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How entertaining? ★★★★★
Thought provoking? ★★☆☆☆ 14 July 2011
This article is a review of HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART TWO. |
"How dare you stand where he stood! A man who trusted you. Tell them how it happened that night. Tell them how you looked him in the eye, and killed him," Harry Potter
Perhaps it was having only four hours of sleep prior to seeing this, and that’s the reason I’m sticking with, but I found the finale to the HARRY POTTER saga very emotional. PART 2 is the second best film, after AZKABAN, in the series; but the most moving – obviously so, as you imagine, after the culmination of over 16 hours of storytelling. I’m a huge fan of the novels. J.K. Rowling has created an enthralling epic. When you love the original work, it takes gifted writers and directors to adapt them. I prefer when filmmakers take the texts in interesting directions, fill in between the lines and expand on footnotes. With the HARRY POTTER films (and THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO trilogy), they have cleaved too closely to the books and made akin to a greatest hits – which is pleasing on one level, but unsatisfying on another. However, with this final movie, the cumulative effect of the seven previous, crescendos with a deeply poignant climax. I guess 10 years of following these engaging characters will do that. And credit should be given to the team behind the franchise, for sticking to a tone which matches the novels ever darkening path. There is a large body count here, with images like Voldemort walking barefoot though blood. For those who haven’t read it, I imagine it is not clear who will cross the finish line. How exciting is that?!
Perhaps it was having only four hours of sleep prior to seeing this, and that’s the reason I’m sticking with, but I found the finale to the HARRY POTTER saga very emotional. PART 2 is the second best film, after AZKABAN, in the series; but the most moving – obviously so, as you imagine, after the culmination of over 16 hours of storytelling. I’m a huge fan of the novels. J.K. Rowling has created an enthralling epic. When you love the original work, it takes gifted writers and directors to adapt them. I prefer when filmmakers take the texts in interesting directions, fill in between the lines and expand on footnotes. With the HARRY POTTER films (and THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO trilogy), they have cleaved too closely to the books and made akin to a greatest hits – which is pleasing on one level, but unsatisfying on another. However, with this final movie, the cumulative effect of the seven previous, crescendos with a deeply poignant climax. I guess 10 years of following these engaging characters will do that. And credit should be given to the team behind the franchise, for sticking to a tone which matches the novels ever darkening path. There is a large body count here, with images like Voldemort walking barefoot though blood. For those who haven’t read it, I imagine it is not clear who will cross the finish line. How exciting is that?!
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PART 2 opens with the end of PART 1 – He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named acquiring the world’s most powerful wand. We then jump to the safe house where team Harry are plotting their next move in hunting and destroying horcruxes, a daring raid on Gringotts Bank. So the first action sequence is a heist like no other. You don’t see dragons guarding vaults in a Michael Mann picture. The air of threat is not just through the sombre atmosphere, but underscored with violence; showing and not just talking about Voldemort and the repercussions surrounding him. A dragon burns alive those in its way, people are disintegrated going through magical shields, and those on the sides of honourable and malicious alike are killed. Breaking the last novel in two, may have seemed cynical at first, and Part 1 is not that entertaining, but the decision was vindicated by Part 2. The pace is relentless and the narrative lean, like a greyhound pelting along a race-course.
The idea to populate the cast with Brit thesps has paid off too. The likes of Michael Gambon, Gary Oldman, Helena Bonham Carter and Ralph Fiennes have added weight and a mesmerising acting display, bringing to life an ensemble that could’ve been wooden or hokey. There is a moment where Maggie Smith’s Professor McGonagall exclaims her enjoyment in the heady last stand at Hogwarts, and Julie Walters’ Molly Weasley just gives her the briefest of glances which conveys a comical touch that the lesser skilled would dream of giving. The one weak link unfortunately is Daniel Radcliffe, who, able to convey likeability and awkward charm, doesn’t seem up to the task of showing passion and steadfastness. Some may argue that the character of Harry Potter is a black canvas for the reader to project themselves onto, but a more charismatic and talented an actor would have added greater emotion to proceedings.
What J.K. Rowling has done, is to conjure up an impressive, credible and imaginative parallel world; and not only that, using this framework to discuss the nature of morality, love and forgiveness. Dark, epic, grand, classy - this is how to entertainingly end a mythic fantasy.
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