The End of a Wizarding Era
Written by Kirk Siddals // July 29, 2011 // Movie News // No comments
Pack up the broomsticks, put the quaffle in a cupboard and beat the bludgers to death (although they’re supposed to be made of iron so might be difficult). There’ll be no more chocolate frogs, Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans or butterbeers (I’m amazed a drinks manufacturer hasn’t cashed in on actually making that one) and we’ll need to start rounding up the giant spiders (what’s left of ‘em after the last battle). To much sobbing and wailing the money train (steam in this case) that is the Harry Potter franchise has ended (or so the actors hope! I think I read somewhere that Daniel Radcliffe wrote to J.K. pleading with her not to write any more HP material). Sobbing and wailing was quite literal in the 2D showing of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 that I went to see, thanks to a group of girls in the row behind me. They looked in their early 20′s as well so no excuse!
Possible spoilers below! Don’t read on if you don’t know the story already!
Has the series been a success? Financially certainly, critically less so, but with the fans I think a resounding yes, and it ended with an action tour de force that left you a little breathless (from crying too much for some!). Story threads were wrapped up, sure there were a few plot holes along the way, like if Voldermort’s horcrux’s spoke out to Harry in parseltongue, why didn’t Tom Riddle’s diary have a good snaky chat with him in ‘The Chamber of Secrets‘? And also, in the last film, every time a horcrux was destroyed, Harry was severely affected as he’s tied to them as well as Voldemort, yet he didn’t bat an eyelid when he fanged that diary.
I know the latter films have been more acclaimed for their ‘darker tone’ but I quite enjoyed the relatively light and fluffy introduction in Chris Columbus’s Philospher’s Stone and Chamber of Secrets. Those films needed to be accessible to a younger audience and it couldn’t be all doom and gloom for the poor kid from the start. We got to watch a group of children grow, in age and also in acting ability. Yes there were some wooden moments early on, but over time they learnt their craft and boy did they need it for the last installment.
I have yet to watch The Deathly Hallows Parts 1 and 2 back to back, I’ll wait for the Blu-ray to come out for that but from memory it was definitely a game of two halves. Part 1 seemed very laboured in parts, but then I seem to remember the book being even worse. Part 2 couldn’t be more different, as soon it got going there was no letting up until the finale. Such was the pace that a few moments flew by that should have been more poignant, Snape and Harry’s final meeting for one and Mrs Weasley and Bellatrix’s duel for another. Voldemort’s eventual demise also left me a bit cold. He didn’t so much go out with a bang as with a mild puff of wind. That said though, the action shots were well done, no fast cuts making it difficult to tell what the hell’s going on, the odd comedy moment cut through the tension from time to time and this monster franchise was wrapped up all nice and neat. Is it necessary to see it in 3D? It gets a no from me. I can’t say I’m the biggest fan of the latest 3D craze that’s swept through Hollywood and into our homes. I won’t be getting a 3D telly any time soon and unless the film was actually shot in 3D and is the type of film that will really benefit from 3D (sci-fi, big action film etc.), then I’ll go see the 2D showings where available. As this was a post-conversion and not shot in 3D I gave it a miss and don’t feel that I missed out on anything at all.
Which are the best and worst films of the series in your opinion? Did the last installment leave you cold or in an emotional state? Were you one of the girls blubbing behind me in the Trafford centre Odeon on the day of release?! Please feel free to comment below.
