Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (2011)

Overall Score: 7.75/10

And so now, the journey ends. Matched in equal measure with whimpers and bangs, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 concludes in a manner equal to that of the film series itself - just fine. Never reaching beyond into that upper echelon of greatness, nor being bogged down by the sorrow filled world of rubbish. They are compliments to the novels that gave birth to them, and little more. Solid compliments, don't get me wrong. They are in every phrasing exactly what fans could want. Unfortunately because of this, they often find themselves wanting.

Deathly Hallows Part 2 picks up right where Part 1 left off (I know - shocker), as Harry, Hermione, and Ron plan their next move while Voldemort comes to the realization that his greatest secret has been unveiled. The game of chess is in full motion, and now is the time for everyone to move into position before the end is truly at hand.

Perhaps the most joyous aspect - for me anyways - to return to this installment of the series was a delectably thick slice of dark humor which had faded in Part 1 of the films. A sense of light hearted cheese mixed into tragedy which was always one of my favorite ingredients of the series. So, with a sense of urgency the film glides (or jerks) us from scene to scene, working its way to the epic finale of epicness (to steal a tagline from Scott Pilgrim).

A finale which I believe fully captures the scale of Rowling's novel, but also drags in with it some of the lesser aspects of the book. That is - the deaths. So many colorful and lovable characters fall in this battle and yet, they are merely sideshow pieces. Shuffled off to the side and and only presented to us in the aftermath, which I have always found as heartbreaking as the loss of the characters themselves. In favor of a few cheap gags, and an increased battle presence of Neville (something I fully support), we lose out on those solemn farewells and are thrust into the cries "wait, they died? When? How? COME ONNNNN!" Not to mention the problematic 'wait, who was that?' in the quick cuts to show the bodies before just as quickly moving away.

However, lamenting that one part would deprive us from the overall scale of the final battle - which is quite awe inspiring. A beautiful array of neon colors flashing throughout the dark scenery just illuminates the tension and intensity of the event. With many of our favorite characters returning in a collage of background characters running, screaming, and fighting for their life. We recognize their faces, remember the scenes of theirs brought a smile to our face, and continue on to the next.

Which brings me to something I struggled with. The entire time Deathly Hallows Part 2 was playing, I couldn't shake this uncanny feeling that I'd been through this before. I did try, oh did I ever try, but no matter how hard I did, it just wouldn't fade. The memory of Matrix Revolutions. A big battle leading up to an over the top final battle with an obscure switch up of an ending, none of which really makes all that much sense. Granted, DH P2 is beyond compare a better film (in part because it has the novel accompaniment to fill in the gaps), but I couldn't help but leave both thinking the same thing - "there should have been more." More exposition, more time to say farewell to the characters, more time dove into the final battle. Forgive my greediness, but one cannot help what they want.

Of course, getting what you want and liking what you get are two entirely different things. And I did quite love what I got. The tragic tale of Snape (Alan Rickman + super makeup for the win), the lovable presence of Minerva and all the Hogwart's staff, the coming of age of our main characters, and Ralph Fiennes absorbing all the scenery with each twitch and panic. There's such an assortment of wonder and beauty to behold in this adaptation. An exuberance of cheer and loss blended with an enduring dedication to hope.

Which I believe is a testament to the unsung hero of the Harry Potter films - Steve Kloves. Kloves burst onto the writing scene with his 2000 film Wonder Boys, and has been riding high on the Potter bandwagon since. Tasked with the ungodly difficulty of bringing Rowling's vision to life, Kloves has survived the series four directors (the film for which he didn't do a screenplay was Order of the Phoenix - Yates first entry as director). Though of course a great amount of respect must go to the directors themselves. Yates, not the most talented of the bunch, found a way to please newcomers and fans alike with his darkened style. He knew his place and knew what fans wanted. The dark tones and nature of Alfonso Curaon's Prisoner of Azkaban and the character dedicated sentiment that was Mike Newell's Goblet of Fire.

It is never easy saying goodbye to something that has been with you as long as this, but like all things one must travel onward and like the characters themselves - look to the future.

