Stories are something that make life great: they teach us valuable lessons, they entertain us and they show us who we really are. All stories have one thing in common though: they end. Endings are never easy but they always remind us that the journey was one worth having. The Harry Potter series is no different and the thrilling conclusion 10 years in the making has arrived, marking the end of an era.
HPDHP2 (II) catches the audience up quickly; Voldemort has obtained the Elder Wand while Harry, Ron and Hermione continue their quest to destroy the Horcruxes, Voldemort’s source of life. This all leads up to a final battle at Hogwarts School that will decide the fate of not only the Wizarding world, but the Muggle (human) world as well.
Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) talk things over
The films in this series have gotten better with time, and this one is no different. Director David Yates does an excellent job pacing the film in a neat 130 minute running time (the shortest of the series) and turns the book into a terrifying, yet beautiful, swan song. One wonders if Yates had the opportunity to film the earlier films (He’s been in the chair since 2007, when Order of The Phoenix premiered) if they would have been just as great.
The actors are, simply put, awesome. Radcliffe, Emma Watson (Hermione) and Rupert Grint (Ron) have grown before our eyes both physically and artistically. They display emotion with such gravity and conviction that reel you in; you don’t just see them, you feel them. Fiennes has grown in his role as well, going from quick cameo to fully realized villain. He relishes every slithered word and has swagger in every step that recalls his character in Schindler’s List.
Other actors get their moments too: Alan Rickman’s Severus Snape gets a ton to do here and allows Rickman to show off his wide range going from sad to angry to devoid of anything at the drop of a hat. Maggie Smith gets to show off as well, finally allowing Professor McGonagall to be realized as a fully fleshed character conveying fear and joy in the same breath. But the real breakout here is Matthew Lewis, other wise known as Neville Longbottom. Where as Longbottom was just a caricature for clumsiness, here he is a new found symbol for hope, freedom and strength, played perfectly by Lewis; he’s going to be around for a long time.
The film’s decreased running time might be a problem for some but most won’t notice; they’ll be too busy enjoying the ride. The film ends on a high note and brings the emotional resonance that a message like this should: no matter who you are, good is always in you. And that’s as close to perfect as you’re gonna get.
A+
Bob Knows Movies 
Discussion
No comments yet.