On July 15, it all ended. The phenomenon that captured a generation, that children grew up with, that adults weren’t afraid to admit they loved, that was perfect on nearly every level, ended. In true fashion, it ended with a bang. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 is not only a great adaptation of its source novel, but a great film in general and one of the most popular films in history.
In all honesty, it doesn’t take being a so-called “Potterhead” to enjoy this artistic achievement; anyone who is looking to see a good movie should go see this film, and judging based on its box office success, they did. The film grossed $43.5 million from midnight showings, $92 million on its opening day, $169.2 million on its opening weekend domestically, $478.2 million on its opening weekend worldwide, and $23.2 million from IMAX theaters worldwide, breaking records in each of those categories, according to Entertainment Weekly. At this rate, Potter should have no problem becoming one of the highest grossing films of all time.
However, what’s truly remarkable is that not only is this a tremendously popular film, but a great film in and of itself. Yes, it does deviate from the book. Many devout fans of the source novel remain irked at these differences, including a lack of focus on the beloved character Fred Weasley’s death and the changes made to Lord Voldemort’s death scene.
What many of these viewers fail to realize is that these changes were made for a reason, and that reason is simply that the movie works best the way it was made, not the way J.K. Rowling wrote it. Fred’s death happening off-screen allowed more raw emotion to be felt by the audience, as they were completely captivated by the protagonists’ emotions upon seeing him lying there, lifeless. Voldemort’s death scene was a cinematic masterpiece, as it was action-packed and kept the viewer on the edge of his/her seat the entire time.
In fact, the entire movie was full of raw emotion and action-packed scenes. It’s a crowning achievement when a film can make you cry one minute, laugh the next minute, and have you hanging in suspense in a battle sequence the next minute. Even knowing what was going to happen, due to reading the books, didn’t keep the book-reader portion of the audience from going on this emotional rollercoaster, as sobs, laughter, and gasps could be heard from nearly every viewer in the theater.
It was truly a great journey being able to watch the actors in these films grow, not only in age but in talent. Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson all gave outstanding and heartbreaking performances. They have proven that they are now experienced and gifted actors that are ready to take on any challenge given to them. Let’s not forget the phenomenal adult cast, including Alan Rickman’s tear-jerking performance as Severus Snape and Maggie Smith’s whimsically comical yet intense performance as Professor McGonagall.
Not only does Potter benefit from a talented cast of actors, but also impeccable directing and writing. David Yates has directed the three prior films in the franchise, and having him back for the final film was the best decision the producers could have made. His vision is dark, light, and everything in between. He captures emotion like a true master, and he knows exactly what he’s doing. Steve Kloves, who penned all but the fifth script in the franchise, once again proved he is an expert at translating Rowling’s words to the screen. From the emotional dialogue between Harry and Hermione as he finds out he is about to die, to the hysterical lines of Neville as he fends off the castle from an army of Death Eaters, he knows exactly how to capture the audience’s attention.
From beginning to end, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 was a visual treat. Grasping viewers’ interest from the start and never letting go until the end of the sentimentally perfect epilogue, it is nearly impossible not to love this film. It is already garnering significant Oscar buzz, as Dave Karger reported for Entertainment Weekly that at an official Academy screening, members were in awe. Perhaps this will be the first film of the franchise to garner the elusive Best Picture nomination. It wouldn’t be surprising, considering it holds a 100% approval rating from top critics on Rotten Tomatoes and is the best-reviewed mainstream film of the year, according to Metacritic.
Fellow students are also in agreement with the majority critical consensus that the film was phenomenal. Senior Kevin Gross stated that the film “will leave all viewers stunned in their seats as a decade of magic comes to a final, brilliant, emotional, and overall just extraordinary close,” further confirming that this was the perfect way to end the series.
Likewise, senior Christine Apicella insists “the quality of production was amazing, the effects were perfectly done, and the acting was sublime as usual,” proving that not only was this a fitting conclusion to the series, but just a perfect film in general.
Bottom line, if you haven’t seen this film, you are clearly in the minority and must do so immediately. If you have, then you know just how perfect it really was. Think if it as an entirely separate entity than the book, if the differences really bother you; once you do that, you will be able to focus on how remarkable the film truly is. Perfection, thy name is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2.