Film Credits:
Directed By: David Yates
Written By: Steve Kloves
Novel By: J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 (2010)

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 1

DIRECTED BY: DAVID YATES

WRITTEN BY: STEVE KLOVES

NOVEL BY: J.K. ROWLING

OVERALL SCORE: 7.50/10

With Dumbledore dead and Voldemort's horcruxes still out there, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint), and Hermione (Emma Watson) go on the run from an increasingly corrupt Ministry of Magic to complete Dumbledore's final task for them.

"These are dark times, There is no denying."

The screen goes black. After a brief pause the words 'Directed By David Yates" appear in rusted gold. An audible groan permeates throughout the audience. They were there, right on the hook. Ready to go anywhere with these characters, do anything with them, the will of the filmmakers was there's to obey. Then the line snapped, the audience splashed back into the world it has always known. It was an incredible deflating moment. The audience begged for it to just go on. Alas it would not... well, not for a few more months anyways.

Harry Potter an the Deathly Hallows (Part 1) is an engrossing adventure film that takes its audience on a roller-coaster of emotion. Traveling over lands vast and wide, through lore deep and mystical, there's never any sign of stopping. A few idle moments of pause, a few minor turns, all setting up for the big drop... that never comes.

David Yates' wonderful visual prowess has never been better. He captures the world Rowling described so eloquently her novel. Kloves intertwines drama, action, and narrative progression with the greatest of ease. At least that's what I'd like to write. The truth is Kloves' writing has never been jerkier. Yates direction has never felt more pressed for time.

Don't get me wrong Yates and Kloves do a bang up job accounting for all the things they left out of the previous films, but they also struggle with a desire to maintain an authenticity to the original work. There's so much setup information to be found in those first few hundred pages of Deathly Hallows each moment in the subsequent film rattles them off as casual observations. "Oh that necklace thing we got, yeah I'm sure it's cursed. How do I know? Easy, you seem a bit grumpy."

What ends up coming to screen is what I can only describe as a Cliff Notes version of Rowling's novel. Very much a this happened, then that happened, then this happened, and so on series of events. Yates wonderful tone and shakey-cam action sequences help supplant feelings of boredom and anxiety, while Kloves' dedication to siphoning out as much consistent action and drama as possible helps keep the film rolling along, even when the plot kicks it into neutral.

In what I can only describe as a wonderful retelling, in the vein of The Secret of Kells, Yates' take on the three Peverell brothers allows him to skirt the violent and dark undertones of the story and keep the film from delving too deep into the darkness. In many respects it is an encompassing moment in terms of visual style that represents the tone of the entire film.

Radcliffe, Grint, and Watson show just how much they've grown into viable actors, navigating the minefield of emotions their character's must traverse. Meanwhile I found myself quite taken with Yates look into the horcruxes, and the effect it has on them. Their changes are subtle, almost cynical, followed by a series of outbursts. The encounter between Ron and the first, and only (in this film), horcrux they tackle really dives into the mentality of Ron, in a very, how to put this delicately, 'graphic' representation.

In the supporting realm, Tom Felton really steps up his game as Draco Malfoy. Between Half Blood Prince and this I believe a strong argument could be made for his being one of the strongest of the young recurring actors. Special mention to David O'Hara who, in addition to being awesome, put a big smile on my face with his take on Albert Runcorn. Bill Nighy and Rhys Ifans make the most of their brief appearances but there's little for the to do with major cuts to the characters. The rest of the returning cast carry with them the same strengths and weaknesses they've always had in their respective roles, so it would be redundant to go into that here.

What I enjoyed most about Yates direction is that he keeps things tight. A few establishing shots per custom, but we spend most of our time with all three of our main characters in camera, in isolated environments (one room, tent, elevator, etc.) Yates cools off on sweeping camera movements and exposition shots, making the film feel more intimate. It appears more dark because we spend more time up close with our character's emotional turmoil. Yates wraps us up in them and allows the performances to take control.

And it's really the performances that save Deathly Hallows from being too overwhelming an experience. The wonderful cast of characters created by Rowling really come to life on screen. The action is tense and exciting, but without these characters this installment would have felt more like a lecture than a journey. No matter how good that journey is.

