The end of an era. The final chapter. The last adventure. I am, of course, talking about Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II. And boy, what an era it has been. Grossing $6,369,345,142 (that's a lotta dollar) thus far, the film franchise is one of the most successful in history and has grown and matured along with its first audiences way back in 2001. I'm not the most avid Hazza Potts fan but I have always been quite happy to watch all eight instalments with a reasonably open mind. When I watched Deathly Hallows Part I, I couldn't help thinking that it was merely laying the foundations for the finale and whilst it did romp along at a fair old pace, it lacked a depth that allowed it to stand as a film in its own right. I entered the cinema hoping that this second instalment would end the saga in a dramatic, emotional and fitting way and, in a way, it did. However, I did have several reservations.
On an overall level, I felt that the film lacked the epic quality that I expected it to have. I don't mean that it didn't contain spectacular set pieces (the Hogwarts battle sequences were certainly impressive) or was poorly acted. Something just didn't click for me. It seemed as though the whole narrative was focused on getting from A to B without paying much attention to the bit in the middle – i.e. 75% of the film. I found myself not really caring about the predicaments of the characters because I knew that it was just building up to the final showdown between Harry and Voldermort and they'd be okay in the end. The film was fairly fast-paced but again, each action sequence just seemed like a little scuffle and a steppingstone to the ultimate show-down which we all knew was coming. It was a bit like going to a wedding and having to sit through the whole ceremony just to see the bit you really want to: the kiss.
On another level, I felt that the characterisation was quite shallow – I know it's not a self-contained film but I would have liked to have seen more made of the Harry/Snape relationship. That said, this was the film where the actors peaked in terms of performances and it really felt as though we, the audience, had followed them on their journey from the very beginning, which I suppose we have. It was nice to see the younger actors hold their own against veteran actors such as Maggie Smith and Michael Gambon and shows the new talent which the series has produced. From a technical level, the film was well executed (no thanks to the retro-fitted 3D) and the special effects didn't distract from the action, and I felt quite immersed in the world of the film. A stand-out scene for me was the break-in to Gringotts which gave me a heavy hit of nostalgia as I thought back to Harry's first steps in the bank all those years ago... ah, the memories....ahem.
One of the most uncomfortable moments in the film for me was the final scene, not because it was too emotional or I was welling up but because it was totally, utterly, undeniably, wholly and completely unnecessary. I'm sorry, but it served no purpose apart from being over-sentimental tripe that seemed to be tacked on to the end as a mere afterthought and produced laughs in the screening I was in. Not the ending I was expecting. Despite this shocking ending, it remains a solid film which is both enjoyable and a fitting send-off for the Harry Potter saga.
PS What are the Deathly Hallows?!
Clapper rating: * * *
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