I must admit that I’m a little disappointed with the long awaited, final part of the Harry Potter-saga. Apart from the first 30 minutes of the film, everything felt really rushed… it was one tiny storyline after the other. It seemed like you didn’t get but one moment to take a breath and relax… and that is not always a good thing in a movie, if you ask me.
Besides, the 3D-version of the film is a waste of money! Really, it’s not worth it! I wasn’t impressed at all and I’d much rather seen the 2D-version… but they didn’t sell any 2D-tickets for the midnight premiere
But let us start at the beginning:
- The break into Bellatrix Lestrange’s Gringotts vault at the beginning of the film was one of the best parts of the film. Helena Bonham Carter playing Hermione playing Bellatrix was a lot of fun to watch! The escape from Gringotts was really exciting.
- I was rather shocked though when they showed how Voldemort punished the goblins and security men of Gringotts for them letting the trio steal the Horcrux. You see him walking through the main hall of Gringotts, the whole floor covered with dead bodies of goblins and security men…. litres of blood everywhere! That was so un-like Harry Potter and I thought it was rather disturbing! (There was another scene that was even worse, but more about that later)
- After the escape from Gringotts the trio soon winds up in Hogsmeade in order to find a way back into Hogwarts where they hope to find the next Horcrux. They meet Aberforth, Albus Dumbledore’s younger brother. I liked that scene and Aberforth was perfectly cast, but I was hoping they would finally show us some flashbacks into Dumbledore’s past. But no, unfortunately there weren’t any L They never explain how and why Dumbledore’s sister had to die… of course we all know how and why it happened from the books, but it’s a pity they don’t evolve on that in the film. After all, it’s an important part of Dumbledore’s past and to a great part it turned him into the person he was in the later years.
- The trio gets back into Hogwarts and they see all of their old friends again. It’s a really nice moment because everyone is there – Ginny, Luna, Seamus, Dean – and you get to see (here and in many other moments later on) how much Neville has changed. He’s gained a lot of self-confidence, getting it by following Harry’s example, and he’s even a bit of a rebel to Snape’s dark and rigid rule over Hogwarts. Neville has always been one of my favourite characters and I love him to bits and pieces and I’m happy he got a lot of chances to shine in the finale. One of my favourite moments (apart from all his action and fighting scenes) is Neville telling Harry - shortly after the outbreak of the battle - that he needs to confess his love to Luna before it’s too late. I squeed with joy because I always thought Neville and Luna would make such a cute, nerdy couple but unfortunately it didn’t happen it the books. It was so wonderful that they added this sweet little moment!
- I liked Harry confronting Snape about Dumbledore’s death just before the battle begins.
Everything that happened afterwards though, I only remember in a blurry because it was just TOO MUCH in a short amount of time, which I didn’t really like! So forgive me I can’t re-tell the rest in the proper order of events… it was really too much, too hectic, I didn’t have enough time to follow the movie on an emotional level anymore. Here are my thoughts on some more highlights, likes and dislikes though:
- Ron & Hermione kissing in the Chamber of Secrets after Hermione had destroyed one of the Horcruxes. The long anticipated kiss! It’s short, it’s very spontaneous and I think some R&H shippers may be disappointed because it’s not nearly as spectacular as they had probably hoped for it to be. But I liked it. I giggled a lot because you could tell that they were so hungry for this kiss! I also laughed out loud at Ron chasing after Draco & his bullies, screaming “This is my girlfriend, you idiots!!!” when they tried to fight Hermione in the Room of Requirements. He was so happy to finally be with her, it was so cute!
- I was disappointed though that the Horcrux didn’t have any effect on Hermione when she tried to destroy it. Why does she always have to be so effing perfect? It’s annoying, gah!
- I liked Draco’s inner conflict during some short moments of the film. You could see how much he doesn’t want to be on Voldemorts side and I loved the moment when Harry confronted him in the Room of Requirements, asking him why he had lied to Bellatrix (in DH Part 1) when she asked him whether it is really Harry or not. He doesn’t reply, gets all embarrassed when Goyle and Zabini suddenly appear. It’s a really neat moment. I was a bit sad that he ended up joining his parents on Voldemorts side again and later cowardly fleeing from Hogwarts, but then it probably wouldn’t be Draco anymore if they had him do something really heroic or join with Harry’s people, huh?
- Definitely a DISLIKE was a very gory scene during the battle: The werewolf, Fenrir Greyback, getting his teeth into the dead body of Lavender Brown!! Ugh!! Really, was that necessary?? I have this picture etched on my memory now. It was so disturbing!
- Harry seeing the ghost of his parents and Remus & Sirius in the forest was really touching. Shorter than in the book, but still beautiful and sad. I got all teary when Harry asked Sirius if it hurts to die… poor little guy ;-(
- Harry seeing and talking to Dumbledore at King’s Cross Station was pretty cheesy. It was much more of a heaven-like-scenario than I would've liked it to be. Harry without glasses was weird, too. It was like "Oh wait! That's not Harry! It's Daniel!"
It was nice to see Dumbledore again for a last time.
- The final encounter was a disappointment to me.... I expected it to be much more spectacular, longer and that people (in the film) would be cheering and congratulating Harry on his victory over Voldemort.
And on to the most important part for me personally: Snape, Snape's death and the Prince's tale!
- Snape's death happened so quickly. The scene was too short, imo, and there was no real built-up to his death. Nonetheless, I actually liked it because they added one tiny line to Snape's text that made me burst into tears. After his famous "Look at me"-line, dying Snapes also tells Harry that he's got his mother's eyes. And he says it with so much tenderness, and for once there is so much emotion and even love in his words! I was so deeply moved! It made me want to jump off my seat and huggle poor Snapey! ;-(
This one tiny line was soooo heart-breaking!
- The Prince's tale could've been better, but could've been also worse. I was actually quite happy with it, even though I would've liked to see a bit more of young/teenage Snape. There wasn't so much of it, because the focus was put on adualt Snape before and after Lily's death. Of young Snape, you only get to see how he meets and makes friends with Lily, how they are sorted into their houses and how Snape is being made fun of by James Potter (who is and will always be a PRAT!). There isn't anything about the teenage years nor about young Snape being a bit of a prat himself :-p Young Snape is actually even the most adorable little kid they could've cast! You can't help but feel sorry for him. I was expecting to see some young male actor to be cast as adult Snape in the years of Lily's death. Instead though, they had Alan Rickman doing the part himself, but they made him look younger through CGI... and it looked ridiculous!! His face looked rather deformed and unreal... dislike!!! But I was moved to tears nonetheless because it was all so emotional - Snape begging Dumbledore to safe Lily, Snape fiding Lily's dead body and holding her in his arms, crying (this actually never happened in the books), him being shocked about Dumbledore wanting to sacrifice Harry for the greater good - they did very well on these parts and I was really satisfied!
Altogether though, I think I need to see the film a second time - this time in 2D!! - to be able to say whether I liked it or not. Like I said, there was too much coming at once, and I think I was rather unable to cope with all of that in such a short amount of time :-/