HP7 Part 2 comments

[jules]

I saw it Fri at 12:01am, with a large and very enthusiastic crowd. Lots of fans in costume, the best one being a 7 foot tall guy in full Hagrid regalia. Thought Part 2 was very good, certainly an improvement over Part 1, which had too much teenage angst (as did the book, I know) and too many drawn out expositional moments, IMO. As for specifics,


The Best:

1. Dan Radcliffe's performance. Harry is his own man! No more clueless boy being led around by Hermione and the Order! I though Dan did a terrific job portraying Harry as taking initiative and shouldering his responsibility with maturity and determination. Harry in Part 2 was reminiscent to me of Luke in Return of the Jedi. The movie centered around him, and everyone looked to him for leadership. It was his moment to sink or shine, and he shined.

2. Alan Rickman and Snape's story. Though Snape's memories in the movie bypassed much of the darker Snape/Lily moments from the book, I think we still got a good sense of Snape's feelings and his life-long regret. Snape's death scene was also moving and rather frightening. Though I was waiting for Nagini to be held in her box and drop down on Snape, I did like the multiple strikes and the way it was filmed against the glass house wall. Very effective. Also liked Snape saying "You have her eyes." Good job, Alan!

3. Pretty much all the rest of the acting. I thought Jason Issacs in particular did a nice job (as he did in Part 1) portraying Lucius's rejection from Voldemort's good graces and what it did to him both physically and emotionally. Also kudos to Rupert Grint and Emma Watson for their portrayals, Hermione actually deferring to others for a change, Ron being a solid presence even with the amusing headlong run from the Fiendyfire (I'd run pretty fast too!) And a shout out to Maggie Smith for being such a fierce McGonagall! Plus, Neville ROCKED. 


The Worst:

1. The deaths of Remus, Tonks and Fred were barely touched on. A mere laid-out bodies shot for Remus and Tonks, and as for Fred, I wondered if those who hadn't read the books even knew which Weasley had died!

2. The scene between Harry and the spectres of his parents, Remus and Sirius. It fell flat to me. I didn't really feel any connections between the characters, other than between Harry and Sirius (I did like Harry's "Does it hurt?"). I don't know if it was because Gary Oldman is an acting god and can do no wrong, or if it was the writing. And Remus just looked weird in that scene. Horrible make-up maybe?

3. Ginny. With apologies to Bonnie Wright, she is the most colorless character in the last two movies by far. I'm not a great Ginny fan in general, but at least in the book she has some fire. Ginny in the DH movies is nothing more than a loyal girlfriend/wife automation, completely devoid of personality. It didn't help that her part in the school rebellion was complelty cut in the movies. The epilogue only clinched her cipher standing for me. 

What could have been the worst moment ever in all 8 movies:

Did anyone think Hermione was going to kill Nagini? I was prepared to stand up and scream obscenities at the screen if it happened! And from the roar of applause and approval when Neville finally did the deed, I think the rest of the audience would have joined me!

Still thinking about it:

1. Harry and Voldemort's final confrontation. Why were they somewhere alone in the ruins instead of in the Great Hall surrounded by everyone? I think Harry informing Voldemort that Snape was not his man in front of an audience (in the book) was more effective. I'm not sure either that I like the whole duelling part over Harry's expelleramus in the book. I know Voldemort's growing weakness was forshadowed by his (and Harry's) cries of pain as each horcrux was destroyed, and I'm still deciding if I liked that scenario better, since I found it very odd in the book that Voldemort never seemed aware of his soul dwindling piece by horcux piece. But I wonder in the movie how the Elder Wand was so easily defeated in direct combat, so to speak. Still undecided on whether these changes are good or bad.

2. Harry breaking the Elder Wand. I get his reasoning and applaud it. Just not sure it wasn't a little too cliche. 

I'm know I have more thoughts, I just can't remember them right now! I expect I'll see the movie again in the next week or two. It definitely requires a second viewing (and maybe a third and fourth). 

Julie,
happy and relieved that the last movie turned out so well...