Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

It’s been ten years, seven films and a gargantuan amount of box office earnings since Harry Potter, the spectacled literary hero of JK Rowling’s acclaimed children’s novels, made his big-screen debut in Philosopher’s Stone. What started off as a magical tale about a prepubescent boy learning the ways of witchcraft and wizardry has over the years matured into an epic fantasy saga sprinkled with hefty themes, such as betrayal, teenage angst and fears of abandonment. It’s not difficult to see why Rowling’s work has connected so deeply not just with kids and adolescents, but adults as well.

The Potter films have always been a bit of a hit and miss affair. Chris Colombus’ first two entries are without doubt the blandest and most forgettable of the bunch, Azkaban and Goblet of Fire are generally credited for taking the series’ to more creative and ultimately darker new heights, while Phoenix and Half-Blood Prince cranked up the pathos whilst also injecting a fresh dose of hormones to the mix.

What’s harder to determine is where Deathly Hallows stands. Whether the final chapter would have worked as a three-hour long film is debatable, but the decision to split it in two also has its drawbacks. While the first part released last November only just functioned as an over-padded prelude to the tantalising finale, part two is purely one big final act to the whole proceedings. Granted, it is a gripping climax, one which allows director David Yates to unleash his inner Bay by including jaw-dropping visuals of Hogwarts being obliterated by magic bolts. But there remains the nagging sensation that these action-packed sequences would have had more cathartic oomph had they been tagged onto the previous entry.  

At the centre of all the commotion we find Harry and Voldemort duking it out one last time in grand, OTT style. Much has been said over the years about Daniel Radcliffe’s mechanic delivery and his apparent lack of acting chops but here the young star turns in a quietly heartfelt and vulnerable performance. Meanwhile Ralph Fiennes seizes the opportunity to channel copious amounts of malevolence in his final appearance as the Dark Lord and he doesn’t disappoint (although the brief moment we see a bloody, near-fetal Voldemort sprawled across a white floor may be a tad too extreme for young viewers).

However, with so much attention focused on the two characters, there is little time to dedicate to the support players. Some of them have their deserved moment in the spotlight (Neville Longbottom, take a bow), while others are barely granted a line (Robbie Coltrane’s Hagrid). At least Ron and Hermione get that long-awaited kiss in a moment that is both romantic and highly amusing. And hats off to Alan Rickman, who makes the most of the brief screen-time he is given by revealing an unexpectedly more human side to Snape in a dramatic flashback sequence.

Overall, Deathly Hallows Part II’s main flaw is that it doesn’t quite work as a standalone film, as casual viewers may have a hard time keeping up with the disjointed and occasionally convoluted plot. But as a finale to a much-beloved series it works a treat and fans will be immensely satisfied.

3/5