As the old saying goes, All good things must come to an end.
And so must the cinematic Harry Potter saga, which first began back in the dark
fall of 2001, with the premiere of Harry Potter and the
Sorcerer's Stone. I originally avoided this film when it came out in
theaters because I figured back then that the Harry Potter film was just another
dopey fantasy aimed at kids that would burn out quickly and be forgotten in the
annals of film, much like other fantasy films, like the Neverending Story.
To my surprise, when I finally caught up with the first film the following spring,
I realized that, instead of being just another disposable piece of tripe, that
this was actually a new Wizard Of Oz that heralded a new hero who lived in a
well-thought out universe that proved to be even more complex than the one I
lived in. Not having read the books, I became engrossed instead in the movies,
waiting for each one to come out so that I could enjoy the latest challenges that
Harry and friends had to face. And it all led up to the final climax, the final
confrontation between the Boy Wizard and the man whom no one dares speaks his name.
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2 picks up where the first half of this
final chapter left off, with Lord Voldemort gaining possession--as well as total
control over--a very powerful wand. As if this creepy, nose-less bastard wasn’t
bad news enough, now he’s gunning for Harry with maximum magical firepower at
his fingertips. But Harry, Ron and Hermione are not giving up; they still have a
few tricks up their sleeves as they hunt down and destroy the last remaining
totems that contain the soul of Voldemort--an act that weakens the evil wizard.
The final battle appropriately takes place at Hogwarts, and it winds up being
an enjoyably epic and spectacular battle.
All pretense of civility between the good and bad sides in the previous films
is thrown out the window as they now proceed to kill each other in all out
warfare. Hogwarts is blown to smithereens and the causalities mount as the
final throw down is shown in exhilarating fashion. The final film plays as
one long epic battle, as well it should, because we’ve been waiting for this
amazing ending for ten straight years, now. What a wild and very strange ride
it’s been over the course of eight superb films (my favorite of the series
remains the third, Harry Potter and the Prisoner Of Akazan). Far from being
another disposable fantasy film, Harry Potter has proven itself to be a true
hero’s journey to be savored over and over again.
--SF
Main Review Page | Fantasy Reviews | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 (+ UltraViolet Digital Copy)
