Darkmatters Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (12a)

Dir. David Yates

Reviewed by Matt Adcock


“Hermione, when have any of our plans actually ever worked? We plan, we get there, all hell breaks loose!”

Listen up muggles – we Potter fans have waited, we’ve read the books, we’ve watched so many of these films that have generally been ok but all has been leading up to this final chapter…

Yes, the big magical smack down finally happens as Harry (Dan Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint), and Hermione (Emma Watson) speed through their deathly dullness quest to find and destroy Dark Lord Voldermort's remaining plot filler devices, sorry, ‘Horcruxes’ which hold the fragments of his soul. That done Harry must also grapple with other set of magical plot filler devices known as the mystical ‘Deathly Hallows’ – you know that wand, cape and stone which can somehow help take big baldly baddie Voldemort down.

"The dragon is a moment of joy"

So now we’re ready for the biggest, baddest, most kick ass battle to ever grace the Harry Potter world… And then, before you can say “is that it?” the whole thing is over – over with only fleeting moments of awesomeness. Yes, I’m a Potter fan but I also love a good battle scene in a movie – especially the climax to a great series like say ‘Lord of the Rings’… So I left Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 feeling a bit let down.

Sure the plot had been tied up and we even got to see the surviving characters in their ‘normal’ lives 19 years after the battle but I wanted epic-ness and what we got was decent but in no way epic.

Yes Deathly Hallows part 2 has fantastic special effects and all the cast go about their business well enough but where were the moments of sheer desperate heroics? Why did the writer / director think it was a good idea to mess with the locations of key events from the book and most of all – why were we viewers cheated out of seeing just how major characters fell?

Loyal Potter fans deserved better than this – which every time it threatens to be awesome, wimps out instead to general dissatisfaction.

So Harry goes out with a smile and a wave rather than all wands blazing - I leave you with Lord Voldermort’s words which could sum up Steve Kloves the screenwriter of Deathly Hallows: Part 2:

“Do not despair at his betrayal. You, none of you, were ever in his heart. Not for one single, solitary beat.”


Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öööö

(4 - still a good watch even if it could have been so much more!)...

Awesomeness ööö – nearly awesome at several points

Laughs öö – only sporadic funnies

Horror öö – not disturbing enough!

Babes öööö – Emma Watson is still very sexy, especially in Bellatrix's outfit!

Spiritual Enlightenment ööö - probably something in here somewhere...

"It's a DM tradition to post random pics of Emma in each HP review!"

"one more for luck"

Darkmatters review of Deathly Hallows Part One

Darkmatters Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 1

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 1 (12a)

Dir. David Yates

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

Hold on to your wizarding hats mudbloods - young Mr Potter is back in this first part of cinematic finale of the much loved magical series. It’s been a long journey towards the final showdown between Harry ‘the boy who lived’ Potter and his evil nemesis Lord ‘he who must not be named’ Voldermort, but any fans looking for closure will have to tune in again next year. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part one is a bridging film that sees Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) running about trying to find the seven Horcruxes - enchanted objects containing parts of Voldemort's soul. But that’s not all, although is it just me or is two and half hours just to find one Horcrux a bit excessive?, there are also the ‘Deathly Hallows’ — another set of magical objects to be found too.

"always time for a magical quick snog"

The Deathly Hallows are made up of The Elder Wand - the most powerful wand ever made, The Resurrection Stone – which can bring loved ones back from the dead and The Cloak of Invisibility (which Harry had in earlier films). Together, these items are the Deathly Hallows and are rumoured to make one ‘master of death’ – and so are integral to the plot even though they really haven’t been mentioned much up until now...

Anyway, while the audience grow old waiting for the final battle, here we get to tread water in the classy company of John Hurt, Alan Rickman, Ralph Fiennes, Brendan Gleeson, David Thewlis, Michael Gambon, Helena Bonham Carter, Imelda Staunton, Jason Isaacs and Bill Nighy…

Director David Yates (whose been making the Potter films since ‘Order of the Phoenix’) does an ok job with this tale which will be incomprehensible to newcomers but will please those who hold Harry and his magical adventures dear. It feels a little odd to not have the action centered around Hogwarts but at least a whizz bang high speed chase at the beginning of the film and a character death towards the end mean that there are a couple of memorable scenes.

"Harry, Ron, I feel bad for the viewers hoping to see the battle!?"

