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AAR at the Movies: Harry Potter 7, Pt. 2

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Honestly, what exactly can one say about the end of an era? I didn’t grow up with Harry Potter, so I don’t feel it as keenly as others do, but the last movie certainly marks an ending, and does it quite well. Of the movie itself?  Read on.

[I’ve tried to avoid spoilers, but read at your own risk. And speaking of spoilers, the above trailer is for Deathly Hallows Part 1 and Part 2 because I was shocked – shocked, I tell you – to see that the HP7P2 trailer has a pretty egregious spoiler for the death of a beloved character. Bad Warner Bros, bad!]

What I Liked:

  • Maggie Smith as Professor McGonagall: I can’t get enough of her.
  • Neville Longbottom: Three cheers for Neville Longbottom, who totally comes into his own.
  • The length: At just over two hours, this was a nice succinct finish.
  • The epilogue: I liked it better than the book’s, which I found utterly inappropriate.

What I Really Liked:

  • Alan Rickman as Severus Snape: I’ve thought that Snape didn’t reach the depth that he should have in the films, especially compared to the books, but he comes full circle in this last movie, and the resolution made me cry. In my opinion, Snape is the strongest character in the series. And Alan Rickman is synonymous with fabulousness.

The So-So Bits:

  • Actually, I liked HP 7 Part 1 better, all-round. Others criticize it for being a big camping trip; I liked the character development and slow bits. The nature of HP7P2, being the second half of the book, means it’s packed with action and resolution, but not a lot of development. It would be interesting to see HP7 complete as one film. Bring on the DVD.
  • The ending: A bit over the top, in my opinion.

But really, all round it was a great ending to a movie series that has been remarkably faithful to the books, all things considered. (And I don’t care what others say: Michael Gambon makes a great Dumbledore.) I’m glad I don’t review film adaptations of books because I’d find it really difficult to separate the book from the film, especially with the Harry Potter series. But the more I watch them, the more I realize that, yeah, these are some pretty good movies.

And who’s to say it’s really the end? With the advent of Pottermore (which I gather to be a sort of interactive experience around the eBooks), Harry Potter has no chance of fading from our collective consciousness any time soon.

Have you seen the Harry Potter movies, and this last one? What did you think?

– Jean AAR[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

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Kathie Grambling
Kathie Grambling
Guest
11/21/2011 10:40 am

Excellent job once again. I am looking forward for more updates;)

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Guest
11/12/2011 11:38 pm

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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 2 Watch it for Free
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 2 Watch it for Free
Guest
10/31/2011 8:42 pm

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DabneyAAR
DabneyAAR
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07/18/2011 10:51 am

I saw it in IMAX 3D which was in itself an amazing experience.

I liked it far better than Part One which was too grim for me. I loved much about it. I loved the Snape and Lilly montage, Neville in every scene, Harry saving Malfoy in the Room of Requirement, and seeing Michael Gambon again.

I felt that the movies–and ultimately the books–have so much in them that resonates with me as a parent. Baby Harry is saved by Lilly’s love but he still has to grow up and face his own demons. And, in that wonderful last scene, he has to send his children off to do the same.

I think the movies are a pretty stellar series. Where they are weak, it is often because the story in the book wasn’t as strong as we might have liked. The actors in them, especially the grownups, were just superb. And, by the end, Radcliffe, Watson and Grint acquitted themselves beautifully.