J.K. Rowling’s legacy is complete. ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows; Part Two’ has finally been unleashed upon the world. For fourteen years, children and adults have eagerly awaited the next instalment, be it book or film. The wait is now over.
The adaptation of book to film was always set to be tricky. Fervent fans expect perfection. However despite a few minor changes, David Yates and the Potter crew have delivered a highly entertaining cinematic spectacle that poignantly rounds off the series.
The film begins where part one left off. Following the presumption that all viewing will have watched the first instalment eagled-eyed, there is no recap. This enables a seamless transition between the two parts. Saying this, the intricacies are explained well. Those less familiar with the story will be able to follow the plot as Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) attempt to find the last remaining Horcruxes and defeat Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes).
The final battle sequence perfectly signals the culmination of seven years. The Quidditch Pitch, that represents for Harry, the freedom of the wizarding word, is spectacularly destroyed while The Room of Requirement is brought down in flames. As Filch (David Bradley) attempts to sweep away the debris, the scale of destruction is evident.
However the film is not all “boom” (a word favoured by Professor McGonagall). The real gravitas of the battle is achieved thanks to the emotion injected. As screenwriter Stephen Kloves was earlier quoted as saying, “We wanted to tie character and emotion to everything that happened. So it wasn’t just ‘Oh Wow, look at that blow up!’”
Yates does not allow the audience to mindlessly watch the battle unfold, marvelling the computer graphics that make it so realistic. Rather the body of a Hogwarts student and the despair felt by the Wesley family remind viewers of all that has been lost. We are forced to question Draco Malfoy’s (Tom Felton) allegiance to the Dark Lord. While amid the ensuing tragedy, the character of Snape (Alan Rickman) is given incredible depth; the scenes that feature him are some of the best.
David Yates and all involved have produced something spectacular. The film captures everything that was great about the book. It’s an epic end to an incredible saga.
