Four years ago, J. K. Rowling’s epic Harry Potter saga ended. Now, with
the last of the movies out in theaters, the Harry Potter era has truly
come to an end. This time, however, I feel neither the sense of loss nor
catharsis that I did back then. For me, Harry Potter was never the
intense cinematic experience Lord of the Rings was. Despite
having lived with hobbits far longer, I found Peter Jackson’s adaptation
so exquisitely crafted I barely minded the deviations. As movies, they
were singularly enthralling. The Harry Potter films, on the other hand,
have always seemed like pale imitations of the books. I spent so much
time building up to and thinking over Deathly Hallows that I
couldn’t silence the purist this time around. This was the culmination,
and there were certain things I simply needed to see in order to be
truly satisfied. Some spoilers ahead as I try to work out my reactions
to the final film.
Deathly Hallows: Part 2 begins on a
despairing note as the faces of two dark characters fill the screen,
eliciting shudders as we see a Hogwarts under frightening new
management. From the horror of blackened parapets and looming Dementors,
we go to the placid quietude of Shell Cottage, where Harry (Daniel
Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) are preparing
to make their next move. They consult briefly with two minor characters,
one of whom will continue on with them for a time. From then on, it’s
almost nonstop action right up until the end, with just a few brief
stops for significant conversations. After the minimal role Hogwarts
played in the seventh movie, it serves as the setting for the majority
of this last installment, and because we’re not limited to Harry’s
perspective, the movie allows us to see how students and adults alike
defend the castle against invading forces.
Grint and Watson make
excellent wingmen as before, though there is little opportunity for
levity, and I missed that. Watson stood out to me more this time as the
more emotional of the two, though Ron does have one truly wrenching
scene that Grint nails despite its disappointing brevity. Following
these two on their own quest feels satisfying, and we generally see
considerably more of them than we do in the final portion of the book.
Because the trio is so much at the heart of the movies, it feels fitting
for these two to have a slightly expanded role, though it does lead to
at least one scene that feels implausible, and it still feels in the
movies as though Hermione has a bit more chemistry with Harry than with
Ron – and much more than Harry does with Ginny. In fact, partly because
Hermione is by Harry’s side much more than she really should be,
Watson’s acting made more of an impression on me than Radcliffe’s most
of the time.
Like the first installment of Deathly Hallows,
this was written by Steve Kloves and directed by David Yates. Once the
action moves to Hogwarts, both seem to have made a concentrated effort
to include as many characters as possible, even when we scarcely saw
them in the book. Most of these additions feel true to Rowling, filling
in gaps by showing what precisely might have happened throughout the
rest of the school while Harry tried to complete his Horcrux hunt. I
particularly loved the added moments with Professor McGonagall; Maggie
Smith may look wispy, but she is as fierce as ever. Because the majority
of the movie involves the Battle of Hogwarts, she feels like a vital
part of the proceedings instead of just a cameo. Several of the
professors are reduced to that status, but at least their brief
appearances exemplify their character traits and the spirit of
camaraderie amongst the Hogwarts staff. I found myself particularly
moved by the mere presence of Herbology professor Pomona Sprout (Miriam
Margolyes).
Ciaran Hinds is the only major addition to the cast
in this movie. He perfectly conveys the gruff cynicism of the Hogs Head
proprietor who offers some much-needed aid, and I have no qualms with
his performance, though I wish the trio could have lingered with him a
bit longer. Albus Dumbledore’s backstory, so crucial to the final book,
is barely addressed in the movies, and Harry’s conflict over whether to
continue following him is likewise largely ignored. Similarly, they Grey
Lady (Kelly Macdonald), a ghost with whom Harry briefly confers, loses
most of her backstory, though her personality seems about right, and I
like the way the movie draws Luna (the always-luminous Evanna Lynch)
into that moment.
Hagrid, so magnificently portrayed by Robbie
Coltrane, has always been my favorite character in the Potterverse and
is a big part of the reason Chamber of Secrets is my favorite of
the films. This movie allows him three all-too-brief shining moments,
though I was disappointed not to get a true sense of his anguish in one
of them. Helena Bonham-Carter is icktastic as always, and props go to
her for her complex and largely comical performance in one of the
movie’s earliest scenes. Aside from a truly head-scratching moment
involving her wand and an overly gruesome escape, the Gringotts escapade
is well done, especially the dizzying cart ride down to the vault,
which probably would have made me sick to my stomach if I’d seen it in
3-D.
