First off, a disclaimer: This may or may not contain spoilers. If you read this you may learn things that could subtract from the movie experience and make the movie feel like you are sitting there being hit by the Cruciatus Curse. I don't apologize if you read this and find that to be the case. Additionally this review may contain non-spoilers. Non-spoilers being things not related to the movie, but nevertheless useful things to know. Finally, I am a human being, with that being said I have opinions and enjoy expressing them if you don't want my opinion and don't like reading what other people think then why are you here? Find something that interests you somewhere else. As a side effect of being human I am, albeit rarely, wrong, should this happen please close your eyes and flail at the sky.
And now for a few quick reminders: This is the eighth movie in the Harry Potter Series. Why their are eight movies and only seven books escapes me. Most likely, someone, somewhere, decided that they wanted some extra money. Second, I saw the movie in 3D. I Hate 3D...
For any who care, I have seen every Harry Potter movie early. Including one which I saw at the World Premiere. I am not a Fan Boy, I simply have a very nice uncle. If you want to see premieres of movies, get an uncle who works at the theater! Can't get an uncle? Find a new family!
On with the movie...
Special Effects:
I am placing special effects first in my list of critiques because of all things the special effects will be easiest to cover. Here goes: Boom! Bang! Pop! Zing! Kerpow! Crash! That about sums up the movie right there. The movie is packed with action and most of it is spent at Hogwarts. The castle is ripped apart by lumbering giants who tear through the castles granite defenders. Shrouded in a magical force field that glows in the night as hundreds of spells impact it. The effect is truly breathtaking. The special effects are masterful and done with perfection, the smallest details gleam with a polish that brings the visuals together with amazing beauty.
Humor:
The Deathly Hallows (Part 2) is filled with less humor then many of it's earlier cousins. This is a forgivable offense however, due to two things. First, for those of you that have read the Harry Potter books you will notice that the Rowlings humor diminishes with each novel. This finally becomes apparent in the dark conclusion of the series. With that in mind, the final chapter of Harry Potter is not about the good times and the fun that Harry and his gang have. It's about killing the bad guy and taking home the women! While their are a few quick smirks in the movie, it has few things that will get you, the audience, truly laughing.
Spells:
The Hallows is full of magic. From the summoning of the defenders of Hogwarts to it's defensive shield. The Deathly Hollows puts it's graphical wizards to the test to make sure that you can truly feel the magic. They do a good job to. Magic is everywhere in The Deathly Hollows, from the floating trays to the flaming rooms. The Deathly Hallows crosses into a whole new plane of magical powers.
Story:
What can I say about the story? It has been a proven success. While it has been a while since I read the Harry Potter books I can say that it does a fairly good job of following the books. Like all movies of books, The Deathly Hallows has it's differences, but in the end it gets from point A to B and that is what matters. Even if the road is a little different.
Corny Scenes:
Every movie has some scenes that are a little... weird. The Deathly Hollows is no exception. The specific scenes are fairly obvious. I have yet to see a (HUGE SPOILER ALERT) movie that has managed to depict the afterlife well. The Deathly Hallows follows this trend. From the ghost of Dumbledoor's past to the ethereal pillars of the train station the afterlife of Harry Potter is anything but grim. Shortly after this scene, another one, involving the Big Bad Mr. V includes an awkward hug that got the biggest chuckle of the night (trust me, you'll know when it happens).
Sexy Ladies:
It's the old advertising slogan: Sex Sells. Well, let me just let you in on a little secret. At the end of the movie, Harry has a kid. For that fact, so does Hermione. I think you know where I'm going with this.
3D:
As I said earlier, I Hate 3D. It hurts my eyes, makes the movie dimmer and has to be done perfectly. Unfortunately The Deathly Hallows was not done perfectly. While many of the effects look stunning in 3D and you feel like you can reach out and grab some ashes, other parts of the movie are not done with nearly as much care. Most annoying for me, was the subtitles. These where not in 3D and thus looked really, really bad. Imagine if this text was here, but also shifted 3 pixels down and right. That is what the subtitles looked like. Aside from the subtitles, their is little to complain about in the 3D department. However, I will note that edges get blurry and can even appear pixelated if you watch from any angle other than strait ahead. This annoys me.
Overall:
The movie is fairly good, but it was in 3D. Why the first part is in 2D and the second is in 3D confuses me, but thats Hollywood for you. I definitely recommend seeing the newest and final installment of the Harry Potter series. You won't regret it.
The Movie will be in Theaters this Friday the 15th of July. You still have time to catch up on the other Harry Potter Movies
if you haven't yet.I give The Deathly Hallows Part 2 a rating of 3.5 out of 4. Nothing can be perfect, but this was pretty close.
Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to go to bed, it's late and I stayed up writing this review for you. If you want more or have questions just drop them in the comment section below. I appreciate what you have to say.