Screenwriter Steve Kloves keeps the general feel Twilight–esq gloomy while the friendship of the main trio is believably tested (anyone who has spent more than a week together in a tent will probably relate even if there weren’t being hunted by Death Eaters).The visual effects are mostly excellent too – so The Deathly Hallows part one feels like a good looking but deeply unnecessary exercise in spinning out the story and making loads of cash from the faithful viewers. It’s certainly much better than the weak Half-Blood Prince, but hopefully this is a mere taster as to what the final film will deliver next year when the battle really kicks off and we get to wish a bittersweet farewell to Harry and his chums.

UNSEEN DELETED SCENE:

Hermione gets so fed up with camping with Harry n Ron that she goes off and starts a modelling career in the muggle world... The boys can't believe it when they see her on the front cover of FHM!?

Darkmatters rating: öööööööö (8 magical bits and bobs out of 10)

Darkmatters quick reference guide: Action 7 / Style 7 / Babes 8 (emma) / Comedy 6 / Horror  / Spiritual Enlightenment 2

"This was Hermione back in the first film"

"This is the Deathly Hallows Hermione"

"Emma Watson - ready to look good whenever!"

More Harry Potter / Emma Watson in the Darkmatters review of HALF BLOOD PRINCE

Darkmatters review of ORDER OF THE PHOENIX

Darkmatters review of GOBLET OF FIRE

Darkmatters interview with Harry Potter Kids

Darkmatters hits half a million readers!

Darkmatters has today tripped the 500,000 visitors counter...

We hope you enjoyed your visit, let us know!!

To celebrate here are some random things Darkmatters like:


"Strange films!"


"Actresses like Emma Watson - surely a superhero movie next for her?"


"PS3 - have you preordered your 'slim' yet?"


"Graphic Novels... wait till you read the graphic novel adaptation of Darkmatters!"


"Babes like the lovely Alexis Bledel"


"Tottenham Hotspur (Top of the Premier League today 23 Aug 2009)"


"Film reviews..."

cheers

Darkmatters Review: Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (12a)

Dir. David Yates - who previously brough you Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Reviewed by Matt Adcock (with eldest son Luke in a packed show in Stevenage)

ONE WORD SUMMATION: Horcruxed

“Years ago, I knew a boy who made all the wrong choices. He seemed a student like any other. His name was Tom Riddle. Today, the world knows him by another name: Voldemort…”

Listen up muggle lovers, Harry Potter is back for the sixth time – now tackling a historical mystery about a rogue agent known only as ‘The Half Blood Prince.’ This ‘prince’ once attended Hogwarts and his annotated potions text book helps Harry shoot to the top of the class – now taught by the slimy Horace Slughorn (a genius turn from Jim Broadbent). But young Harry is growing up and so fighting ‘He Who Must Not Be Named’s minions (again) takes a bit if a backseat whilst his hormones dictate that he needs to wise up to the wiles of the fairer sex.

"Hermione - she's a keeper!"

Harry’s best friends Ron (lanky Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson getting cuter every year) are also feeling the effects of teenage emotions kicking in and start to find each other irresistible. It is Ron’s sister Ginny (Bonnie Wright) who becomes the focus of Potter’s adolescent fantasies – or might it be true love?
The upshot of all this teen angst and hormonal desire is that Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince – working title ‘Harry Potter and the Slightly Tedious Tying Up Of Plot Points’ limps around signifying nothing much. To this end the film, much like the book, feels like we’re treading water, dragging out the story rather than ramping up to the final climactic showdown that everybody is waiting for. Sure we do get the death of a major character but even that feels a bit cheap and is not afforded the magnitude that they deserved.


"Did I mention - miss Watson is the best thing about Half Blood Prince?"

Having said all that, Half Blood Prince isn’t actually a bad film and Potter fans will find much to enjoy here. Returning director Yates is right at home in the magical world and delivers some sumptuous visuals, a cracking game of Quidditch and plenty of wizardly attention to detail. The cast have made these parts their own and even their limited acting ability works to make the awkwardness of being a teenage feel more authentic.
If you’ve seen parts 1 – 5 then you’ll need to see this but I doubt that anyone will come out proclaim this their favourite of the series. Bring on the Deathly Hallows parts 1 & 2 already…

Darkmatters final rating of: ööööööö (7 – Harry's still quality but this one drags a bit)

Darkmatters quick reference guide:

Action 5 (lacking)
Style 7 (magical)
Babes 8 (jailbait)
Comedy 6 (Ron W)
Horror 6 (curses)
Spiritual Enlightenment 5 (sacrifice)

Matt reviews Harry Potter and:

THE GOBLET OF FIRE

THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX