Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 - (July 15th, 2011): PG-13
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Opening Weekend Box-Office: #1 with $168,550,000
Domestic Box-Office Gross to-date: $168,550,000
Gross Revenue: $475,550,000
Production Budget: $250 million (Shared with Part 1)
Director: David Yates
If you turned on a television or picked up a magazine during the weeks leading up to July 15, chances are good that you were barraged with previews and news specials detailing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2. “Harry Potter Weekend” on ABC Family, a special interview with the cast on Larry King Live, a special collector’s edition of Entertainment Weekly, footage of fans camping out to get tickets…everyone knew that Harry, Ron, and Hermione were about to embark on their last adventure. Potter loyalists around the world rejoiced when it was first announced that Warner Bros. would be splitting the epic seventh book of the Harry Potter series into two films, and after Part 1 fully set up the events surrounding the final conflict between good and evil in the wizarding world established by J.K. Rowling, there was nothing left to do but sit back and watch the action. As has come to be expected from the film series, early critical response to Part 2 was overwhelmingly positive, and analysts knew that this summer release would break every box office record out there; hardcore fans would undoubtedly see the film multiple times, while even the most casual of followers would be eager to see the final entry in the historic series…in 3D. After growing up with the books and following the films for the last decade, saying goodbye to Harry was going to be difficult, but with a tagline like “It All Ends,” I knew that there was no way filmmakers would risk disappointing fans.
Back in November, Deathly Hallows, Part 1 established that the evil Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) had risen to power while Harry (Danielle Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint), and Hermione (Emma Watson) were tasked with hunting down and destroying the six horcruxes containing fragments of the Dark Lord’s soul. At the end of the first film, the trio discovered the existence of the fabled magical artifacts, the Deathly Hallows: the Cloak of Invisibility, the Resurrection Stone, and the Elder Wand, the most powerful wand in existence. By the beginning of Part 2, Voldemort has obtained the Elder Wand; Hogwarts is now under the control of Severus Snape (Alan Rickman), who murdered former headmaster Albus Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) in the sixth film; and Harry, Ron, and Hermione, have decided to break into Gringotts Bank in order to retrieve and destroy another horcrux. Once Voldemort discovers that his secret to immortality is being threatened and it is revealed that another horcrux is hidden inside Hogwarts, Harry must race against time and finally return to the school. With Hogwarts faculty and students teaming with the Order of the Phoenix to defend against Voldemort and his advancing army of Death Eaters, the stage is set for a final confrontation that has been years in the making.
Some of the more casual Potter fans were slightly disappointed by the lack of action and slow pacing in Deathly Hallows, Part I, but that shortcoming is effectively destroyed this time around, because Part 2 hits the ground running. Escaping from Gringotts on the back of a Dragon, fleeing a wall of fire in the Room of Requirement, and battling thousands of Death Eaters, the spectacular action and brutal danger that Harry, Ron, and Hermione, all experience just does not stop; and it all jumps off the screen with glorious special effects that are only further enhanced by 3D technology. Within the first five minutes, it is blatantly obvious that this film is the darkest in the series, and each of the actors approach their roles with undeniable maturity and talent; the trio all demonstrate how much they have grown over the years by moving past simplistic innocence, but the real surprises are Alan Rickman and Helena Bonham Carter. As Severus Snape, Rickman embodies an iconic presence on the screen, bringing the complex character to life in as tragic and menacing way as possible. As for Bonham Carter, she has always relished her time as the psychotic Death Eater Bellatrix Lestrange, but this time around, her tremendous acting ability is showcased as she portrays another character. Similar to the Ministry of Magic sequence in Part 1, Hermione uses Polyjuice potion to adopt the physical appearance of someone else, none other than Bellatrix herself; watching Bonham Carter embody Emma Watson’s nervous mannerisms as Hermione-in-disguise is supremely entertaining, especially since we have watched her play a cold-blooded murderer for so long. Beyond the action and acting, there were some disappointing omissions in transferring the story of Part 2 from print to screen, but it is still done in such a stylish way that it is easily forgivable.
As a hardcore devotee who has read each of the books multiple times, I could easily compile a laundry list of every plot line or character that is missing from this finale, and while I acknowledge that some elements had to be cut down, some are so minor that it’s a little insulting that the filmmakers wouldn’t just include them to placate the fans who would be first to point out the discrepancies. At just over two hours, Deathly Hallows, Part 2 is the shortest entry in the film series, and when you consider that this is the last time the beloved characters will be seen together, you cannot help but question some of David Yates’ choices; c’mon, add another twenty minutes to evenly pace some of the rushed opening scenes, further elaborate on some of the more complex storylines, prolong the final goodbye, or at least pay more than mere lip-service to some of the more beloved characters…fan-favorite Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane) is on-screen for less than two minutes and only has two lines, and that’s a shame. Still, there is something to be said for the high levels of emotions that the final goodbye generates; true fans know every element of the story, and the fact that they can still cry when a character dies, cheer when Neville Longbottom (Matthew Lewis) finally embraces his inner-hero, and feel chills as Hogwarts prepares for battle is insanely impressive. Parents be warned, if your young kids have not read the book and are expecting another cheery Quidditch match, you might want to think twice before letting them see the gory action, scary images, and truly mature themes that surround the final conflict. At the very least, Part 2 does end on a positive note; without spoiling anything for those who don’t know how the story concludes, I have to complement the creative final scene, which is a heartwarming and nostalgic reward for fans…the perfect way to say goodbye to the magic of Harry Potter.
When I saw that some midnight showings of Deathly Hallows, Part 2 were sold out three weeks ahead of time, I knew it was going to break some impressive records, but in the end, it absolutely decimated the box office. Both internationally and domestically, Deathly Hallows, Part 2 broke fifteen records related to ticket sales, including, but not limited to, $43.5 million generated from midnight showings alone and a single day gross of $92.1 million. With an opening weekend of $168.55 million across 11,000 screens in 4,375 locations, Part 2 boasts the highest-grossing opening weekend ever, dethroning 2008’s The Dark Knight which previously held the record with $158.4 million…the rights to both juggernauts happen to belong to Warner Bros., and I guarantee the executives were doing back-flips when the first numbers came in. In three days alone, the boy wizard raked in just under half-a-billion dollars across the world, more than covering the pricey production budget of $250 million that ran across both Part 1 and Part 2. With J.K. Rowling’s much-hyped website Pottermore hitting in October, fans still have much to look forward to related to new content, but there has to be some sadness over no more films being made…don’t worry, Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden is opening a The Making of Harry Potter studio tour in London in Spring 2012. At the very least, don’t miss this epic and fully enjoyable finale that is now just as historic as its revered source content.
Overall Recommendation: Very High
