Wednesday, July 13, 2011

The Final 'Harry Potter' Film Surprised Me!!! (My 'Deathly Hallows 2' Film Review)


Yesterday, July 12, my childhood ended!!! I saw the last 'Harry Potter' film - 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2'. Indeed, it was end of an era. Sad but I was also happy because Warner Bros. Philippines gave me a ticket to attend the Philippine Premiere Night where I met other Pinoy Potterheads (and they wore their costumes too).


By the way here is my ticket.



For more than an hour we were at the lobby of the IMAX SM Mall of Asia waitng for the screening to start. Press people were there for interviews, photos etc. And for the nth time, I saw the Costume Exhibit.





Then we went inside the IMAX Theatre, before getting the 3D glasses, we deposited our cameras... hmmmm.... Then, we decided to get our free dinner.... Chickenjoy-Spaghetti-Soft Drink from Jollibee....

Then before the screening started the General Manager of WB Philippines gave a speech saying that we were lucky cause the main Warner Bros. allowed the Philippines to screen the film just few hours after the New York Premiere. He also said some 'Harry Potter' trivias.

Then after few minutes, the movie started (yes!! no trailers were attached)

The film started with Voldemort getting the wand from Dumbledore's corpse, though it lasted for less than 40 seconds (I think)

Then the Warner Bros. logo appeared.... Unlike 'Deathly Hallows 1', the logo is not in a rust form... It looks like a platinum or aluminum.

Scene of Hogwarts with Dementors around.... Then Snape... Then the film's logo.... The 'Lily's Theme' was played for this intro.

Then we see Harry at Dobby's.... The exterior of Shell Cottage was not shown.... I saw Bill and Fleur then minutes after the Trio spoke to Griphook, then I heard the 'Hedwig's Theme'. Then the Trio went to Ollivander, Harry showed the wands of Draco and Bellatrix then they talked about the Deathly Hallows.

Hermione holding a strand of hair of Bellatrix.... Then the Trio went to the Gringotts Wizarding Bank..... Helena Bonham Carter did a very nice performance\

Then inside the Bellatix's Vault, Harry heard Parseltounge where he found the Hufflepuff's Cup but Hermione was the reason why the golds of Bellatrix multiplied. Still, Harry got the cup and Griphook got the sword from Harry. By the way the Dragon.... bloody... Then I love how the Goblins became roasted. Poor Goblins, especially the one who talked to Hermione (Bellatrix)

After the Trio jumped from the dragon's back, Harry saw Voldemort killing the Goblins and some wizards at the Malfoy Manor.... That scene was so bloody... The Malfoys looked scared... Then Harry saw the logo of Ravenclaw and the Grey Lady. Voldemort talked to Nagini thru Parseltounge, so that's why there were subtitles (in 3D)

The Trio decided to go to Hogsmeade so they could enter the Hogwarts castle. Aberforth helped the Trio, then Harry found the other part of the 2-way mirror and Aberforth explained how he got the mirror. Aberforth said: "Suicide Mission"


Then we saw Neville, after that they went to Hogwarts and Harry talked to members of Dumbledore's Army. He said something about an object from Ravenclaw then Luna mentioned the Diadem. Then Ginny appeared until we saw the Students (in line) going to the Great Hall.

Snape warned everyone to tell the whereabouts of Harry. Then Harry and the Order of Phoenix appeared, and that scene was of the best of Daniel Radcliffe...

McGonagall attacked Snape, but the latter did not fight back, Snape left the castle instead.

We heard Voldemort's voice giving warning to everyone to give Harry Potter to him and he will leave Hogwarts untouched, but they didn't give Harry. Harry talked to McGonagall and said that he was looking for something inside the school.

Knights!! Wizards protecting the school for creating a big shield, which looks good in 3D. While Ron and Hermione decided to go to the Chamber of Secrets to get the Basilisk fang and destroy the Horcrux inside the cup. Harry agreed and gave them the Mauruder's Map. Lupin had a funny line.
Harry went to the Ravenclaw tower and Luna helped him.

We saw Voldemort and his Death Eaters at the cliff.

