Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 A Review
Posted By Kathleen David on July 16, 2011
Yesterday we took Caroline to see HPATDH2. We made the conscious choice to see it in 2-D since the previous two films had been so dark not just in tone but also in pallet. There were some sequences that would look cool in 3-D but nothing that screamed must be seen in 3-D for full experience.
Spoilers are going behind the cut and very well may be in comments so you have been warned.
When we last left our heroes, they were in serious trouble. This film picks up pretty much where we left everyone and goes from there. I am glad that we recently re-watched the first part of the Deathly Hallows before seeing the second because it refreshed my memory a bit that made the ending make a little more sense.
Overall the acting is as good if not better. The onus is on Mr. Radcliff, Mr. Grint, and Ms. Watson for the piece but the adults play a role as well. It was nice to see the adults back in the picture since the previous film was pretty much the three all on their own trying to save the world. Easier with friends I think.
The look was good. The battles were magically magnificent. People died and people lived. It was pretty much the books come to life which has been the nice thing about the whole movie series. They made the books come to life which can be difficult.
So overall I was quite satisfied with the movie but don’t think it is worth 3-D.
I am grateful that these films got made.
Now I want to go back and re-watch the films to see the Snape arc in light of Mr. Rickman’s performance in this last film. The death of Snape had me in tears and I knew he was going to bite it but the actors played it beautifully. Then there was the explanation of Snape through his memories.
And GO NEVILLE! Maybe I have a soft spot for Neville because the actor has been so nice to Ariel and is really great with the fans. It was great that they finally gave Matthew something to do. They didn’t screw with it and allowed Neville his moment as the snake killer that leads to the end of Voldimort. The order was changed around a bit so Peter and I were both concerned that they were going to hand it off to one of the main characters. But there he was in the fray taking out the last horacrux. I think Neville makes a good BAMF.
The other moment that was our MUST for the film to be good was Molly Weasley going up again Bellatrix with the immortal line “Not my daugher you BÍTÇH!” before she magically tears Ms. B a new one and then kills her.
I didn’t mind that a number of character deaths happened off screen. I didn’t need or what to see everyone die. I know some people are upset that Tonks and Remus get an off screen pasting but I am betting it will be on the DVD.
Also I was glad that they had the epilogue at the end. It was nice to see that so everyone knows that life goes on and moves forward.
Sounds great, but when you get down to it, Remus and Tonks get the short stick in the books also. Their deaths are “off-page” and brought up in the recap of the happenings. So rather fitting that they’re off screen in the movies. Also rather keeping in the smaller role that Tonks has in the movies as opposed to the books.