than early leaked photos of the original shoot had hinted.  I think the best part of it was the call-back to Harry's first journey on the Hogwarts express, with the chocolate frog crawling up the window as Albus Severus greeted his new schoolmates.  Seeing Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny one last time, smiling and looking as though the burdens of the past had finally been lifted from their shoulders, was much more cathartic than I'd expected.

Despite having written all of this, I still don't feel like I've quite explored all of my thoughts on this film.  I think that's due in large part to the dull shock of it all being over-- I literally sat in my chair and stared at the credits, unable to speak, when the movie ended.  I think in a way I'm still feeling that, the disbelief that I've actually seen the last film and I really am out of excuses to obsess over this thing that has been such a huge part of my life, and which has given me so much.

Discussion: Will Deathly Hallows Part 2 Live Up to the Hype?

It has begun.  (Actually, it began a few weeks ago, but it's only now I have time to pause and reflect upon it, take it all in.)  The hype train is in full motion for Deathly Hallows Part 2, and it is shaping up to be quite the campaign.  Yes, the major advertisements and such have been cropping up quietly in various corners of the Internet, but I think this is just because WB has learned that word of mouth is these films' most valuable marketing tool.  The trailer went viral approximately 10 seconds after it made its appearance (I posted it here only to find that all my blogger friends had done the same within the same 10 minutes or so), and the amount of stills and clips and the usual jumble of spoilers has been much more sparse this time around. 

I for one like that the marketing team seems to be going minimalist for this film.  Even the posters that have just been released are understated, just a photograph and the "IT ALL ENDS" caption, which for me is more than sufficiently epic, but when compared to your average movie poster is incredibly scaled down.  This leads me to believe that not only are they relying on us fans to spread the word and generate buzz due to our tragically mingled excitement and sadness about the series' final film, but that the film may just be capable of speaking almost entirely for itself.  I tend to judge films before their release based on the choices made in their marketing (how early, how frequent, etc), and generally the movies that truly blow us all away are the ones that didn't have the loudest, most explosion-y commercials or a million and one scenes leaked on the web.  They're the ones that some sects of the movie-going community started talking about ages before their actual release, and that have the least to prove at the box office.  Because let's face it, even if Deathly Hallows 2 tanks (which it won't, because I'm pretty sure myself and my nerd friends' ticket money could single-handedly keep it afloat), the franchise is already swimming in cash.  Even if this movie is a huge financial disappointment, there is so much emotion behind it for everyone who made it and everyone who'll watch it that it is impossible for it to be a true failure.

My optimism, however, doesn't blind me to some of the nagging questions I have about the final installment.  I am always slightly wary of these films, just because there are so many tiny places where re-writes of the text can make or break my favorite scenes and characters.  What does give me hope is that Deathly Hallows Part 1 was my favorite by far in terms of accuracy and interpretation, so I'm going to venture a guess that it's sister film can't diverge too widely from this achievement.  I am concerned, though, about some of the changes they seem to be making.  The first is something we all got a glimpse of halfway through the trailer, and something which the producers talked about during filming:  Harry and Voldemort are going to have a physical altercation during the final battle, trading blows that do not take place anywhere in JK Rowling's book (and rightfully so-- writing a fist fight is hard enough; writing a fist fight between a 17 year old boy and a 60-something year old man would be doubly strange).  I understand the motivation here-- it is a movie after all, and that kind of drawn-out fight appeals to the thrill seeker in us, and if I'm being honest I think we can (halfheartedly) admit that in Rowling's version, the final actual confrontation (that is, the moment when Voldemort is actually killed) is just a wee bit anti-climactic.  I could write you a thesis on why it's written that way (I have no doubts it was very intentionally done), but that isn't the point.  What I'm concerned about is whether this scene will come off in the film as well as those responsible for the re-write seem to be hoping.  I can make peace with it as long as it's believable, but if it isn't I worry that this critical moment could turn into a near parody of the text it seeks to bring to life.

My other primary concern (and it's kind of miraculous that at this point I've really only got two) is the Snape and Lily relationship and how it will be portrayed/revealed.  The films have already flubbed this once, cutting Lily completely out of the "Snape's Worst Memory" scene in Order of the Phoenix, so it will be that much more difficult for them to make the Snape plot twist both clear and believable without a whole lot of exposition.  As far as movie-watchers know, Snape and Lily might never have even met one another-- this is a problem as by the film's end we have to buy that he was in love with her, and so much so that he was willing to die for her son with the man he loathed.  And don't forget that this all has to be done without turning the film into the Snape Show.

Overall, I'm excited.  Everything looks pretty great so far, and I think there is an inflation factor for many of us that will make the film seem even better than it truly is just because of our emotional investment in it as the end of an era.  If ever there were a time when "graduation goggles" were going to work in someone's favor, it would be now, and I think the marketing gurus at WB are just savvy enough to realize that.