Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 2 Review - Part 1

I didn't have time to write a full review, so I'm splitting it into parts. 

;) 

I'm going to talk about the soundtrack first, since I listened to it before seeing the film (it was released two days previously).

It was phenomenal. I was a bit worried because Desplat's score for Pt. 1 received merely an Exceeds Expectations from me, but this score was much better. Naturally, it's tough to fill the shoes of great wizards like John Williams, Patrick Doyle, and Nicholas Hooper. There were quite a few parts of the movie that were completely silent, and I think they were well-chosen, although I wish there had been some music during the conversion with Ollivander, because the absence of any music at all made it seem rather dry to those of us who already know the information.

More specifically - I think that Desplat's strong suite is in huge, epic battle-songs rather than the subtle romantic stuff of Hooper fame. Tracks like "Dragon Flight" and "Broomsticks and Fire" and "Showdown" were much more musically impressive than the slow background music during less violent scenes. I didn’t like the over-usage of that female vocalist – the theme with that vocal at the beginning (“Lily’s Theme”) was really good for a start, and I understand that he wanted to re-introduce it when Sev/Lily cropped up, but I just don’t like solo vocals in movie scores.

The music in the Epilogue was its only redeeming factor. I think they took it straight from the John Williams score of the first movie. What a great way to bring the series full circle.

The opening shots were good choices. A quick recap of the last scene from Part 1, but not too long as to seem like a “What you missed in the last episode of Harry Potter!” type feel. Then Snape’s regime at Hogwarts, then Dobby’s grave, and Shell Cottage! Already, the pace is going well. I was disappointed when a couple key scenes from Shell Cottage were left out, most importantly Dobby’s funeral, which was implied to have already happened seeing as the gravestone was already carved. The other scene that I wished were there, even though I understand why they saw fit to cut it, was the announcement of Teddy Lupin’s birth. I just wanted to see the look on Harry’s face when Lupin tells him that he’s the godfather.

Ollivander and Griphook were both good. They changed the things that Ollivander knew (in the book, he doesn’t know what the Deathly Hallows are, only the Elder Wand) but that wasn’t a big deal because the Hallows needed to be re-explained for those annoying people who don’t read the books. Warwick Davis was an excellent Griphook, just like before.

The moment when Hermione holds up Bellatrix’s hair and says “positive” – that really got to me. Remember that shot in Part 1 when the hair fell upon her freshly-carved arm? Then, of course, Helena Bonham Carter did a fantastic job showing Hermione’s mannerisms. The awkward high-heels walk was a nice touch. The dialogue when Travers points out that Bellatrix’s wand was stolen – it isn’t there. I think we’re meant to assume that the whispering goblins also knew this.

The idea of “the wandless” – beggars roaming the streets, no longer accepted in society – was completely glossed over! I think that part was very important in the book, because it showed how terrible Voldemort’s bigotry really was, and it reinforced a belief in why they should be fighting against him. The line that should have been in the film: “How did it offend you?” – spoken by Travers in the chapter “Gringotts” – because he’s referring to an injured beggar as “it.” 

The way they shot the Gringotts lobby at first kind of made me seasick, and the lighting made it all seem a bit surreal. Either I’m going crazy, or it looked different from the Gringotts in the first film. But then the roller-coaster cart ride was epic, epic filming and epic music, and the way they did the Thief’s Downfall was just how I had imagined it in the book! Oh, and that poor, poor dragon. The paleness and the scars and the chains and those wretched clankers! It was all illustrated so tragically.

And then the scene inside the vault – it was all quite good; although I don’t think they portrayed that the multiplying treasure was also scorching hot! Maybe they decided that the Golden Trio wouldn’t look attractive enough for battle when they were all covered in burns. 

Now I'm off to Harlan! I'll set this to post itself on Tuesday. See ya! 

<3

Virgil