Showing posts with label Harry Potter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Harry Potter. Show all posts

Monday, July 11, 2011

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 2) - The End is Here

aSo, 10 minutes ago I stepped out of my car after watching a screening of the new Harry Potter movie. I figured that some of you Fan Boys and Fan Girls would like to here my opinion and learn about what is in store for you in this final installment to the Series.

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.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part I

Yesterday I had the privilege of previewing the first part of the final Harry Potter movies. I will not say much here as I don't want to spoil the movie for anyone who plans to go nor to let you skip watching this movie.

The movie is very well put together and progresses at a steady pace compared to the break neck speed of many movies. The movie features some sweat special effects and CGI that make it look lifelike and, at the same time, magical.

All in all the movie is very good and I hope you plan to go check it out.

Their is one part that annoyed me and I felt like I was trying to do a 180 degree turn in two different directions while also swimming up a waterfall. I'm sure you will know what I am talking about when you see it. It is more or less a camera crew and the hero's running through the woods. Of course since the camera crew is running the camera is going everywhere and worse the angle is continuously changing so you have no idea where you are. I can't say whether this effect was intended or not but it annoyed me.

If you have not read the Harry Potter books you can still enjoy this movie and I must say the movie is surprisingly good for being only half a movie.

If you don't already own or haven't read Harry Potter yet I would recommend doing so as the books (especially the first few in my opinion) are very fun to read. Check your library or order from Amazon: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7).

If you plan to spend your Friday night/morning watching this movie you will not be wasting your time. It is well worth seeing.