[OLD] Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 - A Satisfying Conclusion That Out-Does The Book

The epic tale of Harry Potter has finally come to an end this week with the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. The year-long gap between this and Part 1 not only served to extend the series' lifespan, but also increased the build-up to the inevitable final battle between the titular character and Lord Voldemort. After all of this time with the franchise, it's send-off has a very satisfying conclusion.

The movie continues exactly after Part 1 left off. After that it's a bit tricky to describe what happens without giving away anything major, since it's continuing a singular story. All I can say is that it's really amazing in the way it wraps up the events of a series that has lasted over a decade.

The acting and special effects are at their best in this film, making the climactic battle more epic with all the spells being cast left and right. There are also some humorous moments spread throughout, which serve to prevent the story from becoming too serious, but the dark tone is still evident. The 3D version of the movie actually seems to work, though it was difficult to tell what was or wasn't in 3D. In any case, I don't really have any complaints about this option.

Though I can't think of any real changes made between the book and film, there's one big change that actually makes the movie BETTER than the source material: *Spoiler Alert* In the original book, the final battle between Harry and Lord Voldemort lasts two paragraphs and each character casts only one spell, making the decade or so of build-up excruciatingly anti-climactic. The battle in the movie is extended a bit, with Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) firing several spells at each other and moving all over the place. On top of this, Voldemort appears to be genuinely surprised at Harry being alive compared to his immediate acceptance of this event in the book. *End Spoiler Alert*

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 is a very satisfying movie and brings an epic end to a long-running franchise. Fans that have grown up with Harry Potter from the very beginning will enjoy seeing Harry for the last time, as will casual movie-goers who have already seen Part 1 along with the other movies. Whether the 3D is good or not depends on the viewer, but it's worth seeing it this way at least once.

Having been invested in the Harry Potter franchise from the very beginning, it's almost a little sad to see Harry go. From seeing the first movie as a child to the last one as a young adult, I feel as if I've grown up along with the younger cast, and thus I feel closer to what their characters have gone through over the years. It's satisfying to know what happens to them in the end in the story, but despite this, it's time for me to say goodbye to Harry and move on with my own life.