IT ALL ENDS! Boldly declares the poster to the eighth and final film in the most successful franchise in movie history. Harry Potter’s story reaches its conclusion as the time comes for his face to nose-less face showdown with “he who must not be named.” It is a battle of epic proportions not seen in any of the previous films and brings to the forefront themes of love, death, friendship and betrayal.
The previous film (The Deathly Hallows, Part 1) ended with Harry Potter’s (Daniel Radcliffe) arch nemesis Lord Voldemort (Oops) (Ralph Fiennes) in possession of the Elder Wand, the most powerful one in wizardry’s world, and it’s up to Harry and his faithful companions to stop him. Voldemort (I did it again) has been slightly weakened by Harry, Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) and Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) who have destroyed one of the Horcruxes that give him strength.
Part 2 picks up exactly where part 1 ended as the trio quest to find and destroy the rest of the Horcruxes. Their search ultimately brings them back to Hogwarts and this sets the stage for the final, epic battle between good and evil.
Director David Yates skillfully turns Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, which at the beginning of the series was a sanctuary for the young protagonists, into a battleground. It’s all out action with wands being swung, thrust and flicked as chants and spells are cast. It’s a roller-coaster of emotion and thrill as wizards, witches, giants and all sorts of fanciful creations fight, cry and die.
Though the plot brings with it some surprises, the final outcome of the film is what you would expect. Yates however manages to imbue it with depth and emotion that stays with you long after you’ve left the theater.
It would have been nice to see more of Voldemort (what’s the worst that can happen). Ralph Fiennes does a great job portraying the dark wizard. Most of his scenes are quite comical though that may not have been the director’s intent.
One surprising aspect of the film is its length. At 130 minutes, it is actually the shortest film in the entire eight part series. This is due to the fact that the seventh Harry Potter book was split into two films for the sake of the all mighty dollar. One can’t help but think that it would have been better to keep it as one film and make it a three hour epic.
On its own the Deathly Hallows Part 2 will not disappoint Harry Potter fans who have been eagerly anticipating this film since the first one came out in 2001. Non-fans should also get their money’s worth as Yates has created a film which can be enjoyed for its spectacle alone.