by Jennifer Bay, Media Editor
 

****THERE ARE A COUPLE OF SPOILERS IN HERE. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!****

As I walk into a still fairly empty theater, proudly wearing my Muggle shirt , I hear one fan say to another, “Look, they’re labeling them now!”  I smile, indicating that I understand and appreciate the joke, and make my way to the most premium seats available.  My friend and I sit and chat for an hour with a couple sitting next to us – one of them has only seen the films, the other has also read the books, and both are as thrilled as we are to be there.  Eventually the lights dim and everyone claps, the excitement palpable, with people wiggling in their seats.  The time has come for the last installment in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2.

This was a bittersweet moment for me.  On one hand, I’ve been waiting with great anticipation since the last book came out for the last film to release.  On the other, I’m very sad to know that this really is the end of the series.  When the books ended, at least we had the movies to look forward to.  Now those have come to a close as well, and I shed a tear at that – Harry Potter has been a part of my life for the last dozen or so years, and I’m not sure I’m ready to say goodbye just yet.

Those who have read the books will be thrilled at how closely it stays with the storyline.  They change a few things, but it in no way becomes a problem.  As a huge fan of the series, I remember being furious with how much things were changed in some of the films through the middle of the series, particularly Goblet of Fire.  These last two installments in the Harry Potter universe have impressed me with their ability to show what I felt was important to the last book, which seems to be just about everything.  

Those of you who have seen the films but been too lazy to read the books (slackers!) have generally complained at the slow pace of the first Deathly Hallows installment.  Rest assured, there is no such pace here.  The second film hits the ground running. There is no build up, no introduction of characters or places, no real softness.  It starts where we left off, with the trio staying at Bill and Fleur’s beach cottage while they heal from the battle at Malfoy Manor and come up with their next plan.  As Harry spoke with Griphook, I couldn’t take my eyes off the goblin.  His makeup job was creepy and artful – I don’t know if there was some sort of special effect involved as well, but I’d like to think that their makeup artists are just that brilliant.  

I cried my way through the last book, and the films were no exception.  I constantly wiped away tears as everything that we as fans have been waiting for came to a head.  Books are, of course, always superior to their film counterparts and I doubt many would argue, but director David Yates did a fantastic job of seamlessly flowing from the scenes that broke your heart to the ones that made you cheer.  There was even a small amount of humor, injected mostly by Seamus Finnigan and, shockingly, Professor McGonagall.

Speaking of the professors, one of my favorite things about this film is that we finally got to see them actually perform magic.  For the last eight films, we generally just saw them teaching but here, Professor McGonagall magics the statues into life and Professor Flitwick uses his incredible Charms skills to create a barrier around the school.  

I am trying not to spoil much for those who saw the films but haven’t read the books, but Snape’s storyline and death were the most heartwrenching for me.  His memories tore at my heart, and confirmed what I knew before I even read the last book – that he wasn’t evil. He was caught in a situation because of his pain and loss, but did what he could to redeem himself.  He played a dangerous game for most of his life to protect Harry, a child he seemed to hate simply because he was a product of Lily’s love for James instead of himself.  Alan Rickman commands attention any time he’s on screen, and this was no different.

And I have to say, I know that the Harry Potter “diner fight scene” from the first Deathly Hallows film lost “Best Fight” to Twilight (*gag*) at a recent awards show, but I can’t imagine how the Molly/Bellatrix battle could lose to anyone next year.  Otherwise, I won’t know what to believe in anymore.

I think one of the only things I was disappointed in was the “epilogue” scene.  I didn’t feel it was necessary to have in the book and I was even more annoyed that it made it to film.  It just seemed so unnecessary, and I thought it was ridiculous that they attempted to make them all look older. Throw Hermione’s hair into a French twist, cut Ginny’s hair and make it look like a “mom haircut”, put older clothes on Ron…it was a fail for me.  They all still looked their age, like young people playing grown up.   I would also have liked if  Harry and Voldemort had actually fought…the “wands are connected red vs green” fight has been done each time, and I find it anticlimactic.  Lazy, almost. My last issue has nothing to do with how the movie turned out – I saw this in 3D, and as with every other live action 3D movie I’ve seen, I was disappointed.  Save yourself the three dollars and see it on a regular screen.  I promise you won’t miss anything.

Aside from those tiny blips, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 truly was fantastic, and I felt it stayed very true to the book.  I believe fans of all ages will really love this, and I was thrilled to see the great care everyone involved took in making sure this was a brilliant last film.  

JK Rowling, make a series about the Marauders now!  I’m begging you!

ComicsOnlne gives Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 4.5 out of 5 Voldemort yells.

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