The Epic Conclusion of the Harry Potter Series: Satisfying or Disappointing?

Since 2001, the Harry Potter series has cast us under its spell. Millions of people worldwide are happy to say that the books have been their childhood memories; many have stuck with Harry “to the very end”. According to Ok magazine in  four days Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 grossed a worldwide total of $542.5 million, beating the record for the Twilight series and The Dark Knight opening weekend.

In Deathly Hallows Part 2, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) must search and destroy the remaining three Horcruxes (magical objects containing a part of your soul). Destroying these remaining Horcruxes would allow him to finally kill Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes). However Harry is unaware of a seventh Horcrux (but not to worry because he will find out what it is). The Battle at Hogwarts soon takes place as students and teachers duel it out with the Death Eaters and giants. Death takes place as Harry and his friends lose loved ones. The long-awaited epic duel between Harry and Lord Voldemort finally is here and only one can survive.

Image by Heidi Hastings

As a huge fan of the Harry Potter series, I had very high expectations for this final film. Here is the series and the last chance to leave us all spellbound and in awe of the magic we were under since the first movie. For those who have read the books countless times like me, Deathly Hallows Part 2 needed to be perfect. Was it? No — but it came pretty close.

As usual, the cinematography was excellent. From the burning of the Hogwarts castle to the lifelike structures of the statues that came to life under Professor McGonagall (Maggie Smith)’s spell, the special effects were spell-bounding. You know the special effects were made exceedingly well when you can not tell them a part from reality and fantasy. The movie felt so real — it was like being transported to the Wizarding World. You could almost feel the heat of the fire against your skin or the ruffle of your hair as a spell narrowly misses you.

The actors have shown how much they have grown with their impressive acting. The three main characters Harry (Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint), and Hermione (Emma Watson) have been working on this since the very beginning, transforming from an inexperienced child who face difficulties performing to actors that manage to let the audience step into their shoes. Their acting have matured; Harry is no longer a little boy anymore.

One interesting performance was by Ralph Fiennes who portrayed Lord Voldemort. His acting was on par but there was one minor detail that had the theater laughing but for others like me, upset. In one particular scene Lord Voldemort hugs Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton). Though it is unusual for Lord Voldemort to hug, it was meant to be taken as a sign that he will accept anyone into his new regime. While the hug was awkward it wasn’t a sign of human emotions like affection or happiness, it was a show of his promise to accept anyone who willingly wants to join him. The hug aimed to mock the weakness of Harry’s supporters after his ‘death’, and was a show of his egoist attitude.

Above all, the most incredible performance that stole the attention of the audience was Alan Rickman who portrayed the ‘unpopular’ Professor Snape. His performance was worthy of an Academy Award. Through the first six movies, Professor Snape has been portrayed as an antagonist, one who was most detested because of how he picks on other students. However, Professor Snape redeems himself completely in this last installment as he put the whole theater in tears during his scenes when he revealed his true identity.

The ending however was a bit unsatisfying. Anyone who has read the epilogue in the book could tell you that. It was cut short — simple as that. A redeeming factor would be the incredible way that makeup artists made Harry and friends look realistically older. It was truly amazing to see the transformation of Harry from a young adult to an adult bringing his kids to school in a flash.

Overall, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 did not disappoint. Take the suspenseful action flying everywhere with the spells being cast, the pressure Harry faces to find the remaining Horcruxes and add it with amazing performances like that of Alan Rickman’s and you will get one amazing movie. If you haven’t taken the time to watch the conclusion to the Harry Potter series, then you are missing out on one of the most celebrated movies of the decade.