And so, the day finally came to watch Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. Marvin and I were finally able to finish our Harry Potter movie marathon the other day, and made plans to watch the final installment of the series last night.
Aside from watching the previous movies in a marathon, I made sure of three things. First, I refrained from re-reading the book, to ensure that my movie-watching experience be as fresh as possible. Second, I avoided reviews, so that I don't feel the urge to talk about it with Marvin, who doesn't know the ending, and ruin the experience for him. I know how horrid that can be. And last, I refused to answer any of Marvin's questions, when he himself gets interested and can't help but ask. On that note, whoever that girl was who wore the "Trust Snape" shirt in the SM Mall of Asia... I hate you.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 was about as exciting and dramatic as I thought it would be. In the beginning, I was a little unsettled by the idea of splitting the last book by author J.K. Rowling into two films. It felt too much like a plan to milk more money out of the franchise. While that could still be a fact, I have come to accept the effectivity of such a decision. By making the book into two movies, it gave director David Yates the luxury of focusing on the storytelling, evading the usual challenge of fitting hundreds of pages worth of material in the usual two and half hours of running film time.
The first movie showed the solitary nature of the mission Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger set for themselves. Majority of the film featured just the three of them (which became only two, at some point) in sweeping yet stark landscapes, making it seem that they were the last three people in the world. The focus of the film was the search for the Horcrux and how to destroy them, the lack of clues of which causes the three to fall in negative states of emotion. The few scenes that featured other characters were done well, but the most powerful scene for me was Hermione's torture by Bellatrix Lestrange. The image of the bloody "Mudblood" word on Hermione's arm will forever be the testament that if they don't fight or if they fail, they will live in a world that would not allow a person like Hermione to exist. And that, was just plain unacceptable.
The second movie immediately picks up where they left off. While they still didn't have all the answers, Harry, Ron and Hermione were firmer in their resolve. It doesn't take long for the suspense, followed by the action, to start. With the exception of only a handful of scenes, what follows is alternating scenes of suspense and action. There were times when I felt out of breath. I'm not going to give a minute-by-minute account of what happened in the movie, or else I'd be writing for a week. But I would like to point out some of my favorite people or scenes in the movie.
The Redemption of Severus Snape
This is probably the most important aspect of the film for me, and one I looked forward to ever since I read the book. I have always believed that this was the game-changer in the final battle. The truth about Severus Snape was always in conjunction with Harry learning about the truth of his connection with Voldemort and what he had to do to win the war against him. There was no better actor than Alan Rickman to play Severus Snape. This was probably the most exciting casting news for me back in 2001, as I have always been a fan of Rickman ever since I saw him in Sense and Sensibility, and Dogma. His performance in the memory sequence courtesy of the penseive was beyond what my imagination could conjure from reading the book. I literally felt pain in my chest when he saw Lily Potter in the aftermath of Voldemort's attack.
Neville Longbottom the Hero
Of Harry, Ron and Hermione's peers, it was Neville Longbottom (played by Matthew Lewis) that I looked forward to reading about through the years. Yes, there were other standout supporting characters, but there was a part in me (and I think in many others) who rooted for the chubby-cheeked kid who held a Remembrall, and was always looking for his toad. I wanted him to overcome the bullying and become something more. Through the years, I found myself rooting for Neville in every scene that he spoke words of encouragement or self-reflection. I became emotionally invested in the character especially during the hospital visit scene in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, which was never shown in the movie version. It was in the same book that first threw Neville in a situation where he had to fight, and showed an ability to brazenly face his fears, which none of those who bullied him ever possessed. And never more so was his character more important than in the last film, leading the other Hogwarts students in their rebellion, and always in the forefront of the many battles through that long night, risking his life time and again. When he drew the sword of Gryffindor from the much-battered sorting hat, and roused his comrades as he stood in front of Voldemort, it was then that I realized that Neville Longbottom had become, and will forever be, the epitome of the brave Gryffindor.
Hermione is the Greatest Witch... Ever
Ron was right. He and Harry wouldn't last two days without her. During Part 1 of the Deathly Hallows, she made sure they survived by preparing pretty much everything in advance, from supplies to spells. Harry may be the obvious leader, but Hermione is the brains of the group and have saved their lifes many, many, many times. Regardless if their situation is dire, more likely than not, she is the one who comes up with the idea to escape, deafeat and befuddle enemies. And she's been doing that ever since they were first years in Hogwarts. If she weren't around, would Harry and Ron even think of using that dragon guardian in escaping from Gringotts? No, I think not. So, the conclusion is Hermione is the greatest witch. Ever.
Helena Bonham Carter is Awesome
One of my favorite parts in the film was when Hermione drank the polyjuice potion to impersonate Bellatrix Lestrange so they can enter her bank vault at Gringotts. This particular scenario was made great by Helena Bonham Carter, who had Emma Watson's walk and facial expressions performed to perfection. Heck, it even seemed that she looked younger. And this is all the more impressive when you factor in her performance as the real Bellatrix in all her craziness and murderous intent.
Voldemort and the Death Eaters that Creeped Me Out
I only have two things to say about this. First, Ralph Fiennes is awesome as Lord Voldemort. We have always known that he is an exceptional actor, but for him to effectively portray the role despite heavy makeup and prosthetics, is most impressive. Second, when the Death Eaters poured down from wherever it was that they came from to attack Hogwarts... goosebumps. I don't know why it brought out that kind of physical reaction from me. I may have been so involved with what I was watching and felt for those being attacked. So there it was... goosebumps.
Curtain Call of the Order of the Phoenix
I was happy that the members of the Order of the Phoenix were in more scenes, because their appearance usually meant something significant was happening, or a life-changing battle was about to break out. I was also happy that the exceptional cast they came up with to portray the characters are finally getting the screen time they deserved. And this particular film series boasts one of the best ensemble casts ever. The last battle with Voldemort and its outcome, would affect the entire wizarding (as well as the Muggle) world, but none more so than to the members of the Order. Had they lost, they would have been hunted towards their end, because they had the temerity to fight against Voldemort's rule. While we knew that victory was at hand, it was still painful to witness death among their ranks. I had known who were going to die since I read the books, but I was still affected when I saw Fred Weasley, Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks laid out on the floor. I started to cry when I saw George Weasley mourning by his brother's side, remembering that he was never going to be completely whole again. Yet, it was not just the tragedy that stayed with me after watching the film. I particularly enjoyed the scene where Professor Minerva McGonagall (played by Maggie Smith) exclaimed how she always wanted to perform the spell to make the school's stone knights move. The giddiness in her voice was all the more impressionable because of her usually stern demeanor. And oh yes, she was kick-ass in chasing off Snape when he was still pretending to be Voldemort's man. Finally, I was happy to see Professor Albus Dumbledore (played by Michael Gambon) again. The memory of his death at the end of Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince was eclipsed by his appearance to give Harry advice and encouragement. His usual cryptic way of speaking seems all the more endearing after death.
And so it is done. But, as I have said in my previous blog post, my Harry Potter experience will never end. Someday, I will re-read the books and re-watch the movies as I please. I am, however, for now content to mull over my thoughts about the film and find something new to be interested about. For now.
:)Labels: Adaptation, Fantasy, Film, Harry Potter, Must-Watch
