Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 (2011)
Warner Brothers
Theatrical Release: July 15, 2011
Director: David Yates
PG-13
Review by Adam Bielawski
The new Harry Potter went on and broke all time opening weekend records for a film, in the U.S.A. and worldwide. That is what we all are hearing since last night on the news. Did anyone expect less? We all have a little bit of Harry Potter geek in us, as fans, some more than other, a wonderfully written story by J.K. Rowling, the best selling children’s story and a great movie series brought to the world by Warner Brothers. Harry Potter has engaged us for the past decade, since 2001 through film, but many of us actually picked up a book and read the series. What a freakin success! When the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 came out, majority of us already new the movie because we all picked up the pick and read it quickly in July 2007, some of us after the Half Blood Prince movie. Who could wait for the epic story of good vs. evil in the 21st Century, we all had to know. Within a week after the book was released, just about every Harry Potter fan I knew, including my family, my 8 year old, my friends, all knew the story. Finally after 4 years I can spill all the beans to everyone because the final movie is out. There are no more secrets to be told, Harry Potter is triumphant, good prevailed, the Battle of Hogwarts is complete and all the evil is gone. Harry Potter, you have engaged my family, you have made me read the series with my children, discuss the book and movie with friends young and old, we have went to museums, we answered not only movie trivia questions, but we also knew the answers that were only in the books. Ms. J.K. Rowling, you educated a mass of people with your wonderful creative books, and the movie series to further our curiosity by reading, I truly believe the literacy rate increased with many young people because they (we) just could not get enough of Harry Potter, The Boy that Live.
Our story continues from the movie Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 with the burial of the free elf, Dobby. At the cottage, Harry learns from the wand maker Ollivander how allegiance is passed by wands, “that the wand chooses the wizard.” He also makes a deal with the goblin Griphook, for the Sword of Gryffindorf to take them to the vault of Bellatrix Lestrange at Gringotts bank. Harry learned when he was in the mind of Voldemort that one of the Horcrux exist in the vault. As they charm the goblins for entry, they discover that the Horcrux is Helga Hufflepuff’s cup. They are soon discovered and all the goblins and security are out to stop the three. Griphook grabs the sword and runs, he informs Harry that “he agreed to bring them to the vault but never agreed to help them escape.” During their daring escape riding a dragon, Harry pries into Voldemorts mind and learns that he discovered that the cup of Hufflepuff Cup is taken and knows that Harry is hunting down he Horcrux s. In a siege of rage, Voldemort kills all at Gringotts’ bank including the goblin Griphook. When Griphook dies the sword disappeared again. Voldemorts now tells Nagini, his snake, to stay with him closely. You guessed it, the snake is a Horcrux. Harry also learns that another of the Horcurx is at Hogwarts pertains Rowena Ravenclaw. The three, Hermaione, Ron and Harry, jump off the dragon over a lake and apparate into the town of Hogsmeade, just outside Hogsworth. The town is immediately notified with alarm charm that someone has entered. Death Eaters are in pursuit, Albus Dumbledores’s brother, Aberforth Dumbledore helps them by giving false trail for the Death Eaters to follow. Aberforth does not have kind words about his brother (you can read this in the book) but gains hope with Harry and shows them a secret way through a painting of his sister, Ariana who died a long time ago (again read the book). As the thee gaze at the painting, guess who comes out from behind and shows them the way to Hogwarts, Neville Longbottom. Neville alerts all who are apposed to Voldemort and our characters start to come together at Hogwards. Harry tells the lot he is searching for something related to Ravenclaw but not sure what it is. Luna Lovegood suggests maybe it’s the long lost Diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw which has been lost for centuries, Luna is correct.
Professor Snape, now headmaster of Hogwarts School of Magic, learns of Harry Potter’s arrival at Hogsmeade and summons all the students and staff. Snape advises all if anyone knows of Harry whereabouts to let him know or suffer extreme punishment. Harry steps up and announces himself from within the group. Professor McGonagall steps between Snape and Harry and expels Snape with her own spell. Shortly, all hear a ear piercing and painful voice of Voldemort that they have one hour to turn Harry over to him… hence the Battle of Hogwarts has begun. All preparation are made to secure the castle. On screen, visually this is done wonderfully, as a field of light surrounds the castle by all the wizards, scholars and resistance, putting the spells to secure Hogwarts. The music played during the scene is epic, you can sense that a battle is about to commence.