Despite not really going anywhere, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows does a good job of simplifying the story thus far, creating a good starting set of questions from which the second part can pick up. It would have been nice to see more time with the supporting characters, but one can hope the second part will delve more into that realm (especially Dumbledore). However it must be noted, as I'm pretty sure every reviewer in the known world has mentioned, this is only half a story. The movie suffers exactly as you'd expect to it from that conundrum, but through great characters and visuals it manages to rise above them.


Two other random thoughts on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1:
1. Will Ginny ever get some solid screen time love? Kiss Harry, be on train, the end. Come on! Bonnie Wright may be a bit stale at times, but we need more to make the epilogue even worthwhile (especially since we know they've already filmed it).
2. We really need to get together and hold a convention to reinstate the Intermission! Please, if you're pushing 2.5 hours the bathroom is definitely going to call at some point.

Obligatory Harry Potter Movie Post - Top 5 Edition

While many of us will be trying to avoid all things Harry Potter, we all know this is its weekend. The stage has been set (kind of) the chess pieces moved into place (for part 2), it's time for Univarn to throw in his two cents on the Harry Potter discussion.

Top 5 Reasons to Watch/Read The Harry Potter Series:

5. Quidditch > All Sports?: Let's be honest if Quidditch was a real sport the line at schools for tryout sessions would be miles long. Mostly we'd all want a shot at flying around on brooms, but there's also the incredible fun factor gained from reading Rowling's vivid descriptions of the actions. On some level I wish Rowling would have dedicated more time to Quidditch and less time to other things (clothes for the house elves? zzzzzz) but the movies, when they have the time, do a fabulous job of bringing the sport to life. Such a creative spin on it all, I can't help but smile a bit.

4. Quick, Charge the Reverse ACCENT MegaCollider: Strictly a film based thing, but if you want a fun weekend note the inverse relation between accent and acting talent in the harry potter series. As the films go on the actors get better while their accents slowly get weaker and weaker. Coincidence? I think not!

3. I'm Not Dead Yet: One of the more fascinating aspects of the Harry Potter series is its dealings with death. Very few of the characters who die throughout the series (exception to the final book) aren't brought back at some point later on. Even in death they serve as guides, loved ones, never truly lost. Harry is consistently facing death, often losing many a loved ones too it. He has to make the most sacrifices. Rowling really captures the difficulty of dealing with death at a young age, especially amidst the many personal changes.

2. It's a big world out there, stop and look around: Rowling's novels do a great job of creating a world within a world, the movies do a great job capturing it. Each director concentrates on something different, but each time they honor that aspect of the film. We know it's not real, but the interspersing it with our world creates an added sense of connection. In the trailer you see places you may want to visit, may live at, or have visited. You see these things you associate with reality destroyed, attacked, fear. The reader/viewer latches on to that, and accepts what is happening as important to more than just the world of the novel.

1. Magic? We Don't Need No Stinking Magic: One of the best things each director has gained a greater appreciation for lay in the characters. We live with them, love with them, hurt with them, it's a truly engrossing experience. The magic is there and it's always fun to see Rowling's new spin on classic magic genre. Yet the glue to the films and books are the characters. Their inter-dynamics are the driving force behind it all, the good and the bad. At times Rowling struggles to develop, but she always understands.

Top 5 Harry Potter Books:
I know this is a bit of a cheat since there's only seven but still.

5. Deathly Hallows: While reading Deathly Hallows I, to mixed results, couldn't help but think of the elder wand as some variation of Tolkein's one ring. Meanwhile you really get an opportunity to deal with the core three characters. They're isolated, caught in crap situation, and forced to deal with feelings they've managed to repress throughout the series. Deathly Hallows wonderfully blends nostalgia for the previous books while sticking to the story and characters at hand.

4. Chamber of Secrets: The first Harry Potter book did an amiable job at displaying the possibilities of the Harry Potter world, Chamber of Secrets began the task of entering them. A real sense of foreboding, violence, and childhood issues emerge here. In many respects Chamber of Secrets became the framework piece for what would eventually evolve into the better, later, entries into the series.

