Review – Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows (Part 2)
Devina Divecha reviews the highly anticipated final installment in the Harry Potter series – CAUTION – SOME SPOILERS
It’s the last bow for The Boy Who Lived. Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), along with his friends Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson), work towards finding the remaining Horcruxes (the objects that have pieces of Voldemort’s soul in them) and destroying them.
Being the last film in an epic series spanning 10 years, there are a lot of expectations from this movie. Have David Yates, the director, and Steve Kloves, the screenwriter, made it worth the wait?
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 takes off where the first one left us: Dobby’s death and Voldemort finding The Elder Wand in Dumbledore’s grave. The film gives us about ten minutes of peace, and from then on viewers are taken on a rollercoaster ride.
Harry, Ron and Hermione embark on robbing Gringotts Wizarding Bank, having an encounter with a dragon, and then facing the Death Eaters in not one, but two battles at Hogwarts. Voldemort and his Death Eaters are there every step of the way to foil the trio’s plans. And we get to see almost every member of the Harry Potter series since it started, making blink-and-you-miss-them and cameo appearances.
The lead actors have grown so much from when we first saw them in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Radcliffe, Grint and Watson have grown into fine young actors. I’ve always had a problem with Watson’s acting, but I couldn’t fault her this time. A special mention goes out to Helena Bonham Carter, who got Watson’s portrayal of Hermione down to a tee, in the scenes where Hermione is disguised as Bellatrix Lestrange.
Dame Maggie Smith shone as Professor McGonagall, her quips making me laugh: “I’ve always wanted to use that spell!” or, “…had a particular proclivity for pyrotechnics”. The famous “Not my daughter, you bitch!” scene between Molly Weasley (Julie Walters) and Lestrange (Bonham Carter) was anti-climactic, as it felt rushed, chopped and not given its due attention.
Alan Rickman’s Severus Snape makes many cry in this one, where the truth of his character’s innocence is revealed, along with his undying love for Lily Potter. Ralph Fiennes is inspired as Voldemort; he is chilling, as well as awe-inspiring. He truly makes you think of the line: “He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things. Terrible things, but great.”
The battle sequences are nothing short of fantastic – we see Hogwarts and its surrounding areas in a larger scale than ever before. Kudos to the set designers. In addition, seeing the movie in 3D has its benefits: Nagini the snake, the dragon, and the Dementors look even better and menacing than we could have ever hoped.
There are a few details that have been changed, but it can be brushed away by the benefits it brings to the movie adaptation. However, there is one major scene in the movie where viewers are left feeling underwhelmed, and many may have cried out: “Wait? THAT’S IT?” I know I did.
One major gripe aside, the final instalment in the series is a worthy one. It is full of action, emotion, and excellent performances. Goodbye Harry Potter.
Devina Divecha's Journals 
Ive seen the movie but what scene are you talking about when you say “Wait, thati’s it?”
(Spoiler comment for those who haven’t seen the movie)The one where Voldemort dies. I think the movie should’ve followed the book word-for-word on this one. The movie saw him withering off into ash, and with no one watching them and no dialogue. Not impressive at all I think.