Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Year: 2011
Director: David Yates
Screenplay: Steve Kloves, based on the novel Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon,
Running Time: 130 minutes
Genre: fantasy, adventure

Summary: Teenage wizard Harry Potter (Radcliffe) and his friends Ron Weasley (Grint) and Hermione Granger (Watson) continue their quest to find and destroy the powerful "Horcruxes", which each contain part of the fragmented soul of the evil Lord Voldemort (Fiennes).
However, the sinister Severus Snape (Rickman) is now the headmaster at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As the school comes under seige from the evil "Death-Eaters", Harry finds that his situation is far more complex than he thought as he is forced to make a terrible sacrifice.

Opinions: This film adapts the second half of the seventh and, to date, final Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 was released in November 2010. As a result, for newcomers to the series, this is not the best place to satrt. However, for fans, it gives the series the spectacular and emotional conclusion which it richly deserves.
The Harry Potter series is almost unique in the impact that it has had in such a short space of time. The first book was published in 1997 and the first film was released in 2001 and they were very much aimed at a children's audience, however each subsequent story has built upon and expanded what has gone before becoming a dark and compex fantasy saga. As the series has grown up along with it's audience so have the three main leads, Dabiel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, who have come to perfectly inhabit their roles.
As with the other entries in the series, this is a pretty faithful adaptation of the novel and features spectaular special effects as well as impressive performances from a cast of celebrated British actors with Alan Rickman being a particular stand-out as the ambiguous Snape.
The film is well made with spectacular action set-pieces in impressive 3D but also packing a genuinely powerful emotional punch without being either melodramatic or overly sentimental.
If you enjoyed the Harry Potter seires you will not be disappointed.


"How dare you stand where he stood!"
- Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2



Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

Year: 2010
Director: David Yates
Screenplay: Steve Kloves, based on the novel Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Ralph Fiennes, Alan Rickman, Helena Bonham Carter, Brendan Gleeson
Running Time: 146 minutes
Genre: Fantasy, adventure, action, epic

Summary: The evil Dark Lord Voldermort (Fiennes) and his army of Death Eaters have gained control of the Ministry of Magic and the whole wizarding world is in the grip of fear, especially those born of muggle (non-magical) parents and are particular targets of the Death Eaters. The only hope appears to lie with Harry Potter (Radcliffe) who knows that, in order to gain immortality, Voldermort has split his own soul and hidden it in several disguised and hidden objects known as "Horcruxes", and that only when they are all destroyed can he be defeated. Now the principal target of Voldermort and his Death Eaters, and with friends and safe places rapidly disappearing, Harry and his best friends Ron Weasley (Grint) and Hermione Granger (Watson) find themselves on the run and on a dangerous quest to find and destroy the Horcruxes.

Opinions: If you have never seen any of the Harry Potter films or read any of the books then this is not the best place to start. The first of a two part film adaptation of the seventh and final book in the phenomenally successful Harry Potter series, this makes no concessions to newcomers. As with the previous films, this is a very faithful adaptation of the book, and features spectacular special effects as well as appearances from numerous well-known British actors. However, as with the book, this is a major departure from the rest of the Harry Potter series. It's frequently commented on how each movie is darker than the one before, and this is certainly the darkest of the series so far. There are no Quidditch matches, or amusing hi-jinks at the Hogwarts School here. In fact the school, the prinicpal setting for the series, doesn't feature at all in this film and, for the first time, Harry and his friends are out in the wilderness, completely on their own. There is a surprisingly bleak atmosphere in this film, a tone set early on in a scene where Hermione erases herself from her parent's memories and also deletes herself from photographs and documents. All three of the lead chracters have their own demons to deal with: Harry has to deal with his status as the "Chosen One" and his guilt at the fact that anyone close to him is in danger, Ron has to deal with his jealousy of Harry and his attraction to Hermione, while Hermione struggles with what is effectively the loss of her parents. With each film the three leads, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson have got better and better and in this one, where their roles are more complex than ever before, they really do great work.
This is a very good movie which still delivers plenty of action and spectacle, and there is still plenty of humour, if not as much as in previous installments. It also features a very impressive animated sequence. Certainly, Harry Potter fans should be more than happy. The second part of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is due for release in July 2011.


Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1