Ron and Hermione went to the Chamber of Secrets then we saw some Death Eaters died and disintegrated after passing the protective shield... Neville at the bridge was one of my favorite scenes.

Then Harry spoke to the Grey Lady... Then Hermione and Ron destroyed the Horcrux inside the cup and we saw Voldemort was hurt. Then, some tsunami attack, after that, Ron and Hermione had their kissing scene, Ron's head covered the scene but it got very nice reaction from the audience unlike the kissing scene of Harry and Ginny.

Voldemort knew that one of his Horcruxes was destroyed so he decided to attack Hogwarts. He used the Elder Wand to destroyed the shield... but the Elder Wand was kinda broken, and the 3d effect was so good. They showed the close-up shot of the Elder Wand.

Hogwarts was attacked by the Death Eaters and Giants. The holding hands scene of Lupin and Tonks, it was short, but very powerful scene.

Death Eaters attacked Neville at the bridge. Neville did run, and did some spells that cause the bridge to collapse, that killed the Death Eaters, luckily Neville survived and the audience love that scene.

Harry went to the Room of Requirements, and with the help of Parseltounge he found the diadem... But after getting the diadem, Draco and his friends appeared luckily Ron and Hermione helped Harry.

Goyle cast the Frendyfire spell that cause the whole Room of Requirements to be on fire... The Frendyfire has sound effects... The Trio found some broomsticks, they flew, and decided to save Draco and Blaise. The whole Room of Requirement scene looks really good in 3D

After closing the door of the Room of Requirements, they used the basilisk fang to destroy/stab the Diadem.... and again Voldemort felt it.

Voldemort went to the Boathouse and talked to Lucius Malfoy. Harry saw it. Ron said: "If we can find him, we can end this"

Voldemort told Lucius to bring Snape to him. While going to the Boathouse, they foud Lavander in blood, killed by Greyback. We also saw the epic Patronus of Aberforth and spiders.

Then we saw the Trio outside the Boathouse watching Snape and Voldemort inside.

Voldemort told Snape that he was not the Master of the Elder Wand. The line "Only I Can Live Forever" is part of this scene. Then he killed Snape. Using the Elder Wand, we saw blood from Snape's neck then he asked Nagini to attack Snape. It was not shown, just the sound effect. Voldemort left the crystal house.

Harry went inside.... Snape asked Harry to get his tears, then he said: "Look at me, you have your Mother's eyes".

Harry laying Snape on the boat was not shown. Voldemort said his line (his speech on the first trailer of 'Deathly Hallows 2' but they did some audio effect to sound scraier): "Harry you have fought valiantly".

The war stopped. The Trio went back to the castle. No people at the courtyard. Then they entered the Great Hall, where they saw dead bodies, and three of them were Lupin, Tonks and one of the Weasley twins.

Then Harry used the Pensieve to seen Snape's memory.

The Prince's Tale look short (for me). It started with Young Lily and Petunia scene... Then Lily and Severus at the river.... Super short Hogwarts scenes of Young Sirius, James, Lily and Snape. Then we saw scenes of Godric's Hollow, Harry in Hogwarts, Voldemort, Wormtail, Dumbledore-Snape and Godric's Hollow again then Harry in Hogwarts again. Though it looks okay in 3D but the Prince's Tale was so amazing because of the performance of Alan Rickman. His Godric's Hollow scene was wow! Epic!

Then Harry realized he needs to die. He saw Ron and Hermione at the stare. Hermione hugged him, he told the two to kill Nagini.

Next, Harry in the Forbidden Forest, the 'Resurrection's Theme' was used and I tell you, the track was remarkable, best track of the film. Then we saw the Resurrection Stone, a small stone, then Harry saw the ghosts of his parents Lily and James, his Godfather Sirius and Lupin. It was the best performance of Daniel Radcliffe. But the whole scene just looks okay in 3D. Harry and Lupin talked about the baby of Lupin. His father James said the line: "Until the end". Harry also said this line: "I never wanted any of you to die for me"

Finally, we saw Hagrid. Then Harry faced his death - turned to a very, very white scene

Until we saw the very bloody, yucky and old fetus. Harry was wearing jeans and shirt while Dumbledore wearing a bluish robe... The scene was so white... And yes Dumbledore said: "Do not Pity the dead Harry...".