Voldemort leads his legion of Death Eaters and loyalists to a cliff overlooking Hogwarts and plans to begin the siege. I wondered about this scene, why are they all running to attack like in the movie Braveheart, no one was initially flying on brooms, even the Death Eaters did not fly into battle, I figured that is what wizards do. Anyhow, the first line of Voldemort’s loyalists hit the protective charm and they disintegrate. Neville Longbottom, sees demise while standing on the edge of the bridge to Hogwarts, worried at first but then realizes that Voldemort’s legion is stopped by magic protective charm. Soon the protective spell is broken and Neville makes way to the castle with a horde of wizards in the attack.
While all this is happening, Hermione and Ron are on their way to get Basilisk fang to kill the Horcrux under the Castle (The Chamber of Secrets), inside the castle Harry as suggested to him by Luna that he speaks with the ghost of Helena Ravenclaw, the daughter of Rowena Ravenclaw. Helena has nothing to do initially with Harry because she has been tricked many years before to disclose the whereabouts of the Diadem, yes it was Tom Riddle, otherwise known as Lord Voldemort. Tom Riddle was a pretty smooth operator as a young man, had everyone under his thumb and even the lady ghost.
The story goes on…Hermione, Ron, Neville, and Harry all take part in the destruction of the Horcruxs, each valiant and courageous in their means of killing it, and a bit of Voldemort. Everyone places their lives to keep Harry Potter alive, but he knows that he must die. Harry sets to face Voldemort in the Forbidden Forest; he sacrifices himself and dies under the wand of Voldemort. During Harry’s time in-between worlds or his own mind, Albus Dumbledore helps him in direction, and then returns to life. Harry learns that he was a Horcrux himself, hence the prophecy that only “one can live.” When Voldemort tied to kill Harry, part of his soul went into Harry, “creating the Horcrux that Voldemort never wanted” as stated to Harry by Dumbledore, when Harry was in-between worlds. When Harry died by the wand of Voldemort, the Horcrux (Harry) was destroyed but because of his love for others and not power returned back to life. I really wondered how this scene would come out as compared to the book, it was excellent. Just as how I have pictured it from reading. Again, I will note great direction by David Yates, as well as production crew who pulled the last installment off with excellence, staying true to the book. As Voldemort presents his victory to the opposition before Hogwarts castle, Harry springs back to life just as Voldemort tells everyone to surrender; with surprise and humiliation; Voldemort now ensues for the final showdown with Harry Potter. Voldemort dies by the wand of Harry, because Harry is the true Master of Death. In Deathly Hallows Part 1 it details three objects of magic, the most powerful wand called the Elder Wand, the stone that can bring back the dead called the Resurrection Stone, and the Cloak of Invisibly posses by Harry and his family. The wizard that posses all 3 is the Master of Death, Harry Potter.
We are taken 19 years later, as our courageous heroes send their children to Hogwarts. Harry’s son Albus Severus Potter is worried about not getting into house of Gryffindor, Harry tells him, “do not worry; you are named after to great wizards, after Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape.” Yes, Severus Snape, our true hero in this movie, Snape protected Harry because he was in love with Harry’s mother from his youth. Snape died under the hand of Voldemort; because Voldemort discovered and thought that the Elder Wand’s allegiance is who kills the wizard who possessed it. How wrong was Voldemort, it’s not who kills but who wins the wand from the current owner. Voldemort ordered Snape dead by his snake Nagini, then leaves. As Snape lies dying, he tells Harry, “Take it,” meaning his flowing tears and “go to the Pensieve.” Harry learns what Snape had done, loved his mom, pledged allegiance to Albus Dumbledore, and even killed Albus so Voldemort would think Snape loyal to the Dark Lord, all to protect the boy… all for the greater good.
What an awesome finale, this movie is great, now I can’t wait for 6 months or so for the home release. Then again the Harry Potter marathons will begin… today, tomorrow and for many years to come. I wonder what the film industry can do to top this one. Now that a decade of Harry Potter is technically over at the theater, box office record breaking profits, plans to do. I guess we have to go to mediocrity till the next great epic move.
- Read the full story at UnRatedMagazine.com
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