Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 12A – 2011 (130 minutes)

Thanks for the ride…

The journey is over. After 7 books, 1.2 million words and this, the last of 8 films, it is time to say goodbye, time for our trio to take a rest and time for us to reflect. What a journey it has been. Generations of children have grown up with the actors. Generations of adults have become life-long fans and generations of the future are in for such a treat.

But before we can rest, there is one final battle. Hogwarts is under siege and the outcome is far from clear. In a tone more sinister than anything hitherto, Harry must discover and destroy the keys to you-know-who’s soul. Director David Yates puts the relative disappointment of Part 1 firmly behind him in a breath-taking production of Part 2, the special effects of which are quite stunning. We plunge the depths on impossible rollercoasters only to soar to the heights on the wings of a dragon. We marvel at the treasures in the vaults of Gringott’s bank, we wonder at stone armies brought to life with one new spell.

We wonder too at the sheer strength of the cast. While our trio have been strong, Radcliffe particularly touching if unheroic, Watson increasingly persuasive and Grint, naturally funny – the support cast has been dazzling, Bonham Carter (Bellatrix) hysterically evil, Michael Gambon (Dumbledore) the personification of patience and Maggie Smith (Minerva McGonagall) endlessly reassuring. But above them all stands Alan Rickman (Severus Snape), his clipped tones so threatening, his penetrating eyes staring deep into the soul. His final scenes with Dumbledore are one of the highlights not just this movie but of the entire series.

As the battle nears its end and Harry wanders through the ruins that were his school, he is appalled. “I never meant for people to die” – he laments to his dead parents before seeking out his nemesis for the final confrontation. “The boy who lived has come to die”, Voldemort jeers mockingly, reckoning without, well, that would be telling.

But with closure there is sadness; never again will we queue up at midnight to purchase the new book; never again will we phone up for hours to ensure tickets for first night; never again will we buy the latest DVD. The brand will live on - the new theme park in Orlando is a roaring success - but the stories are over and it is time to move on.

Goodbye Harry Potter and thank you for the ride. 9/10 DM

July 2011