Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 marks the end of a decade-long film journey that’s become a cultural phenomenon. As a fan of J.K. Rowling’s children’s books, I’ve had a love-hate relationship with the film franchise. Anyone who has seen them all can tell you that it’s been an uneven body of work. It started with Chris Columbus’ over-long, slavishly adapted first two installments, picked up steam with two exceptional, moving films from the franchise’s one-off directors (Alfonso Cuaron and Mike Newell) and is now winding down with David Yates’ solid, if imperfect, final three films.

In Part 2 of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the story resumes in medias res. Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and his two best friends, Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint), are still hunting down the seven magical horcruxes, the physical objects that have been imbued with pieces of evil wizard Lord Voldemort’s (Ralph Fiennes) soul. They can only kill the powerful villain after these have all been destroyed. Meanwhile, Voldemort has gathered a formidable fascist army of magical creatures to take over Hogwarts on his way to world domination and Muggle extermination.

There’s no “previously on Harry Potter” here, so if it’s been a while since you’ve read or seen the first part of the story, it would be wise to hit Netflix for a quick refresher. The good thing about this approach, however, is that the film dives headlong into the action, taking us on a whizzing roller coaster ride into the vaults of a wizarding bank that’s custom-made for 3D.

But this film, unlike its earliest predecessors, isn’t just about the childlike wonderment of Rowling’s rich imagination. Yates’ and cinematographer Eduardo Serra’s dark, moody scene setting and composer Alexandre Desplat’s near-gothic score drive that point home. Yes, the film feature one thrilling, deftly choreographed magical duel after another and some good-looking special effects. It also captures a poignant nostalgia for a saga 10 years in the making (representing a journey into adulthood for not only the characters but for many of its viewers) as the Boy Who Lived learns about ultimate sacrifice, good and evil, and growing up.

It’s fitting, then, that many of the characters we first encountered in their awkward pre-adolescence have grown up wonderfully. Both Radcliffe and Watson deliver performances that are stronger and surer here than they’ve ever been. Grint has always been a natural at humor, but here has brief opportunities in scenes with Watson to show his romantic and dramatic potential. Meanwhile, Matthew Lewis, who some of my friends have started calling “Hot Neville”, stands out in a pivotal speech that he delivers fearlessly–as both character and actor–in a face-off with Voldemort.

No matter who played him, Lord Voldemort would have be an unforgettable movie villain. But with his serpentine physical ticks, hissing line delivery, and insistent but not invulnerable portrayal of evil, Fiennes gives a performance that makes it impossible to imagine anyone else in the role.

That said, it’s Alan Rickman who earns the gold star for most remarkable and too-short performance in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. As Professor Severus Snape, his pallid looks and supreme dislike for Harry have cast suspicion on his allegiances throughout the series. When Snape’s true motives are finally revealed to Harry in his final on-screen moments, it’s impossible not to look back in awe at the way Rickman has built a superbly nuanced character, brick by brick, over the last 10 years. As such, Yates’ choice to show less of Snape during his last stand than Harry’s reaction to it is a strange and unsatisfactory one. After all, in just a few quick glances, Rickman conveys a misunderstood and quiet heroism that is unmatched anywhere else in the film.

Reading the books, Harry never struck me as a hero, just a smart, kind boy with the most loyal and devoted friends ever. My biggest problem with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 is that many of those friends aren’t given the room they deserve to shine. There is significant cutting of Rowling’s original story—both to divide the saga into two films and to bring the final installment to a manageable two-hour runtime. When Harry’s friends give their lives to protect him in the books, I felt as though I had personally lost a friend, relative or beloved teacher. Unfortunately, the film either cuts or sanitizes those deaths—many of which now appear off-screen—so that they are not felt as deeply as they could or should be.

Likewise, the final showdown between Harry and Voldemort wasn’t as monumental as I had hoped. It stands out because all of the action to this point—from Professor McGonagall’s (Maggie Smith) conjuring of a stone army to Mrs. Weasley’s (Julie Walters) showdown with Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham Carter)—has been unimpeachable. But I suppose that the challenge with bringing a beloved book to the screen is always going to be trying to please everyone. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 isn’t perfect, but it’s good enough to please most of the people most of the time.