Happy Hallowed Harry Potter Friday!
The absolute last ever Harry Potter movie is finally here. Actually the film has been out in some areas (including South Africa) since Wednesday, but today the dark fantasy adventure Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 hits North America.
Screening in 2D and - in a first for a Potter film - converted 3D, Deathly Hallows: Part 2 wraps up the epic with a bang. There's no point coming to the franchise new at this point because evidently there is no time to take a breath; let alone explain what's going on in this, the shortest of the Potter flicks (clocking in at 130 minutes).
To summarise though, in this adaptation of JK Rowling's book, teenage wizard Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and his friends Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) must find and destroy the 4 remaining Horcruxes - phylacteries in Dungeons & Dragons terms - that grant genocidal-minded warlock Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) immortality. The quest eventually takes the trio back to Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, for a to-the-death battle between Harry's allies and Voldemort's followers. Friends and foes will fall in equal heartbreaking numbers.
Personally I'm excited about Deathly Hallows: Part 2 for one reason, and that's the chance to see Dame Maggie Smith's Professor McGonagall step up, unleash the full scope of her Transfiguration magic and lead the defense of Hogwarts. And the couple of reviews I've read - just a couple because I really don't want to spoil the film for myself - suggest I won't be disappointed. *Exhales*
Out of interest, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is currently sitting with an aggregated Rotten Tomatoes score of 96% Fresh. Apparently the film won't make you a franchise fan if you're not one already, but it does end the series on an appropriately high note, delivering the emotional, action and special effects goods.
P.S. If your excitement levels for Harry Potter 7.2 aren't high enough, then check out this fantastic gallery of high drama pics from the film.
P.P.S. I was asked just yesterday who my favourite Harry Potter character is. I don't quite know if I can narrow my faves down to one but my shortlist appeals to the different parts of my personality. In some small way I can really identify with, admire and/or enjoy the following:
Professor Minerva McGonagall: McGonagall is neither fun nor funny (lessening her audience appeal), but she's the kind of quiet, serious stalwart you want beside you when the chips are down. Deceptively frail in appearance, in reality she's a badass old broad powerful enough to go toe to toe with the greatest dark wizard of all time.
Hermione Granger: Hermione is the obnoxious smart girl who demonstrates a surprising amount of resourcefulness and common sense to match her intellect. She's not afraid of showing her intellect and, after initially rolling their eyes at her nerdishness, the guys come to love her for it.
Luna Lovegood: Quirky, a tad morbid, and - most importantly - blisteringly honest to herself and others, Luna sees through the double-faced nature of people. She also demonstrates amazing courage, remaining her "loony" self despite being well aware of the mockery she receives from others when her back is turned.
Dolores Umbridge: A sharp fanged snake beneath the sugar, Umbridge is a more realistic villain than Voldemort... by a mile. There's sure to be at least one Umbridge lurking in your school or workplace right now, wielding that terrible combination of vicious righteousness and political power, smothered beneath a overbearingly sweet exterior.
So, who are your Potter character faves?
Screening in 2D and - in a first for a Potter film - converted 3D, Deathly Hallows: Part 2 wraps up the epic with a bang. There's no point coming to the franchise new at this point because evidently there is no time to take a breath; let alone explain what's going on in this, the shortest of the Potter flicks (clocking in at 130 minutes).
To summarise though, in this adaptation of JK Rowling's book, teenage wizard Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and his friends Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) must find and destroy the 4 remaining Horcruxes - phylacteries in Dungeons & Dragons terms - that grant genocidal-minded warlock Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) immortality. The quest eventually takes the trio back to Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, for a to-the-death battle between Harry's allies and Voldemort's followers. Friends and foes will fall in equal heartbreaking numbers.
Personally I'm excited about Deathly Hallows: Part 2 for one reason, and that's the chance to see Dame Maggie Smith's Professor McGonagall step up, unleash the full scope of her Transfiguration magic and lead the defense of Hogwarts. And the couple of reviews I've read - just a couple because I really don't want to spoil the film for myself - suggest I won't be disappointed. *Exhales*
Out of interest, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is currently sitting with an aggregated Rotten Tomatoes score of 96% Fresh. Apparently the film won't make you a franchise fan if you're not one already, but it does end the series on an appropriately high note, delivering the emotional, action and special effects goods.
P.S. If your excitement levels for Harry Potter 7.2 aren't high enough, then check out this fantastic gallery of high drama pics from the film.
P.P.S. I was asked just yesterday who my favourite Harry Potter character is. I don't quite know if I can narrow my faves down to one but my shortlist appeals to the different parts of my personality. In some small way I can really identify with, admire and/or enjoy the following:
Professor Minerva McGonagall: McGonagall is neither fun nor funny (lessening her audience appeal), but she's the kind of quiet, serious stalwart you want beside you when the chips are down. Deceptively frail in appearance, in reality she's a badass old broad powerful enough to go toe to toe with the greatest dark wizard of all time.
Hermione Granger: Hermione is the obnoxious smart girl who demonstrates a surprising amount of resourcefulness and common sense to match her intellect. She's not afraid of showing her intellect and, after initially rolling their eyes at her nerdishness, the guys come to love her for it.
Luna Lovegood: Quirky, a tad morbid, and - most importantly - blisteringly honest to herself and others, Luna sees through the double-faced nature of people. She also demonstrates amazing courage, remaining her "loony" self despite being well aware of the mockery she receives from others when her back is turned.
Dolores Umbridge: A sharp fanged snake beneath the sugar, Umbridge is a more realistic villain than Voldemort... by a mile. There's sure to be at least one Umbridge lurking in your school or workplace right now, wielding that terrible combination of vicious righteousness and political power, smothered beneath a overbearingly sweet exterior.
So, who are your Potter character faves?
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