patentdragon | Review: Harry Potter And The Very Last Movie... (Reply)

A Star Is Rising continues, as the Mutual Defence Imperative start asking questions, and it's time for one of our heroes to step forward, while Brighthawk presides over a gathering of those she's been told she can call upon...

Release Notes... And that's us back on some kind of schedule!

Now that's out of the way, back to today's entertainment...

Review: Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, Part II... Here we go - what is going to be THE biggest movie of the year, no matter what...

I've become accustomed to expecting mild disappointment from the Potter movies, following the (let's be honest) butchering of the first one I saw on the big screen, ...Goblet Of Fire (or "Gob Of Ire" as I came to call it), but this one avoids that, making the most of the two-movie finale set-up, and taking only a few minutes of quiet-time to set the scene before diving into the story, and the first major action at Gringotts. Helena Bonham-Carter rather steals the show at this point, playing Hermione polyjuiced into Bellatrix LeStrange (although - and let's be honest here - nobody should have that much trouble with such modest heels), and it's probably the most action she gets until her normal role in the duel with Ron's mum...

The vast majority of the audience probably know just what's coming, and many most likely read the book again just before going to see this, and I don't think they're going to be at all disappointed. The "Harry in 'dead-world'" sequence, which seemed to drag on and on in the book, is kept to a sensible length, and covers the relevant material in effective fashion, and the book's major fatalities aren't ignored - you do actually see the Weasleys mourning George, and we see Tonks and Lupin together in death (snf). Neville gets more to say and do than in the book, which is nice for the "class idiot", and he handles his "YAY" moment with style, when the time comes to strike the decisive blow.

This movie also marks the convergence of Potter and 3D, and whilst the 3D doesn't dominate, or "pop" as much as it could, it does, for a change, actually add to the whole show, when it's used. Even so, it's still not necessary - hey, this was going to kick the ass of everything else at the box office without the 3D boost.

So, how does this all pan out in the end? The story reaches a roaring climax as battle is joined, but the story still has some "calm before the continuing storm" moments, as our hero wrestles with the price of resistance, and what he has to do. At the very end, the 3D steps in to give the decisive moments a bit of "shine" that's rightly deserved as a ten-year epic is finally wound up...

Go and see it. If you're a fan, you either already have, or soon will. It may not be a final movie of legend, like Return Of The King, and it'll hardly attract any new fans, but I can't see anyone who takes the time to go and see this coming away feeling their time has been wasted.

And so, the biggest epic of modern times draws to a close. What next? Start queuing for The Next Big Thing...

The Final Verdict... The saga ends in style, and most satisfactorally. Job done, and done well. Score: 8/10

Right, now it's time to kick back, and give other matters some thought. Some reorganisation of sh8 has been carried out, and more is in the offing - there are curtains to swap, and who knows what else...?