Then we saw the face of Snape.... lying... Narcissa went to the body of Harry and Bellatrix asked her if Harry was dead.

Narcissa asked Harry if Draco is alive or not. After knowing her son Draco is still alive, Narcissa said: "Dead"

After the word dead we saw the Sorting Hat, Neville got the Hat. Then we saw Hagird carrying the body of Harry.

You could see that Voldemort was very happy and very very proud for killing Harry. Lucius called his son Draco to go to their side. Draco went to their side.... and Voldemort hugged him, it was so very nice scene, Ralph was so great on that scene. Voldemort laughed.

And this is my favorite scene.... Neville and Voldemort.... Matt was epic!!! Very very very nice performance...

Then Harry moved and showed everyone that he is alive. Many Death Eaters left and disappeared after knowing Harry is not dead. Even Malfoys left.

Then Voldemort was now mad.... He followed Harry... Wizards went back inside the Great Hall...

Voldemort attacked Neville.

Harry vs. Voldemort started, while there were also fights in other parts of the school: Bellatrix attacked Ginny, but Ginny's mother - Molly protected her from Bellatrix. Viewers love how Molly said: "Not my daughter, you b**ch!". And another good reactions from the audience when Moly finaly killed Bellatrix... her body disintegrated (looks like confetti).

Ron and Hermione tried to kille Nagini by using the Basilisk fang but Nagini was so good... Then Harry and Voldemort at the cliff, the scene "Why do you live?" was not part of the film. Then the flying scene of Harry and Voldemort was so good in 3D I love it. Then they fell at the Courtyard. While Nagini was going to attack Ron and Hermione but luckily Neville saved them, he killed the snake. And the audience really, really loved it... I loved that scene.... Nagini turned to a smoke.... and Voldemort felt it again.

Then the final wand duel of Voldemort and Harry, the film version of the duel was far far better than the trailer's version. Seeing it in 3D was wow!

Then the Elder Wand went to his real Master, and Harry grabbed it. You coulld see the face of Voldemort while his boduy was disintegrating.... his body became confetti which was great in 3D.

Harry went to the Great Hal. His smiling, seeing the happy face of his fellow wizards, seeing the victory on their faces. Hagrid hugged him. Until we saw the Trio at the bridge.... Harry told Ron and Hermione that he is the real Master of Elder Wand after winning over Draco at the Malfoy Manor. Then we saw the Trio at the middle of the bridge.... turned to black...


19 years later appeared

Then we saw the King's Cross... Albus Potter, his brother James, sister and cousins. We saw Harry, Ginny, Hermione (still looks the same), Ron and the less than one-second scene of the Malfoys.

I think the Epilogue did run for more than 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Albus looks tall.... Harry and his son Albus had their lines and they talked about the Sorting and Harry told his son that he was named after the 2 great headmasters of Hogwarts.... Then Harry did not touch his scars. The final scene was the Trio's faces. I love the make-up... and the audience love the Epilogue. Using the 'Leaving Hogwarts' theme is perfect!!!

I do not like the credits, it was so simple, in gold fonts.... Just so simple. The 'Hedwig's Theme' was played during the first part of the credits.

I think this is the best 'Harry Potter' film. The cinematography really works well, though, 'Half-Blood Prince' has better cinematography. Musical scoring was very nice. I love the editing, better than 'Deathly Hallows 1', hmmm... I think 'Deathly Hallows 2' has the best editing. I will give it 9/10. The movie looks good in 3D. The cast did show their best. The film has a very nice VFX. Now, the people can easily understand story.

This is just not a war story, this is a story of love of friendship and the new level of good vs evil story, this is the film of this century, a film that will be remembered for many many many decades..... David Yates showed his very best. They ended the series in a very very epic way. The film surprised me!!! Congrats!!!

'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2' hits Philippine 3D and 2D Theatres July 14....

Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures

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