Rated PG-13 for some sequences of intense action violence and frightening images
Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman, Robbie Coltrane
Director: David Yates
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II" brings to a close an unparalleled movie phenomenon that has captured the imaginations of viewers worldwide.
But this isn't Hollywood's success so much as it is J.K. Rowling's. The casts and crews of all the films clearly put their hearts and souls into the collective endeavor, yet if this idea had been enkindled in the imagination of a Hollywood studio-employed screenwriter, the films probably would have taken on a less enchanting tone, opting instead for a superlative special effects show. Rowling's books, by contrast, hold the notion of magic in the same reverence as hope... you can choose to not believe in it, but why would you want to?
There's little point in delving too deeply into the plot. You know where we are, where we came from, and where we're headed. The basics: Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) has just obtained the Elder Wand from the grave of Dumbledore (Michael Gambon). Meanwhile, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) must locate the remaining Horcruxes with the help of Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) that would enable him to destroy Voldemort and restore Hogwarts to its original glory. While "Part I" was a bit more deliberate in its pacing, "Part II" wastes little time (merely a few minutes of exposition) before launching into an almost feature-length long climactic duel.
The tone of the movies (and the books, for that matter) has darkened a bit as they've progressed. The wonder of possibility that engulfed the early films gave way to the inevitable wrenching of adolescent angst which in turn gave way to dark secrets revealing the possibility of apocalyptic-style annihilation. I found the later films in the series not quite as effective as the earlier ones. This final installment, however, regains the series' strength. The final battle is as climactic as climactic gets, and the franchise ends on solid footing.
Daniel Radcliffe makes Harry heroic by making him common. When faced with the ultimate sacrifice, his heart instantly aches for those who have made similar sacrifices on his behalf. He never quite sees himself as the gallant savior his classmates do, and his greatest act of heroism isn't in battle; it's in a crucial decision regarding the Elder Wand. Rupert Grint and Emma Watson don't have quite as much to do as they did in the earlier films, but they do share a moment together that is handled wonderfully, timed to absolute perfection, is a long time coming and gets a much deserved applause.
Ralph Fiennes offers a skillfully measured performance, not tipping into histrionic antics a lesser actor might have attempted. He plays Voldemort as a vile yet relatively simple being whose heart and soul were replaced with greed and arrogance long ago. The movie also makes room for characters that took a back seat in some earlier installments, including Professor McGonagall (Maggie Smith) whose mastery of magical spells now comes included with a more practical approach to the situation at hand. (When a fellow teacher fearfully refers to the villain as "you-know-who," she responds with "His name is Voldemort. You might as well get used to it, 'cause he's gonna try to kill you whether you say it or not.") And Neville Longbottom (Matthew Lewis) has a couple valorous moments, most notably involving a spectacular Navarone-esque bridge collapse.
Screenwriter Steve Kloves and director David Yates have given us a solid conclusion with a final battle that somehow doesn't feel overblown. The story pauses long enough for moments of quiet reflection and a reveal of certain truths. There are also a few top-notch special effects numbers, including a scene in a bank vault where the bits of treasure multiply each time they're touched, and a chase sequence where our broomstick-topped heroes try to evade a vicious raptor of conflagration before it douses an entire room of antiques.
The dictionary defines magic as "the power of apparently influencing the course of events by using mysterious or supernatural forces." An artist like J.K. Rowling isn't interested in such meanings. To her, magic seems defined by how it's perceived. The movie has an exchange that sums up the appeal of the series itself. "Is this just happening in my head? Or is it real?" Harry asks a loved one, who smiles, nods, and imparts the following sentiment...
"If it is happening in your head, does that make it any less real?"
* * * 1/2 out of * * * * stars
But this isn't Hollywood's success so much as it is J.K. Rowling's. The casts and crews of all the films clearly put their hearts and souls into the collective endeavor, yet if this idea had been enkindled in the imagination of a Hollywood studio-employed screenwriter, the films probably would have taken on a less enchanting tone, opting instead for a superlative special effects show. Rowling's books, by contrast, hold the notion of magic in the same reverence as hope... you can choose to not believe in it, but why would you want to?
There's little point in delving too deeply into the plot. You know where we are, where we came from, and where we're headed. The basics: Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) has just obtained the Elder Wand from the grave of Dumbledore (Michael Gambon). Meanwhile, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) must locate the remaining Horcruxes with the help of Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) that would enable him to destroy Voldemort and restore Hogwarts to its original glory. While "Part I" was a bit more deliberate in its pacing, "Part II" wastes little time (merely a few minutes of exposition) before launching into an almost feature-length long climactic duel.
The tone of the movies (and the books, for that matter) has darkened a bit as they've progressed. The wonder of possibility that engulfed the early films gave way to the inevitable wrenching of adolescent angst which in turn gave way to dark secrets revealing the possibility of apocalyptic-style annihilation. I found the later films in the series not quite as effective as the earlier ones. This final installment, however, regains the series' strength. The final battle is as climactic as climactic gets, and the franchise ends on solid footing.
Daniel Radcliffe makes Harry heroic by making him common. When faced with the ultimate sacrifice, his heart instantly aches for those who have made similar sacrifices on his behalf. He never quite sees himself as the gallant savior his classmates do, and his greatest act of heroism isn't in battle; it's in a crucial decision regarding the Elder Wand. Rupert Grint and Emma Watson don't have quite as much to do as they did in the earlier films, but they do share a moment together that is handled wonderfully, timed to absolute perfection, is a long time coming and gets a much deserved applause.
Ralph Fiennes offers a skillfully measured performance, not tipping into histrionic antics a lesser actor might have attempted. He plays Voldemort as a vile yet relatively simple being whose heart and soul were replaced with greed and arrogance long ago. The movie also makes room for characters that took a back seat in some earlier installments, including Professor McGonagall (Maggie Smith) whose mastery of magical spells now comes included with a more practical approach to the situation at hand. (When a fellow teacher fearfully refers to the villain as "you-know-who," she responds with "His name is Voldemort. You might as well get used to it, 'cause he's gonna try to kill you whether you say it or not.") And Neville Longbottom (Matthew Lewis) has a couple valorous moments, most notably involving a spectacular Navarone-esque bridge collapse.
Screenwriter Steve Kloves and director David Yates have given us a solid conclusion with a final battle that somehow doesn't feel overblown. The story pauses long enough for moments of quiet reflection and a reveal of certain truths. There are also a few top-notch special effects numbers, including a scene in a bank vault where the bits of treasure multiply each time they're touched, and a chase sequence where our broomstick-topped heroes try to evade a vicious raptor of conflagration before it douses an entire room of antiques.
The dictionary defines magic as "the power of apparently influencing the course of events by using mysterious or supernatural forces." An artist like J.K. Rowling isn't interested in such meanings. To her, magic seems defined by how it's perceived. The movie has an exchange that sums up the appeal of the series itself. "Is this just happening in my head? Or is it real?" Harry asks a loved one, who smiles, nods, and imparts the following sentiment...
"If it is happening in your head, does that make it any less real?"
* * * 1/2 out of * * * * stars
