Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 Movie Thoughts

Okay, so overall, I loved Deathly Hallows Part 2. I definitely cried, which I knew I was going to do. I teared up a bit at the beginning just because of the overwhelming thought that this is the last one, the last time I’ll ever sit in the theater for a midnight showing and hear that music and see those words and be that excited. And then I think the waterworks really started for real when they were fortifying the castle and McGonagall awakens the statues and then is all adorable and goes “I’ve always wanted to use that spell!” Love her. The music in that scene (titled ‘Statues’) is just so effing epic. I’ve been listening to it over and over again.

But yeah, after that, the tears never really stopped. I was pretty much a blubbering mess. Haha.

So, things I liked, in no particular order:

- The castle fortification scene, obviously. When I get the DVD I’m going to watch that on repeat for about a week, I’m sure.

- Neville is so badass! I love him. And he and Luna were adorable.

- McGonagall, also badass. When she steps in front of Harry and starts battling Snape… ugh. So awesome. And okay, probably my favorite line of the movie is when Neville is like “Wait, you’re giving us permission to do this? We can blow it up? Boom?” and McGonagall goes, “BOOM!” Hahahahahahaha. And then her line “I seem to remember Mr. Finnegan has a particular proclivity for pyrotechnics.” This woman. *shakes head* Honestly, she is fantastic.

- I liked the explanation they come up with for how Harry knew where the Horcruxes were, that since he was one of them, he could sense them. Since they left out all those memories from Half-Blood Prince that told Harry what objects Tom Riddle used, I think this was a good way to get around that.

- Alan Rickman is a god. ‘Nuff said. You guys know he broke my heart.

- On a related note, Nagini killing Snape was absolutely brutal to watch. But I think it was perfect.

- I think that this movie is my favorite of Ralph Fiennes’ portrayal of Voldemort. He was so fantastic. Especially during the part when Harry and Co jump off the dragon into the lake and we see the flashes of Voldemort finding out that they’re hunting Horcruxes… I actually felt sorry for Voldemort during that scene, that’s how good he was. Man.

- Loved the scene in the Forest with Harry’s parents and Sirius and Lupin. So simple and beautiful.

- I thought the scene in King’s Cross with Dumbledore was really well done, although the Voldemort baby soul thing was way grosser than I had imagined it. It looked like something from the Bodies exhibit. *shudder*

- When everyone thinks Harry is dead and then he plops out of Hagrid’s arms and Voldemort just stares at him… that scene was GOLD. Loved it.

- Also loved Draco’s awkward hug with Voldemort (hahahahaha) and LOL at the Malfoys fleeing for their lives. Haha. I did really like the way Narcissa was played in this movie. I wish we could have seen her a bit more throughout the films.

- I think Helena Bonham Carter is an absolutely fantastic actress, but I’ve never liked the way she chose to interpret Bellatrix. I picture Bella as more deadly and terrifying, and less crazy and manic. BUT, I do want to give her props for portraying Hermione pretending to be Bellatrix. I thought she was excellent in those scenes.

- The adorable little grin that Hermione and Ron give each other after the kiss. Love! Also, I love how Ron keeps suggesting these awesome ideas and Hermione’s just like, “Brilliant,” in this confused voice. Always the tone of surprise! :)

- I thought the epilogue was well done, and I’m really glad they didn’t use different actors. I feel like it’s more about the idea behind it rather than the actual execution of them all looking like they’re 19 years older (Hermione ages super well, btw. As in, not at all. And Ron… not so much. Ha.). Also, the kid who played Albus Severus was absolutely adorable. But BLUE EYES! WHY HAS HARRY ALWAYS HAD BLUE EYES?? Colored contacts, people, it’s almost like magic. Sigh.

Things I didn’t like or had issues with, again, in no particular order:

- Fred’s death. I wish they had kept this more like the book, because I think it carries more weight that way, instead of just seeing him after the fact. I did think the passing glance over Lupin and Tonks was lovely though.

- I wish they’d kept Percy’s return in the movie, but I guess they didn’t actually make as much of a big deal about his falling out so it wouldn’t have been as dramatic. Also, I think they did film the scene, so hopefully we’ll get it as a DVD extra!

- I didn’t like the effect they chose to use for the Imperius curse. That colored smoke and the giddy look that came over the victim just didn’t do it for me.

- I missed Grawp. :(

- Luna somehow mysteriously travels from Shell Cottage to Hogwarts, and when Harry, Ron, and Hermione show up in the Room of Requirement and she’s already there it’s like no big deal and they’re not surprised to see her, even though they just left her. But really, why the hell would she come back to Hogwarts if Neville didn’t send for her? I think they could have so easily gotten her to Hogwarts in a way that made sense. This just bugged me.

- Daniel Radcliffe and Bonnie Wright have absolutely zero chemistry. They’ve always had zero chemistry. That kiss on the stairs? What WAS that? That wasn’t a kiss! He’s going to die! She’s going to die! KISS LIKE YOU MEAN IT, PEOPLE!

- Overall, I thought Snape’s memories were fantastic, I just had one small issue, and that was the way his relationship with Lily was portrayed. In the movie they made it look like he and Lily were childhood friends before Hogwarts, and then when they got to school they were sorted into different Houses and that is kind of why their friendship fell apart. There’s nothing about him calling her a Mudblood, his rivalry with James, her issues with the people he’s hanging out with… I just feel like all of those things are so important and they could have easily added another minute or two to his memory sequence and fleshed some of those scenes out a little more to show us the development of their relationship. This movie is the shortest of all eight Harry Potter films, so they definitely could have added in a little more content, and I think this would have been the place to do it.

- I understand why they did it, but I wasn’t really a fan of the final Harry/Voldemort duel. I mean, I get it, they want to make it an action packed movie and show off their special effects. Okay, cool. But the whole point of their final confrontation is the conversation that they have and the things that Harry reveals to Voldemort during that conversation. It’s not all about falling off parapets and flying smoke and sparks and curses. Also, I hated the way Voldemort disintegrated. What was up with that? Now they’re all going to be breathing in Voldemort for the next few days. Blech.

- I’m mostly okay with Harry snapping the Elder Wand, although I do wish he would have mended his own wand first. Also, if the Elder Wand is supposed to be so incredibly powerful and everything, shouldn’t it be harder to break?

- I know that this movie IS the second half of a story, but one thing I didn’t like is that it really FELT like the second half of a story. It didn’t feel like a complete movie on its own. And obviously it can’t ever be a stand-alone movie, I know that, but I think they could have done more to make it feel a bit more complete by itself.

- One thing I’ve always had issues with about the movies is that Hogwarts looks different in almost every single movie, and this one was no exception. Where did that massive long staircase come from? And what about those random rafter-type things that they were fighting in? And the huge chasm in front of the school? And the boat house? How hard would it have been to have the Voldemort/Snape scene in the Shrieking Shack like it’s supposed to be?

And lastly (although this isn’t a dislike), I saw the movie both in the regular 2D theater and also in the IMAX 3D, and I have to say, I am normally not a fan of 3D at all, but this one was incredibly well done. Everything was done so subtly that you got have the awesome 3D effect without feeling like you were watching 3D, if that makes sense. There were no corny moments where things jumped out at you, it was really more about enhancing the details that were already there. I forgot I was watching it in 3D, which was perfect for me.

So yeah, even with the issues I had with it, I loved this movie. I <3 HP. I can’t believe it’s over!

What did you all think of the movie? Were you pleased? Disappointed? Did you cry like a baby?