Rating of
4/4
The Boy Who Lived Gets a Perfect Ending
Chris Kavan - wrote on 07/17/11
After a long journey (figuratively and literally) Harry Potter finally reaches its conclusion. I was worried about splitting the last film into two parts, but after watching Pt. 1 and Pt. 2, I have no doubt this was the correct thing to do. Unless you made the film 4+ hours long, you couldn't have made a viable movie that would have done the story justice. Whereas Pt. 1 focused on the buildup - crafting the story and emotions - Pt. 2 is all about the payoff - epic battles, huge revelations, sad farewells and facing your destiny head on.
I don't know how many people realize how lucky they are this series succeeded. Not only in the casting of the main trio but also in the casting of adults, the choice of directors, the excellent adaptation of J. K. Rowling work by Steve Kloves - if even one element had gone wrong, we would be left with a bit what if instead of what is.
Thankfully, things turned out well. This final chapter has some of the most impressive fight scenes courtesy of the battle of Hogwarts. However, the movie opens up right where Pt. 1 left off - with Harry mourning the death of Dobby and plotting his next move, which happens to be breaking into Gringotts, specifically the vault of Bellatrix Lestrange, and tracking down another horcrux. Luckily our friendly old goblin Griphook is there to help, for the small price of the Sword of Gryffindor.
One wild ride and dragon showdown later, the trio has their prize and a brief glimpse into the mind of Voldemort give them their next target: Hogwarts, where a Ravenclaw artifact is the next target. Then the movie gives us a great prize: we get to catch up on all our favorite characters: all the professors, from stalwart Minerva to now-headmaster Snape, who has transformed Hogwarts into a much more sinister learning institution. We also get at least a quick word (or look) from every student who has been with Harry along the way: Cho, Seamus, Lavender, Cormac, Dean Thomas, Nigel, the Patil sisters - the whole gang is there.
Plus you have your extended core group of Neville Longbottom, the Weasleys, Luna - in fact, I wouldn't be surprised if this has the largest cast out of all the films but don't get too attached, as not everyone is going to make it to the end.
That's the emotional payoff - characters you care about, who have been around for three, four movies, are gone, just like that. You don't have to see their deaths, just knowing is enough. On the other end of the emotional set is the revelation of Snape. Alan Rickman deserves special recognition. His flashback scenes are not only powerful but shed a whole new light on his character back to the original film. You could actually watch the entire series from Snape's point of view and get an entirely different experience. Plus Hermione and Ron finally kiss, God it was nice to see them get that out of the way.
Out of the revelations, battles, deaths it all leads to the ultimate showdown between Harry and Voldemort. There are actually two confrontations - the rather abrupt meeting in the Forbidden Forest and then the final showdown outside Hogwarts. Sure, the whole afterlife scene drags things down a bit, but it paves the way for the final battle. Plus, Neville gets to be a hero, Molly Weasley calls Bellatrix a bitch before smoking her and Voldemort learns not to put his trust in things he didn't rightfully earn.
The coda was just okay. It was a bit strange seeing the older versions of the characters. It wasn't a deal breaker but just felt a bit off. I don't know how they could have done it any different but it still wasn't enough for me to drop my rating. If you've followed this series through, you should be happy with the results. You might not find it as glowing as I have, but I guarantee it is a fitting end to the series.
