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Tuesday, January 8, 2013

HARRY POTTER & THE DEATHLY HALLOW - PART 2 -My Raw & Unofficial Review


I will just be sharing to you guys the raw and unofficial review I did way back July 17, 2011 when I happen to watch the end part of the spell-binding saga of HP.


A decade had ended and finally we’ve reached the end of what I now call "The Final Confrontation". Seven Rowling novels have been turned into eight films which take around 20 hours to see or maybe more in DVD versions. The phenomenon is infinitely greater. A generation of readers and filmgoers has grown up with the bespectacled, wand-waving wizard and savior of the world from Privet Drive. Such a brilliant ending the way J.K. Rowling presented it.

Before the influx of thousands of excited people queuing in the ticket-booths and die-hard fans dressed-up to mimic their favorite Harry Potter characters and carry on their fancy wands, a lot has been talked about regarding this phenomenal saga. Many say it was an epic masterpiece. A movie unparalleled by its contemporaries in fantasy flicks except or even LOTR. And I must say a class in its own era.

I was able to watch the full length movie in an online site shared by a friend earlier in the morning during my three-hour break. Being a big Harry Potter book fan myself, I was overjoyed to see it. The best word to describe the second part of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is epic. But even that is an understatement. I was blown away by the movie, and it was not even viewed in a gigantic and state-of-the-art & 3D-designed cinematic screen but only to the comfort of my own laptop. The final Potter film is a tour de force, with enough momentum that I think it will ride in victoriously during awards season. Hopefully, it might gain a citation or a nomination in the coming awards season.

I’m taking a moment now to form some more coherent thoughts on the film. Overall, the film is great. I felt the beginning was a bit rushed and choppy. But I think the choppiness was mostly due to it being watched in an online site only. Aside from the fact that the copy isn’t too clear and I suggest anyone to use a headset to capture a quality sound. When I saw the screening for Part 1 last July of 201o at SM City Sta. Rosa, Laguna with my nephews, I would say Part 2 was way more polished than the one I saw a year ago. Part 2 has 2-to-3 times more special effects than Part 1 had. As for it being rushed, it seemed like they wanted to get the trio to Hogwarts as soon as they can. Meaning that they had to change or leave out some plot details from the book. Normally, I’m okay with whatever changes they make, but one change sort of bothered me (see for yourselves when you finally watch the movie). Yet, it’s not significant enough to make me not like the movie.



In the epic finale, the battle between the good and evil forces of the wizarding world escalates into an all-out war. The stakes have never been higher and no one is safe. But it is Harry Potter who may be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice as he draws closer to the climactic showdown with Lord Voldemort.

Deathly Hallows Part 2 is basically an action-packed, physically-draining sprint towards the inevitable finish line. When it does take the rare, extremely important detour, adrenaline is replaced by heartache.



There is a tentative attempt at the beginning of The Deathly Hallows: Part 2 at clarification, when a goblin asks: "How did you come by the sword?", referring to the Excalibur-like weapon retrieved from the bottom of a lake in The Deathly Hallows: Part 1. "It's complicated," replies a desperately tired, unwashed Harry, who rapidly dispenses with anything that might be described as a synopsis of preceding events, leaving people who don't know their Horcruxes from their Dementors to muggle through.

When the trio get to Hogwarts, that’s when the movie settles into the right pacing. It’s really from that point when you start thinking “Wow. This is it.” There’s about 3-4 stages of the battle. If you’re familiar with the story, it’s very similar to the book. Minerva McGonagall really takes charge, and it was so exciting to see! Same goes to Neville (Matthew Lewis). Lewis always successfully delivers the both sincerity and courage to his portrayal of Neville, and you truly see it in this film.



Yet, without a doubt, Alan Rickman’s Snape is the performance of the movie and I must say the shining star-acting wise. He delivered fantastically brilliant. The Prince’s Tale (a.k.a . Snape’s memories) is the most powerful part of the story. And they completely nailed it in the movie. I was so impressed. It’s the heart of the movie. It’s at that point when it hits you about how magical this story is. Many can be rendered teary-eyed with it.

It doesn’t help that the scene following it is just as emotional. My second favorite scene of the movie is when he turns to the Resurrection Stone and is reunited with his dead love ones. It’s another powerful scene that will take your breath away and sting your eyes. Again, this is the true magic of the movie.

The deaths hit you just as hard as they did when you read them in the book. If there are still any questions about it, the movie is many ways is faithful to the book, using some of our favorite lines. The movie ends at the right place. It really does come full circle. It’s bittersweet and short. Still, I was satisfied with how it ended.

Whether you’ve been a fan of the books and movies for years, or only know Potter’s story from the silver screen, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 doesn’t disappoint. Non-fans might find it strange at times, but who cares? They shouldn’t have come to a seventh sequel in the first place. This movie is the close-enough-to-perfect cherry on top of a franchise that will be remembered for years to come. It’s ripe, beautiful, and you’ll be sad – but satisfied – when you’re done with it.

Many may differ in their insights and analysis about my raw review but that’s all for now so far. I will watch it again to re-polish my review and ends-up having a pro’s entry.

Enjoy your eyes ride guys. Have a nice read.



