Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Such an epic finale! I could have done without the time jump forward though. I really wanted Hermione with Harry. But they had to throw Ron a bone, Harry couldn't get everything haha. I'm an adult now and I still enjoy these movies. Such a great series and great world they created from the book

Stupendous.

The Harry Potter films represent my childhood. I don't get tired of rewatching the films of this saga!

This was the first time that I saw Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part II since I've saw it at the cinema, at the time of his release. And there it was the same kind of sadness and melancholy at the end of it, the same thing that I felt when I first saw it and the reason of those feelings is because It All Ends.

I remember it like it was yesterday: July 14, 2011, when I arrived at the theater for the 11:59 PM showing of what I consider the best movie franchise of all time. As soon as the movie started, with Voldemort stealing the Elder Wand from Dumbledore’s tomb, and then the Warner Bros. logo appeared on screen, I was covered in goosebumps from head to toe, down to my soul. I was emotional all the way until the studio logo came back at the very end, after the credits finished rolling.

That’s still how I feel today, thirteen years after the release and the conclusion of Harry Potter’s story in the cinemas. It’s an absolutely satisfying, ambitious, and solid ending to a franchise that lasted a decade and touched so many people in different ways around the world.

Just like the previous movie, “Deathly Hallows: Part 2” doesn’t make room for light moments, even though the talented screenwriter Steve Kloves manages to slip in a few jokes or punchlines that, thankfully, land perfectly. The film is steeped in a dark tone and fast-paced tension, wasting no time on explanations. For instance, when we see Hermione holding a strand of hair, saying she’s sure it’s “hers,” and then we cut to her disguised as the unhinged Bellatrix Lestrange.

On top of that, Kloves and Yates take even more risks by showing the violence in the world our characters are living in. It’s horrifying to witness Voldemort’s bloodbath at Malfoy Manor and, of course, the SPECTACULAR battle sequences at Hogwarts, with all sorts of creatures and Death Eaters charging at the castle with ferocity and a terrifying desire to kill. It’s also important to mention the dramatic weight of the script, which brings tears and leaves the audience choked up in several moments. “You have your mother’s eyes,” said by Severus Snape in the second act, is easily one of the most emotional and complex scenes in the entire franchise.

“Deathly Hallows: Part 2” also manages to find time, in its 130-minute runtime (the shortest in the series), to show the characters absorbing the losses and pain caused by the war. The brief scene where Harry, Ron, and Hermione enter the Great Hall and see the bodies of loved ones is absolutely heartbreaking and effective. I wouldn’t be surprised if other directors had chosen to show each of those deaths to make the movie more “Hollywood,” so to speak.

Beyond that, David Yates’s focus on the human side of the war adds another layer of merit to the film. He chooses to show the destruction of Hogwarts and the horror of the deaths with a somber soundtrack (who hasn’t cried to Courtyard Apocalypse, for example?). Alexandre Desplat’s score, by the way, closes out the franchise beautifully. The music is memorable and emotional, perfectly matching each scene, effortlessly drawing out the emotions that those moments convey.

In terms of performances, Daniel Radcliffe stands out as Harry Potter, for the first time fully carrying such a heavy story on his shoulders. His facial expressions after making a shocking discovery and when he reunites with loved ones in the Forbidden Forest speak for themselves. Rupert Grint also gets more space for smart, well-timed humor, and he doesn’t even need to speak in some scenes to show what his Ron Weasley is feeling. Emma Watson also shines, evoking Hermione’s loyalty to the hero in a truly moving way.

But without a doubt, the most complex and brilliant figure in this final chapter is the late, great Alan Rickman. He always portrayed Snape as an ambiguous, layered character—his pauses between lines to make sure they sound like threats are always fascinating. In “Deathly Hallows: Part 2,” he also adds expressions that show the fear of being “too honest.” And the scene he shares with Voldemort is one of the saddest and most exceptional moments of his career, as he realizes what fate the villain has planned for him.

The only downside to this final installment lies in some rushed decisions by Kloves and Yates during the final battle. Some important deaths, unfortunately, don’t have the emotional impact they should (like one villain’s explosion into a thousand pieces, for example). As for Voldemort’s end, while there’s a whole justification for what happens—notice how his skin starts to peel, as if it’s rotting, and darkens as Harry destroys the Horcruxes—it still doesn’t quite deliver the FEELING of the moment (it would’ve been better if they’d followed what was in the book).

In the end, “Deathly Hallows: Part 2” shows that David Yates’s appointment to direct the final four films, though controversial among fans, was a masterstroke. He not only innovated the magical universe first imagined by Chris Columbus, Alfonso Cuarón, and Mike Newell, but also demonstrated that beyond the BRILLIANT story, it was these great characters who were responsible for the franchise’s huge appeal.

I’m incredibly proud to be part of this generation. To love Harry Potter unconditionally every time I rewatch the films and reread the books. And to have grown up alongside these characters and the actors who worked so hard over 10 years to bring the Wizarding World to life. Thank you, Harry Potter. See you at the next marathon.

What a way to end this amazing franchise, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2 is everything I wanted from a conclusion to such a big franchise, and this film did it perfectly, I'm a sucker for a good conclusion and this film is the definition of a good conclusion.

It wrapped everything up perfectly, with some of the best writing I've seen in the films, it's the movie where everyone is at their absolute best, Daniel Radcliffe is the best he's ever been in this role and Alan Rickman is also the best he's been as Snape, the film has a stunning and beautifully emotional ending with one of the most well done fake outs of all time, incredible characterization was given to every character, including Neville, the action is stunning, the music is phenomenal, and it has a stunning and epic finale.

Accompanied by some of the most well used flashbacks I've seen in a film and some of the most disturbing CGI images I've seen in a long time, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 was the perfect conclusion to this amazing franchise, and I honestly don't think they could've done it better.

I'm gonna give Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 an A+

This movie always has a special place in my heart
Oh Snape I love you
Harry Potter is a Legendary Saga

I hope the day when I get bored rewatching Harry Potter doesn't come ❤

A spectacular conclusion for an incredible saga ending with fights, deaths and an impressive battle in Hogwarts. When I watched it in the movie theater I wanted to cry at the end because I knew it was the end of this big adventure. Many beloved characters left us but I will always remember them and this franchise.