Film Review: HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS – Part 2

Excellent Movie! This review has loads of spoilers. If you are planning to see it and don't have a clue about the story, DO NOT READ THE REVIEW!

Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Ralph Fiennes, Alan Rickman, Matthew Lewis, Tom Felton, Robbie Coltrane
Director: David Yates

I continued to keep the book out of my mind when I went to see the eighth and last film of the Harry Potter series. It helped a lot and I watched the movie for the sake of it. Actually, I watched the film a week ago but never got around to write the review.

THE STORY: The film takes off from where Part 1 ended with Dobby’s death. Harry Potter and his friends Ron and Hermione persuade Griphook, the goblin, into breaking into Gringotts with them. They need to get into Bellatrix’s vault to find Hufflepuff’s cup – a horcrux.

Later, the three go to Hogwarts to find the horcrux hidden there. They don’t have a clue as to what the horcrux is. They meet Aberforth Dumbledore (Professor Dumbledore’s brother) and with his help get into Hogwarts with Neville. The old DA members have made the ‘room of requirement’ their home.

While Harry Potter sets off to find the Horcrux, Professor McGonagall holds the fort (literally) along with the other heads of houses, to keep Voldemort and his followers out. The new headmaster, Professor Snape runs away to join his evil master.

Soon, war breaks out at Hogwarts. Watch the film to see the outcome.

MY PERCEPTION: The film is the darkest of the lot, metaphorically and literally too – just as expected. Hogwarts’ portrayal is simply amazing.

Daniel Radcliffe has grown handsomer and has acted too well. He has got better and better with the film series and this one is his best.

The scene that moved me to tears was the one where Snape breaks down holding Lily Potter’s dead body in his arms. Alan Rickman has been consistently excellent in all the eight films.

Emma Watson and Rupert Grint have done their best, which is very good. Matthew Lewis as Neville Longbottom deserves a mention - he was very good in the last film.

The trio’s escape from Gringotts riding on the guardian dragon was very well shot and the fight sequences were simply amazing.

The wizard war late into the night with spells throwing up sudden light in the surrounding darkness gives one goose bumps – a visual treat indeed.

The scene I liked best was when Professor McGonagall utters the spell ‘piertotum locomotor’ and the suits of armour jump down from their positions. Just loved this one!

The film was portrayed well as regards the clash between good and evil - Harry and Voldemort. But at the same time, the impact of all those deaths was pushed to the background. I felt that it was not good enough. The deaths of Fred Weasley, Lupin, Tonks, Colin Creevey and more were just not given any kind of importance. Pretty sad!

19 AD of Voldemort… It was a cutely made sequence where Daniel Radcliffe was the best of the lot.

VERDICT: If you are a Harry Potter fan, you must have already seen this. If not, it’s definitely worth a watch.

RATING: **** Snazzy

* Silly
** Shaky
*** Smart
**** Snazzy
***** Super

Film Review: HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART I

Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Ralph Fiennes, Alan Rickman, Tom Felton, Robbie Coltrane

Director: David Yates

I am kind of wary whenever a new Harry Potter film is released. I have seen just 2 of them before this one. I am crazy about the books and have read the series about 6 times. The seventh one, I have managed to read but twice, as it is very dark. But the books are absolutely fascinating and takes the reader into a different world altogether. It takes a long time to descend to earth after reading JK Rowling’s HP series.

I tend to keep comparing the book and the films and have always found the latter disappointing – the reason why I kept away from the films. My son wanted to see this one and I promised myself that I would not compare and just watch the film for the sake of it. I pushed the book away to the back of my mind before I reached Imax for the show last weekend. The film had been in the theatres since three weeks.

The Story: Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) is about to complete 17 years of age and the protection around his aunt’s home is to wear off on his birthday. The Order of the Phoenix has a plan to spring him out of there. Snape (Alan Rickman) gets to know about their plans and lets Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) know of it.

With the help of a magical potion, four of the Weasley brothers including Bill (Domhnall Gleeson), George (Oliver Phelps), Fred (James Phelps) and Ron (Rupert Grint), Nymphodara Tonks (Natalia Lena) and Mundungus Fletcher (Andy Linden) turn into six Harry Potters beside the original and they all take off with escorts on brooms. The real Harry Potter travels on Hagrid’s  (Robbie Coltrane) motor bike along with the half-giant. Death eaters find them and Hedwig (the owl) and Mad-Eyed Moody die in transit. George's left ear is shot off by dark magic. 

Then comes Bill’s wedding to Fleur. The death eaters attack immediately after the wedding and that’s when Harry, Hermione and Ron disapparate. The smart Hermione has managed to make her parents forget who they are and also packed in a huge number of things into a magical handbag. The three are on the run throughout the film, hoping to find the horcruxes that hold parts of Voldemort’s soul. Dumbledore has left them no clues to the whereabouts of these.

The first part of the seventh novel goes on till the three find a means to destroy the horcruxes. They are still in search as the movie ends.

My Perception: The film moved fast. I am glad, I like well-edited films that don’t drag. It ran for just two hours. Daniel Radcliffe gets better with each of the Harry Potter films. Emma looks her part of the intelligent Hermione who takes care of all contingencies. Rupert also plays the part of Ron well – a bit dumb and totally loyal.

The cinematography was just amazing, the film shot in gorgeous locations. I don’t know whether a person who has not read the book would understand much – this bit keeps nagging at me all the while – but it made for a great watch.

Some of the scenes just need to be mentioned. The snake Nagini’s attacks made for superb animation. Then there was the priceless look on the face of the woman playing Batilda Bagshot near the graveyard. She actually turns out to be Nagini. She was just too good even while she lasted barely a few minutes on the screen.

Draco (Tom Felton) is all grown up and the actor has done his part well. The look of fear on his face gets to you.

There was this scene when a few stragglers come across Harry Potter's hideout in the open. Hermione has placed a number of charms ensuring that no one could find them. One of the stragglers smells her perfume but is unable to see anything. It was scary when he gets within touching distance but is unable to trace them.

There was this scene where Ron raises the Sword of Griffindor to break the cursed locket (one of the horcruxes). A number of terrible visions occur confounding Ron. This scene was exactly as I had visualised when I read the book. Dark magic at its best as the story gets more gripping. 

The Verdict: All in all, makes for a wonderful watch. I really enjoyed myself at the theatre and I am looking forward to the second part.

Rating: **** Snazzy

* Silly

** Shaky

*** Smart

**** Snazzy

***** Super