It All Ends...

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS MINOR SPOILERS

'It All Ends...' This is the tagline that has dominated the majority of billboards across the UK and the rest of the world. The moment has arrived. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is here, and it really is the end. What a way to finish the series that has enchanted both children and adults alike.

Director David Yates has done a fantastic job bringing the series into maturity. Part 2 is relentless in its portrayal of death, sacrifice and revenge. The final four films belong in a completely different league to their predecessors. Yates has really delved into the source material, made it his own and presented a brutal finale to author J.K Rowling's legion of fans who will no doubt scrutinise every second of film. The split in Rowling's final book has allowed room for much more detail in the final two films. Whilst Part 1 was very much a 'road movie,' Part 2 is dominated by the final battle that Yates would obviously have to relegate to a ten minute slot had Deathly Hallows been a one, 120 minute film. As such, the film picks up directly after Voldemort finds the Elder wand. After a thrilling break into Gringott's bank, Part 2 is very much centred around Hogwarts and its fate. There is no real beginning, middle and end. We must remember that this is only half of the story.

Yates plays with our knowledge of history. Part 1, I always thought, mirrored the persecution of the Jews during the Holocaust, the Ministry of Magic adopting Nazi-esque tendencies in their pursuit of muggle-born wizards. Part 2, in its portrayal of the destruction of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is blatantly inspired by the images of 9/11 that are so deeply ingrained in our memories. This is, if you will pardon the cliché that now accompanies every Potter film, the 'darkest' of the lot.

Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson have improved with each film and Part 2 is no different. Radcliffe proves himself as a leading man in what is essentially an action film and with support from Grint and Watson, the trio ensure that the series goes out with a bang. It is a testament to the series, surely, that many of Britain's best return for what can only be described as less than a cameo appearance. Jim Broadbent (Slughorn) and Emma Thompson (Trelawney) have a total screen time of three to four seconds. However, it is Alan Rickman as the deliciously ambiguous Professor Snape that steals the show. Receiving the emotional pay off that fans have yearned for since the series began, Rickman makes the most of his moment in the limelight and rightly so. His final scene is brilliantly emotional, a small moment that stands out amongst the chaos of the final battle. These scenes, where Yates strips the theatrics to raw human emotion, is where Part 2 really excels.

There is no need to comment on the special effects. They are, as one would come to expect from a series of this calibre, of the highest standard. Yates ensures this visual feast does not cloud the characterisation that he has spent time carefully crafting since the fifth film.

The music, by Alexandre Desplat, simmers with tension. For once, 'Hedwig's Theme' is not overused and the final 'Nineteen Years Later' epilogue is accompanied by the rousing and climactic orchestral that ended the first film, a welcome look back that makes us aware of just how far this series has come.

I cannot comment on the 3D. I purposely went to see Harry Potter in 2D. I, for one, believe that 3D adds nothing to the overall experience (apart from the higher ticket price). Unlikely to entice new followers, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 will certainly please those who have grown up with the franchise and the characters themselves. A rollercoaster of a film, Yates has driven Harry Potter to a fitting finale. While it may gloss over the mythology of this magical world, Part 2 is a stunning end to the most successful series in cinema.

My Rating: * * * *