Plot: Picking up where Part I left off, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II is the concluding chapter to the decade long billion dollar franchise. Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint), and Hermione (Emma Watson) must finally confront the evil Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) and end his reign of terror. The race to discover and destroy Voldemort's remaining horcruxes finds the trio breaking into a magical bank, confronting a ghost with key information, and an epic battle at Hogwarts. But will the destruction of Lord Voldemort cost Harry the ultimate sacrifice? Even more importantly will Ron and Hermione finally kiss?
Review: Well here we are. A decade later and J.K. Rowling's epic fantasy series about a boy wizard, his friends, and the battle between good and evil is finally over. For fans of the series, many of whom grew up alongside the actors, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II, is probably a bittersweet conclusion to the franchise. The real question however is, is it a satisfying conclusion?
For the most part the answer is yes.
Unlike Part I which is a more esoteric and emotionally driven film, Part II is an action packed thrill ride that rarely pauses for breath. Once again director David Yates does a fantastic job of bringing Rowling's fantasy to life, drawing the maximum effort out of his young and talented actors. Rupert Grint in particular shines as Ron Weasley whose character, motivated by his deep affection for Hermione and his staunch friendship with Harry, discovers a fountain of energy and courage even more powerful than his previous heroic acts. In some ways he outshines Radcliffe as Harry, who while still good in Part II, clearly demonstrates signs that he's grown weary with the character. Scenes such as a coda at the film's conclusion or his discussion with ghost Rowena Ravenclaw ring hallow. (No pun intended.) However, the final showdown between Harry and Voldemort is as good as advertised. Thankfully, so is Fiennes portrayal of Voldemort. Fiennes brings equal measures of malevolence, menace, and sadness to the character, something he's maintained in the previous four films. Despite the inherent evil nature of Voldemort in some ways I came to pity him too.
Kudos to Yates for keeping the pace of Part II quick and exciting. This film has action in spades, whether it is the harrowing break-in of Gringott's bank to recover Helga Hufflepuff's cup and escaping on a fire breathing dragon, the battle between the Deatheaters and students at Hogwarts, or the amazing final wizard duel between Harry and Voldemort. Alexandre Desplat's score compliments the action nicely. Rarely does the action slow down to take a pause which could sometimes be exhausting. However, a tearful scene between Harry and Snape (Alan Rickman) and a powerful moment between the trio and Headmaster Albus Dumbledore's (Michael Gambon) brother Aberforth (Ciaran Hinds) does help.
Framestore, Moving Picture Company, and Double Negative do an excellent job of bringing Rowling's world to life. The visual effects are stunning and are sure to gain an Academy Award nomination. Production designer Stuart Craig should also take a bow as the set design for both Gringott's Bank and Hogworts were spectacular.
All in all, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II is, with a few minor points, a satisfactory conclusion to the Harry Potter series. Unlike the Twilight franchise where one film seems too much, Harry Potter's eight movies almost seem too few. So long Harry.
My rating: 8/10
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