It took me a second visit to the cinema to get round to posting my thoughts on the conclusion of the Harry Potter series. As a huge fan of the books when I was younger, I only displayed a mild interest in the movies as they were made...considering them to be too 'childish' (I know this is essentially a story for children). However as each new film was released, the maturity level of the filmmaking also increased, almost as if as the characters grew up, the filming grew up with them.
I admit I haven't watched Azkaban in years, the film which most will say finally defined the series as good British film making (albeit without a British director), but it was not until The Goblet of Fire that I began to really enjoy them...especially the spectacular scenes of the Quiddich World Cup.
With The Order of the Phoenix we again saw a new level of maturity, with some criticising it for its more sombre tone. Perhaps this was the reasoning behind director David Yates' decision to include so much humour in 2009's Half-Blood Prince. In my opinion this was the weakest in the series since the Chamber of Secrets..at times seeming slightly embarrassing and at other times dull.
Again with part one of the Deathly Hallows there was a juxtaposition between the casual tone of the previous film and the seriousness of this one. Although the final book was split into two films, the first covered well over half of the book. I feel the lengthy scenes of Harry, Ron and Hermione were a necessary interlude to the action packed final movie.
It showed the audience how mature these three actors and characters had become since the Philosopher's Stone, and what a strain the forces of darkness could put on their relationships with each other. Which leads us to part two.
The final film is without a doubt the best in the series. Including epic scenes inside Gringotts bank, the destruction of Hogwarts and Harry's realisation that Snape was the hero Dumbledore claimed him to be all along...part two manages to sustain a level of action throughout as well as packing an emotional punch. Each character we have come to know and love were given one last chance to display their true colours. I especially loved the stand-off between Snape and McGonagall!
Some scenes reminded me of Return of the King, mainly Harry's talk with Dumbledore in King's Cross near the end was reminiscent of Gandalf's speech to Pippin of the afterlife. However although there are many comparisons to be made, the Deathly Hallows Part 2 is a film which should be given the praise it deserves. The fact that the sheer host of British acting (and non acting) talent has appeared in the franchise, from John Cleese to Gary Oldman, and Julie Walters to Helena Bonham Carter is a testament to its greatness. A fitting farewell to a series which I along with millions of others have grown up cherishing.
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