23 comments:

  1. wow grabeh! fan ka talaga ni potter. ako silverscreen lang nanunuod. i cnt catch up with the books. ang mahal. lol at ang haba ng story. lotr parin fave ko. pero u have a point, i wouldnt endure watching all the eight movies if i didnt like them all ;-)

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  2. I didn't see the movie in a cinema, saw this during my lunch time sa office, sad dhil mrmeng namatay, pero kebs, at least Harry wins in the end :))

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  3. I'm a Harry Potter fan too. In fact I have the complete set of JK Rowling books.

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  4. Wow! watching HP is one thing but reading the book is another. Ako medyo mababaw ma-please hehe. So long that I loved the effects okay nako sa lahat. They're like magic to me. Good review!

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  5. Naku parekoy, did you know na I am a big fan of the Harry Potter book series (finished reading all the 7 books) and saw all the movie installments!

    Thanks for this movie review. Ayan, bigla ko tuloy na missed ang Trio - Harry,Ron,Hermione :)

    About sa movie, pinakagusto ko din yung HP deathly hallows part 2. Super astig nung mga special effects. Favorite part ko dun yung nilalagyan na ng protective barrier (shield charm) ng mga Hogwarts Professor/Order of the Phoenix members yung buong Hogwarts castle bago sila salakayin ni Voldemort with his Death Eaters. Ang ganda nung special effects at nakadagdag pa yung background music na ginamit. The spell they used is called Protego Maxima, Fianto Duri, Repello Inimicum.

    Ayan umandar na naman ang pagiging Harry Potter geek ko haha!

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  6. Daddy Jay pahabol lang, haha! grabe kung may bibigyan ng Best Actor award sa Harry Potter movie, I believe si Alan Rickman na ang the best nominee for brilliantly portraying the character of Severus Snape.

    Alam mo nung una kong nabasa yung first 4 HP books, galit na galit talaga ako kay Snape. Buong akala ko talaga that time na super kontrabida sya. Pero nagbago lahat yun from book 5 - Order of the Phoenix, book 6 - Half Blood Prince to book 7 - Deathly Hallows. Grabe, super galing nyang gumamit nung "Occlumency" as in hindi nahalata ni Voldemort na nagpapanggap lamang si Snape na kakampi nya at part lang lahat ng plano nila Professor Dumbledore ang lahat para protektahan si Harry.

    HP Geek! haha :D

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  7. i just read the book but didn't watch the movie... Naumay ako sa HP movies at pati sa pagka hook ng lahat...

    good review...

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  8. im not a fan but i like harry potter namn
    siguro sarap panuorin neto ng part by part haha
    kasi napanuod k ung ibang part bago ko napanuod ung iba
    haha basta jk rowling was indeed a genius writter

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  9. Phioxee - hehehe..naki uso rin ako sa mga nephews ko kaya naging in din sa akin ang HP hahahaha. Special effects were awesome and ang mga twists sa stories

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  10. Theo - Yeah, ang importante the goodness reigned supreme kahit may mga sacrifices pa.

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  11. Lawrence - Good for you pare! it's fun kasi eh.

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  12. Fiel - there you go..addict ka din pala sa HP hahahaha..nice

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  13. Ate Malou - oo naman basta maganda na effects ok na..importante entertaining and riveting hehehe

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  14. Senyor - panoorin mo siya ulet hahaha..buong series hahaha

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  15. Mecoy - ikaw lang yata ang di fan..hahaha..or siguro it all boils down to movie preferences. I like it kasi naumpisahan ko siya at tinapos ko nalang. Plus the special effects and twists in the story are riveting.

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  16. i watched the movie but didn't read the book. Hindi ko sa cinema napanood. Sa DVD nalang. Una parang nacocornyhan ako sa HP pero nung pinanood ko yung unang series. Huwaw! ganda! kaya yung tinapos ko until end :) Wala akong tsaga magbasa ng book magbabasa lang ako kapag need ko. hehe :P

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  17. Ako din di ko pa na try basahin as a book... at cable ko lang din napapanood hahaha

    pero nagustuhan ko... malapit na magiging idol na ako ni harry

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  18. This is my favorite HP movie, next lang ang Prizoner of Azkaban :) Really perfect way to end a great series :)

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  19. Arvs- there are plot details from the book which are omitted to attempt to shorten the film since if it will be done in full swing it will more than 3 hours. In order to engage yourself into it you must start from the book 1. But as you have said, you're not a book reader so that's the difference. hehehe

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  20. Jon - just try reading book 1 and let's see if you'll not be hooked..hehehe after reading book 1 try watching the first film. And try the same practice in book 2 until you reaches book 7 hehe

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  21. Zai - Yeah so far since this is the end part..but I have special citations in each movie episode.

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  22. hindi ako fan nito pero pinapanood ko din ito sa mda dvd na nga lang. Salamat sa moview review :)

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  23. Among my Top 10 fave book is the Harry Potter series. Until now I am fascinated how JKRowling did the sequel perfectly. I watched all the movies just like I finished all the books. There's one particular series that I was so hooked up (book 3 I think) that I finished it in less than 2 days (hindi naman ako adik no?)

    I don't think that you will have a full understanding and appreciation of the HP movies if you didn't read the books. For me it is a MUST TO READ THE BOOK before watching the movie versions.

    The first time I heard that the HP series will be made into movies, I really said "Damn! it would be a real tough job for the directors! So I say kudos to the movie directors!

    As for this particular installment - the "Snape" part is kinda comforting but heart breaking as well... I totally agree with you - Snape it is!

    (pakisabi kay fiel-kun hindi naman halatang HP adik sya ha ha ha)

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