Of all the actors in the movies, none has been able to do
as much with so little as Alan Rickman. Severus Snape’s presence in the
final film is actually more pronounced than in the book, and from sheer
menace to heartbreaking revelation, he commands the audience’s attention
every second that he is on the screen. I also commend the
cinematography in Snape’s final scenes, particularly a moment under a
vast willow, an instant of exceptional beauty in the midst of the rarely
relenting darkness.
There’s little humor to lighten the mood
this time around. What does remain largely comes from side characters
and is mostly much appreciated. There are some scenes, though, that the
movie cheapens a bit through ill-timed attempts at levity. Matthew Lewis
has his moment in the sun as long-overlooked Neville Longbottom, but at
least half of his appearances involve laughs at his expense. On the
other hand, I love McGonagall’s aside that gives underused Seamus (Devon
Murray) a small but memorable part to play in the final battle. James
and Oliver Phelps really get short-changed here, denied any last quips
or hijinks as boisterous Fred and George, and though Chris Rankin Is in
the cast list, if Percy was there, I blinked and missed him.
Because the second part of Deathly Hallows
is so action-oriented, there weren’t as many little moments that I
missed here, particularly since the seventh movie prepared me for the
fact that most of what I truly loved about the conclusion was not a
priority for the filmmakers. Many of the payoffs that impacted me
profoundly in the book wouldn’t have made the proper impression in the
movie anyway since the groundwork hadn’t been laid. Still, it irked me a
bit that the only iconic Weasley moment that makes the transition from
book to screen untouched is one of ferocity. Yes, there is intense love
wrapped up in it, and it certainly got a cheer out of the crowd I was
with, but the movie avoids both the most exuberant and the most
devastating moment for that family, though it at least hints at the
latter.
Visually, the movie Is mostly impressive, with Luna’s
Punky Brewster-bright wardrobe adding a welcome splash of color whenever
she appears, which is all too seldom. To cover for the lack of
exposition and detective work that led to the finding of the Horcruxes
in the novel, the movie relies more deeply on Harry’s connection with
Voldemort, having the cursed objects basically reveal themselves to him,
even at great distances. This is a convenient device that mostly works,
though the scenes that focus on that telepathic bond are disorienting
and unpleasant to watch. Scarcely any scene from the book remains truly
intact, but thankfully one of them is Harry’s walk through the Forest,
the only moment at which I felt tears begin to form in the corners of my
eyes.
Speaking of changes to the book, in addition to multiple
obliterated subplots and sapping away most of the literary, spiritual
and theological threads so masterfully woven through the novels, the
movie makes some alterations that simply make no sense. For instance,
Harry makes almost no use of his Invisibility Cloak, with the result
that he’s wandering around the school in the midst of the melee, and
having the eyes of fellow students and professors upon him at that point
feels uncomfortable and strange. Meanwhile, the importance of the cloak
as one of the Hallows is entirely lost in the shuffle.
If he’s
too visible during the earlier part of the battle, he’s not visible
enough at its culmination, and the egregious deviation from the books at
the climactic moment is the adaptive choice I find hardest to forgive.
Indeed, I’m rather shocked Rowling allowed the alteration, which is a
much more significant change than the decision to pair up two characters
in a non-canonical relationship that I felt was an improvement on the
book. On another minor but important note, if you’re going to emphasize
the fact that Harry has his mother’s eyes – and you’re going to ignore
all the reasons for that color being green – it would at least behoove
you to notice that Lily’s eyes are brown while Harry’s are blue and
color-correct accordingly.
But the movies never have been too interested in getting those sorts of details right. In the end, Deathly Hallows: Part 2
is an acceptable conclusion to the Harry Potter film franchise but a
frail adaptation of the book. Aside from the muddy explanations of plot
points that seem to rely on readers to fill in the blanks, I imagine I
would have enjoyed it more if I were only familiar with the movies,
which have always been far shallower than the novels. On the other hand,
I don’t think I would have fallen so deeply and utterly in love with
Rowling’s world and the characters that populate it. They say that a
picture is worth a thousand words, but I see the Harry Potter films as
one long visual homage to a master craftsman, an impression that seems
confirmed in a quotable bit of wisdom imparted to Harry toward the end
of the movie. This addition seems to acknowledge that in Rowling’s words
is where the true enchantment of Harry Potter lies. While the movies
are undeniable labors of love, what they mostly make me want to do is
read the books again.
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