On Closure with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two

Seven books, eight films and ten years later, the Harry Potter franchise comes to a loud expensive conclusion with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two. Bringing together over $6 billion in revenue so far, and counting, the Harry Potter films are the most successful film franchise of all time, even surpassing the twenty two films following the adventures of James Bond. With one very good film in the seven so far (the third in the franchise, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) directed by Alfonso Cuaron) how does the magical money train bow out?

The Deathly Hallows Part 2 picks up exactly where Part One concluded and with some atmospheric, dialogue free shots of Hogwarts and the misery that has overcome the school creates a powerful sense of doom. Yet once the story kicks in the film, as has been the problem with others in the series, becomes bogged down in its multiple narratives. It's hard to feel the emotion aimed for during the slaughter that takes place at Hogwarts when the attack won't focus on any major characters and Harry, Ron and Hermione are off on other adventures. There is much to admire in the cinematography and the set design and Ralph Fiennes at Lord Voldemort is impressive in every scene in which he appears. However the combination of too many characters (towards the end there are reaction shots of just about every character who hasn't died, just to make sure they get in the film) with a slightly ridiculous deus ex machina means that non hard-core fans will find the whole film shallow beneath the surface.

Harry Potter on film does not leave cinemas with the emotional punch that many would have hoped, but instead concludes with a film very much like the last four and as with the last four, there remains a sense of impressive detachment throughout this film.