Movie review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 2)

If you have read some of my previous posts, you will know that I am a die-hard Harry Potter fan. I have read each book more than 4 times and watched each movie umpteen times. It just never gets old for me. 

As is the case with most of the books vs movie adaptations, the Harry Potter books are far better than the movies; there is no question about that. I have always felt that a movie can never do justice to a writer’s vision (there are a few exceptions of course). I can’t help but wonder if people who haven’t read any of the Harry Potter books can really understand the nitty-gritty of the background and premise.

**Plot**

Contains Spoilers

Harry Potter and his friends attempt a daring break-in to the wizarding bank Gringotts in order to recover a horcrux. Griphook agrees to be an accomplice in exchange for the Sword of Gryffindor. Wandmaker Ollivander informs Harry that the two wands taken from Malfoy Manor belonged to Bellatrix and Draco Malfoy; he senses Draco's wand has changed its allegiance to Harry ever since Harry disarmed Draco. 

The horcrux, Helga Hufflepuff's cup, is indeed found in Bellatrix Lestrange's vault but once Griphook gets the sword he hoodwinks the trio. An ingenious and daring move by Hermione helps them escape. Meanwhile Harry senses that Voldemort has found out about the theft and is in a murderous rage. 

Harry also realises that a horcrux connected to Rowena Ravenclaw is hidden at Hogwarts. The three friends apparate into Hogsmeade and are concealed by Aberforth Dumbledore, who reveals a secret passageway into Hogwarts.

The return of Harry Potter to Hogwarts creates ripples. Students and staff are warned that aiding him will be met with dire consequences. Harry confronts Snape, who flees during a duel with Professor McGonagall. Luna Lovegood helps Harry to uncover the mystery shrouding the horcrux tied to Ravenclaw. The ghost of Helena Ravenclaw directs Harry to the Room of Requirement to trace her mother's lost diadem. While there, Harry, Ron and Hermione are intercepted by Malfoy and his cronies. Goyle casts an uncontrollable Fiendfyre curse that fatally kills him while Harry, Ron, and Hermione save Malfoy and Zabini. Harry stabs the diadem with the Basilisk fang. Harry gains an insight into Voldemort's mind and comes to the startling conclusion that Voldemort's snake Nagini is the final Horcrux. In the boathouse, the trio overhear Voldemort telling Snape that the Elder Wand cannot serve Voldemort until Snape dies. Voldemort then mercilessly kills his follower. As Snape breathes his last, he gives Harry one of his memories. Meanwhile, Hogwarts erupts in chaos.

Harry views Snape's memory in the Pensieve and uncovers a startling revelation involving his mother. Following Lily's death, Snape collaborated with Albus Dumbledore to protect Harry from Voldemort. Harry also learns that Dumbledore was dying and requested for Snape to kill him. It was Snape who conjured the Patronus doe that led Harry to Gryffindor's sword. Harry is dumbstruck when he learns that he became an accidental Horcrux when Voldemort's curse originally failed to kill him because he was protected by his mother's love. The curse rebounded off baby Harry and struck Voldemort thereby destroying his physical body. Voldemort must now kill Harry to destroy the soul shard within him. Using the Resurrection Stone hidden inside the golden snitch, Harry summons the spirits of his parents, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin. They support and comfort him before he surrenders to Voldemort in the Forbidden Forest. Voldemort casts the Killing Curse upon Harry, who awakens in limbo. Dumbledore's spirit meets him and explains that Harry is now free of Voldemort, and can choose to return to his body or move on. Harry makes his choice.

Voldemort flaunts Harry's apparent lifeless body and demands that Hogwarts surrender. As Neville Longbottom defiantly draws the Sword of Gryffindor from the Sorting Hat, Harry reveals that he is alive; the Malfoys and many other Death Eaters panic and abandon Voldemort. While Harry confronts Voldemort in an epic duel, Molly Weasley kills Bellatrix in the Great Hall and Neville decapitates Nagini, making Voldemort mortal. Harry finally defeats Voldemort after the Expelliarmus charm deflects the Killing Curse, rebounding it onto the Dark Lord. After the battle, Harry explains to Ron and Hermione that Voldemort never commanded the Elder Wand. It recognised him as its true master after he had disarmed Draco, who had earlier disarmed its previous owner, Dumbledore, atop the Astronomy Tower. Instead of claiming the Elder Wand, Harry destroys it.

Nineteen years later, it is revealed that Harry is married to Ginny and Ron to Hermione. They proudly watch their children leave for Hogwarts at King's Cross station.

My thoughts...

After watching Part 1 of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (which I loved), I was waiting eagerly to watch the grand finale. 

Unsurprisingly, I went to watch it on the same day of its release with great anticipation. I came out of the cinema hall with a mostly positive reaction. There were parts of the movie that I thought were stunning but a few parts that got on my nerves. In general, the movie is visually dazzling, well made, fast-paced and it ended in a satisfying conclusion. But there is one thing that I simply cannot stand about any good franchise - the filmmakers deviating from the original story, no matter how minor a change. I think the reason I liked Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 more than any of the other Harry Potter movies was that it stayed true to the book until the very end. To be fair, the filmmakers of this movie did stick to the original story for the most part but it was the minor changes in the plot that I didn’t like. For instance, if Harry suddenly starts getting flashes of the location of the Horcruxes, why did he waste so much time in the first part of movie? Or, why was the killing of Nagini so long-drawn? Or why focus so much on the character of Neville towards the end? I would have liked to have seen more emphasis given to the main crux of the story which revolved round the Hallows and Horcruxes. I also felt that the climax of the battle between Voldemort and Harry fell slightly short of expectations. Why was there no one to witness it? Then there is the small matter of Lupin and Tonks being mostly ignored but that I can deal with. I also found the “After 19 years” segment unintentionally funny. I wish the filmmakers had used the make-up team from The Curious Case of Benjamin Button to make it look more credible.  

On the upside, the scenes of breaking into Gringotts, the duel between McGonagall and Snape, the initiation of the battle, the memories of the pensive and the dream sequence with Dumbledore have been beautifully executed. As always, the actors have given their best. The greatest improvement is from Daniel Radcliffe who has over the years, evolved into a smart young actor. Ralph Fiennes who plays the character of Voldemort is as chilling and menacing as he has been in the past. I cannot imagine anyone else playing the role of Voldemort. Also the music and background score are fantastic.

My rating for this movie is

I am crestfallen to bid a final farewell to the movie series that has had me hooked for more than 10 years. It was great while it lasted. 

For those of you who haven’t watched it please do but do yourselves a favor and read the books first.

Cheers,

Megha