Movie Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2

Where to start?!

Ok. Let me start by saying that although I'm not really a HUGE fan of Harry Potter - maybe until recently - this last film was just absolutely incredible! Not only was this one of the best in the series, but dare I say one of the best films this year.. so far!

On technical merits alone, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 was arguably on a different league. It was exceptionally shot, faultlessly rendered and carefully photographed. The visual effects were quite stunning and the cinematography gave the film a genuinely epic aura with grand shots and sets designs that were ridiculously detailed.

The scoring was also exceptional. I admit, I rarely notice this aspect in a film, but this one seemed to have a special attention given to them that drew me in right from the beginning. The quietness of some scenes gave the movie a sense of poignancy that's quite heartbreaking. Same with the pounding musical score, which was not overly memorable, but was beautifully composed. To me, the musical scoring lifted the material immensely.

Oh, and the battle sequences actually felt sharper, well choreographed and I found it to be robust and exciting. True, the showdown spectacle wasn't as big of a scale as, say Lord of the Rings, but it was actually more visceral and dynamic than I expected. The fact that this film managed to successfully intertwine action sequences with dramatic progression in the narrative was already an impressive feat.

Which brings me to the screenplay. To be honest, I wouldn't know if the adaptation have stayed true to the book, but I personally thought that the narrative was consistently riveting and, yes, everything just came together superbly in the end. The script was well written and surprisingly fast paced - thanks to David Yates' outstanding direction.

Now, as for acting performances of the cast ensemble? Well, let me just say that words cannot do justice for how excellent their performances were. I mean, the acting was spot on from every character - none of it seemed forged or out of place. Daniel Radcliffe had to carry this film on his shoulders, and he did just that. He was brilliant, which was also complemented with great support from Rupert Grint and Emma Watson. Here, they all came into their own as they moved beyond the script and elevated their characters to a level not seen in the previous films.

The supporting cast were also beyond incredible. Maggie Smith was a delight to watch. I liked how I saw the pain in her eyes, and then suddenly cracked a joke to lighten up the mood. Alan Rickman as Snape was also great. The real star, however, was Ralph Fiennes as Lord Voldemort. He was just sensational! His performance resonated in every single scene he was in. He gave the character an extra dimension and there's a subtlety to the nuances of his portrayal.

Ultimately, this, in my opinion, was a monumental achievement for the Harry Potter franchise. It wasn't perfect by any means, but it was a beautiful farewell for a HUGE series like this. Sweeping cinematography. Immersing score. Amazing acting performances. Compelling story. Yes, it's the best I could have hoped for and more.

Goodbye, Harry Potter.