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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2
| Released |
15 July 2011 |
| Director |
David Yates |
Starring
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Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Tom Felton, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Ciarán Hinds, John Hurt, Jason Isaacs, Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, David Thewlis, Julie Waters, Bonnie Wright |
| Writer(s) |
Steve Kloves |
Producer(s)
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David Barron, David Heyman, J.K. Rowling |
| Origin |
United Kingdom, United States |
| Running Time |
130 minutes |
| Genre |
Adventure, fantasy, drama |
| Rating |
12A |
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The final chapter.
It’s all turned out rather well really. After global domination in printed form, the film versions of the Harry Potter books were always going to be a success in box office terms but cinematically, the series has grown from an unpromising start (Chris Columbus’s treacle-sweet offerings) to a genuinely exciting cinematic event in its own right. Much of the credit for this has to be given to David Yates, who has been at the helm of the series since 2007’s Order of the Phoenix and who has coaxed it away from the more self-consciously zany elements of the Potter world into more grown up territory. Part 1 of Deathly Hallows was a wonderful piece of work; the contemplative calm before the almighty storm of Part 2 as Lord Voldemort takes his war right through the doors of Hogwarts.
We pick up the story just as Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) gets his hands on the Elder Wand and redoubles his efforts to find and dispose of Harry. Meanwhile, Harry, Hermione and Ron are still on the trail of the horcruxes- trying to find and destroy pieces of Voldemort’s soul before taking him on face to face. Finally, their journey takes them back to where they began and armies are mobilised on either side as Harry’s friends are forced to defend Hogwarts against an evil army.
While Part 1 was an exercise in restraint, Part 2 really puts its foot on the accelerator; there are loose ends to tie up, secrets to be revealed and the action set pieces come thick and fast. The final battle is Harry Potter as war movie and Yates doesn’t hold back on the casualties, continuing the series’ admirable habit of killing off some of its most loved characters. Performances are good across the board but Alan Rickman has to be singled out as Snape’s secrets are finally revealed. Again, the production design is second to none thanks to a sympathetic mix of large scale sets and impeccable CGI, which combine to make this magical world seem utterly real.
Head and shoulders above the rash of superhero movies that have plagued the summer schedules over the past few years, this is adventure storytelling at its best. It’s a shame to see them go of course but this is a send off to be proud of.
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Linda O’Brien |
