Movie Review: HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2

2011
PG-13

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is a 2011 fantasy adventure film directed by David Yates that serves as the eighth and final film in the Harry Potter film franchise. This film picks up where Part 1 left off, with Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) kneeling before Dobby's grave. However, we quickly get to the action as he and his friends Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint) attempt to find the remaining horcruxes in order to defeat Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes). I could probably go into more detail about the actual specifics of the plot, but I'm going to refrain from doing so rather than attempt to explain all the intricacies of what transpires on-screen. Because I haven't read any of the books in the series, I feel as though I would butcher any real attempt at explaining the storyline here, so I'll simply stop at this point because I think I've given you everything you really need to know going forward. It's a battle between Harry and Voldemort, and that's exactly how the film plays out.

Now as I previously mentioned, I have not read any of J.K. Rowling's books, so I don't have the deep and intimate knowledge of the Harry Potter storyline that fans surely have. Because of this, my level of excitement for each film has been dramatically lower than that of your average Potter moviegoer. Still, I've found most of the films in the franchise to be rather entertaining, with The Prisoner of Azkaban and The Order of the Phoenix serving as my personal favorites. Those of you who have been reading me for a while will know that I didn't review Deathly Hallows: Part 1 very favorably, which I something I alluded to in my breakdown of the trailer for Part 2. I had my concerns heading into this final chapter, and I can honestly say that they were only slightly alleviated.

While I thought that the screenplay was a little less confusing this time around, I didn't think that there was anything truly "epic" being brought to the screen. I'm sure had I read the novels, the closing moments would have spurred a number of emotions, but without that prior knowledge, I think it fell a little bit flat. Still, there's quite a lot to like about the storyline, and I've always been a sucker for stories coming full circle. When you have an eight-part film franchise, it's very difficult to make them convincingly decent after a while, but at the end of the day, I think that director David Yates crafted a solid film that works on a number of levels. Some of the dialogue is spotty, but at its base, there's a good foundation and enough twists and turns to keep your uninitiated viewer guessing.

If there's one thing that I've always applauded about the Harry Potter films, it's their ability to draw fantastic actors into the fray. The cast list for the franchise is a laundry list of A-listers who all bring great performances to the screen. I've had my issues in the past with Radcliffe's ability, and he didn't really wow me here, but he does well enough to make him convincing until the end. I've always been fond of Watson and Grint in their roles, and they finish out the series just as strongly as they entered it, even if they've taken more of a backseat than usual. I could probably go into a great amount of detail in talking about each individual here, but I'll save that for a later date. There's just too many big names to mention here and now, but know that I was, and have always been, a fan of the acting in the Potter films, and Deathly Hallows: Part 2 does not disappoint.

On a quick side note, I thought the music in the film - this time composed by Alexandre Desplat - fits perfectly once again. He took John Williams's original score and made it fit the darker mood of this last film, and he should be applauded.

At the end of the day, I thought Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 was a very good film that puts a stamp on a fantastic franchise. Could it have been better? Probably. Seeing as I'm only viewing the films as films, not adaptations of a beloved novel franchise, I can only see what they give me. There's no room for me to read between the lines and see what's going on in the background because I don't know what's there to see. Were I a Potter fanatic, I'd probably review this one more favorably, but as it stands, I think it's a serviceable film that ends things on a high note.

Movie Review Summary:

Grade: B+1 Thumb Up

Trailer Breakdown: HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2

I know that I'm treading on some very sacred territory here, but I've made the decision to break down the latest trailer for the upcoming finale of the Harry Potter saga, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. I would like to preface this breakdown by saying that I have never read any of the novels and only know the storyline based off what has been told through the first seven films. Therefore, if I ask a question that was answered in the books but not the movies, please don't jump all over me for not already knowing the answer because I honestly have no idea. Let's try to keep the fanboyishness to a minimum, if possible.

And now for the questions...

Will Part 2 be any better than Part 1?
For those of you who have been reading me since the last film came out, I'm sure you'll recall that I didn't review Part 1 very favorably. I found it to be rather dull, and it took leaps of faith that I would know everything that was going on, choosing to show bits of the story rather than explain what was happening. Having not read any of the novels, I felt that Deathly Hallows: Part 1 was truly for fans of J.K. Rowling's series rather than for fans of the film franchise. Ultimately, it just didn't prove to be entertaining in the slightest. As one can imagine, I received a lot of negative feedback for my review, but I still think I'm entitled to my own opinion. I've been a fan of the franchise since its start, but the most recent installment just didn't do it for me. Here's hoping the final chapter will be a step up.

That being said, will Part 2 be accessible to Harry Potter fans who haven't read the novels?
This has always been one of the problems for me since I'm not familiar with every single detail of the plot as exposed in Rowling's books. I believe that film adaptations of novels should hold true to the source material while being completely accessible and understandable to the audience who may not have read the original stories. With a prolonged franchise such as this, it's difficult to remain approachable to the casual fan because so much needs to be said. That's probably why they decided to split Deathly Hallows into two parts (although I assume monetary gain was also a huge driving factor). But if I can't figure out what's going on, I'll be forced to view Part 2 as another failure.

Will there be too much happening in the film?
It's the final chapter, the end of a franchise. You're not going to get any legitimate, off-handed sequels after this one, so everything has to be summed up. Every question has to be answered. Will there be enough time to do so in an orderly fashion, or are we going to be thrown so much information that it'll be difficult to keep it all in focus?

Will the level of acting be stronger than previous films?
I've never had major beef with the level of acting brought to the screen in the Harry Potter franchise. The filmmakers have managed to draw a large number of big-name stars to aid our three young heroes (in case you're unfamiliar, you can expect the likes of Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman, Michael Gambon, Jason Isaacs, John Hurt, Emma Thompson, Timothy Spall, Maggie Smith, David Thewlis and Jim Broadbent in the upcoming film). The aforementioned actors are generally great, but the overall acting appeal truly lies on Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint. If they don't bring their A-game, I'm not going to believe them as the characters they've played seven times before.

And now for some off-beat questions:

Who's gonna die?
Fans of the series will already know this answer, but I personally don't know exactly who's going to bite the dust by the end of Part 2. I'd prefer if you didn't tell me - I'd like to go into the theater not really knowing what's going to happen - but my money's on Voldemort (obviously) and Harry driving the final nail into their respective coffins. I'm sure a slew of smaller characters won't make it - in the trailer, it looks like one of the Weasley boys dies - but I won't even attempt to guess who else won't make it to the final credits.

Why 3D?
The final chapter in the Harry Potter franchise will be the first and only one released in the third dimension. Warner Bros. had every intention of releasing Part 1 in 3D as well, but time didn't allow for the possibility. I know that 3D is the big thing right now, but this film was not shot with 3D - rather, the third dimension has been added after the fact. As many of us know, when the effect is added later, it generally doesn't look as crisp as it does when it's shot in 3D, so I'm a little worried about the visual aspect of Part 2. The special effects have been a driving force in the franchise, so to have them sullied by 3D at the end seems a little disappointing.

Snakes, dragons AND Voldemort?! Harry's in for a bumpy ride...
Harry already has to deal with the ultimate bad guy, but you're going to throw some snakes and dragons his way as well? This all just doesn't seem very fair for our young hero! But bring it on, I suppose.


I honestly hope that Deathly Hallows: Part 2 will give us a legitimate ending to this saga. Anything would be better than Part 1, but I've still got my fingers crossed.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 will hit U.S. theaters on July 15, 2011.