3. Goblet of Fire: Rowling made a smart decision with GoF she expanded the world. Doing so Rowling let us know that there was far more to the world of Harry Potter than we could ever dream of. Schools among schools, witches and wizards across the globe. It does leave us with the burning question as to why everything good and bad happens to the British, but much like American superhero flicks we take certain things for granted based on the writer's origin. Goblet of Fire brings Harry head to head not only with the expanding world, but also with death itself, reigniting the childhood instance that brought this whole story to life and beginning the process of tying the story together.

2. Prisoner of Azkaban: What I love most about Prisoner of Azkaban is not only that its the only Harry Potter film where Voldemort isn't the predominant villain, but it serves as two counterpoints: On the one hand its the complete maturity of Rowling as a developed author with a distinctive voice while on the other hand it's really the final exercise in innocence for our three main cohorts. Following this story there is no turning back. Things will begin to crumble, friendships will be put to the test, and relationships will be formed and lost.

1. Half Blood Prince: Finally some answers! Finally some insight. Half Blood Prince does an outstanding job of not only allowing us into the mindset, and backstory, of Voldemort, but we also gain some much needed building on our characters. Half Blood Prince may at times suffer from being a setp up installment, but in and of itself the story it presents is captivating, emotional, agitating, and enjoyable. Meanwhile we also deal with Harry's growing pains over the very personal death from The Order of the Phoenix, and in the end the recognition that until he stops Voldemort he will always be trapped by death. Half Blood Prince is the emotional weight that carries Deathly Hallows to the end.

 The Harry Potter Movies

I would do a top list here but seeing as two (or two halves depending on your POV) are still waiting to come out I figured I'd say a thing or two about each movie.


Philosopher/Sorcerer's Stone: The opening installment to the world, directed by Christopher Columbus, is great in that it really loves the magic of the world. Unfortunately Columbus misses a bit on the characters, and the first time actors aren't developed enough to carry it. Luckily the story exceeded where others falter, making for an enjoyable time.

Chamber of Secrets: It wasn't until CoS that I really started to respect the Harry Potter films. Until then I enjoyed boasting about the superiority of LOTR, and while I still will (:P) I have to gain a great appreciation for HP as a whole.

Prisoner of Azkaban: I find this the most interesting installment of them all. Visually there's no other match for Cuaron among the series many directors. He captures the mood and fantasy with amazing clarity. However I've noticed this film really divides fans. Some feel it misses the point entirely, others feel its as accurate an adaptation as the series has seen. Personally, as of now, it sits as my #2 (much like the book) favorite.

Goblet of Fire: Out of all the films this one is my current favorite. I love what Mike Newell did with the characters. He really siphoned out all the things I loved about this book while at the same time not harping on many of the things I found a bit dull. There's something about the way Newell approached this story that not only made it fun and exciting, but also made it all really come to life. Many may praise Yates, but I fully believe without Newell's actor approach the following films would have gone south quick.

Order of the Phoenix: Yates did a fantastic job of cramming 800+ pages (which is an afternoon's read for fans of George R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire - just saying) into a simple, straight forward, narrative. Yates drops a lot of the touchy emotion in favor of moving the characters magic skills along, seeing as they sat a bit on the back burner for the previous films. Meanwhile the actors really start building on the promise of Goblet of Fire. This is also the only case where I feel the movie is better than the book (or at the very least handles the climatic emotional scenes much better).

Half Blood Prince: HBP suffers from having way too much to do and not enough time to do it in. The main reason: Order of the Phoenix was made prior to Deathly Hallows and therefore cuts made for timing ended up being more important than they realized. Even with that Yates still prefers to leave a lot of core plot points on the editing floor, which I can only imagine will get shot at the viewer of DH at 500mph, in favor of character development. The movie does a fine job of building the Dumbledore-Potter relationship, while also taking the characters just to the very edge of where they need to be for the final installment. HBP was one of my favorite films of last year, and I believe stand-alone it's absolute great, but I fear in the context of the series people will likely hold it accountable for not explaining everything that needed to be explained.

Well that about does it for my big Harry Potter spectacular! Hope you enjoyed it, and catch the film this weekend. If by the end of this you're thinking, OH FOR THE LOVE OF ENOUGH ALREADY, I'm sure AnswerMVP would kill me if I didn't mention the other film opening this weekend was The Next Three Days, starring Russell Crowe (which did get a fine review from FlixChatter so check that out).

Have a good one everybody!