Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (8) - 9 stars out of 10

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (8) - 9 stars out of 10

While I wish that I could say that this final installment in the Harry Potter series is the best out of the eight films, I do not find that to be true. The film does provide closure, an exciting final battle, events to pull the entire series together, and an Epilogue that I believe was the best possible ending; unfortunately, much of the movie progresses at a snail's pace without much reward. While Part 1 had its slow moments, I forgave that due to the incredible drama that it generated. I just don't understand why this one had to be so slow without creating as much drama. I definitely support splitting the final book into two films to preserve the story, but something should have been done to make this more entertaining. Many have complained about the changes to the final half-hour of the film, but I believe that, although the final battle read well in the book, it would have been too short (and anticlimactic) if it was not embellished on the screen. In regards to the special effects, they perfectly bring the world of Harry Potter to life in a believable way that never seems over-the-top or cheesy. The same goes for the actors - Radcliffe, Watson, and Grint complete the Harry Potter chapter of their acting careers by showing their potential to move on to successfully depict different roles (though Radcliffe will really have to battle the Zach Morris Syndrome). After having his appearances limited in the first 7 films, Fiennes finally has an opportunity to show his evil, wonderfully complimented by Helena Bonham Carter. Maggie Smith is always a joy to watch, and the entire Snape sequence was wonderful. I love the twists that were set-up back in the first few films. As I stated for Part 1, this is not a children's movie. This film is incredibly dark and was aptly rated PG-13. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" is a wonderful ending to a highly successful film series, though I wish that I could say that it was better than Part 1.