As someone who started off as a fan of Harry Potter from reading the books many, many years ago, I've had a hard time staying a fan throughout the decade of films. It's difficult to stay steadfast when something you truly enjoyed continually gets worse and worse with each film. It's no secret that I openly hated Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One. It was merely PART of a movie with no real start or finish. So I walked into Part Two with dismal hopes for the culmination of the wizarding franchise. But, color me surprised when I was actually engaged at every turn during Part Two. It was suspenseful and fulfilling with every plot device finally having some actual weight to each circumstance.
Read more after the jump!
Read more after the jump!
If you're heading out to see Part Two, you already know what's going on from the previous Harry Potter installment. Dumbledore was killed by Snape (Alan Rickman) but not before he sends Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) in search of the final horcruxes, those objects in which Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) has hidden portions of his soul in order to live forever. Harry must seek out all these random trinkets and destroy them to kill Voldemort, who is now threatening to take over both the Wizarding and Muggle worlds. Along for the ride are Harry's trusty sidekicks, Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint).
While Part Two essentially has the same plot as the previous Deathly Hallows, it's a much more complete film. Everything Harry and his friends do have a rhyme and reason. There are no trifling subplots or minor characters to even bother with. It all boils down to the same, finite point: destroy Voldemort at all cost.
The whole film seems much more impressive than the previous films. Everything has more depth and weight, and it's great to finally have some character development pay off. While the heroic trio is front and center, the film really gives wonderful moments for some of our most beloved characters. Maggie Smith has incredibly bad ass scenes. Ralph Finnes is perfectly sinister as Voldemort but also great at struggling to resist his vulnerability. But it is Rickman who has the most beautiful moments with Snape's back-story finally unfolding.
My only real beef with Part Two is the absolute unnecessary 3D conversion. While the opening scene of Hogwarts surrounded by Dementors is fairly cool in 3D, the already gloomy and dark film is even more dimly lit in 3D. It not only does not add to the film but is completely distracting. Another minor problem I had with the film is that some of the characters that are so beloved in the books don't get the sendoffs they deserve in Part Two. But I'd much rather have that as a minor complaint than have to sit through another ridiculously long and boring film with no conclusion or point.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two should satisfy any viewer, fan or no. It finally goes back to the luster of the third and fourth films and provides a wonderful denouement to the roller coaster of quality for the longtime franchise.
-- Darcie Duttweiler
While Part Two essentially has the same plot as the previous Deathly Hallows, it's a much more complete film. Everything Harry and his friends do have a rhyme and reason. There are no trifling subplots or minor characters to even bother with. It all boils down to the same, finite point: destroy Voldemort at all cost.
The whole film seems much more impressive than the previous films. Everything has more depth and weight, and it's great to finally have some character development pay off. While the heroic trio is front and center, the film really gives wonderful moments for some of our most beloved characters. Maggie Smith has incredibly bad ass scenes. Ralph Finnes is perfectly sinister as Voldemort but also great at struggling to resist his vulnerability. But it is Rickman who has the most beautiful moments with Snape's back-story finally unfolding.
My only real beef with Part Two is the absolute unnecessary 3D conversion. While the opening scene of Hogwarts surrounded by Dementors is fairly cool in 3D, the already gloomy and dark film is even more dimly lit in 3D. It not only does not add to the film but is completely distracting. Another minor problem I had with the film is that some of the characters that are so beloved in the books don't get the sendoffs they deserve in Part Two. But I'd much rather have that as a minor complaint than have to sit through another ridiculously long and boring film with no conclusion or point.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two should satisfy any viewer, fan or no. It finally goes back to the luster of the third and fourth films and provides a wonderful denouement to the roller coaster of quality for the longtime franchise.
-- Darcie Duttweiler
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