- I’m a little underwhelmed, I have to be honest. Not disappointed in any way, just underwhelmed. I’m trying to remember how I felt at the end of the last book; I cried through the whole thing, but I think I found the ending a little anti-climactic (Voldemort’s death in particular) and that’s not really any different here.
- MINERVA FUCKING MCGONAGALL. OMG. I didn’t do a ton of crying during this movie, but I totally started weeping when she rallied her army of suits of armour. And I just about died when she said “I always wanted to try that spell!” because every movie always has one of those little “Magic is awesome!” moments where people are wowed by the things magic can do and I love that an old gal like McG still gets excited by it, and in the middle of a battle of all places. She was just totally bad ass through this whole thing. Second favourite character in the series for a reason, hey-o! And I loved how she had just a single lock of hair out of place by the end because, hi, McG can handle herself and not get flustered.
- I’ve always liked how we always get a new piece of architecture to explore at Hogwarts every movie, so I enjoyed the inexplicably random Hogwarts boat house. Um. I can only presume that because Voldemort likes to imbue places and things with meaning that this place holds some sort of special place in his cold, cold heart. I am now assuming that the year he opened the Chamber of Secrets, he was also on the Hogwarts rowing team and had a shirt that read “I rowed crew in ’42!”
- Bloody Babymort was gross.
- There was a lot of awkward positioning of Molly Weasley in all of McG’s get-the-battle-started scenes. “Don’t mind me, I’ll be really important later so the director just wants to remind you that I’m here so you’re not surprised when I show up and kill Bellatrix.” That moment got a large round of applause, of course. Between her and McG, I want them to start a Bad Ass Older Ladies Club.
- NEVILLE LONGBOTTOM! They really beefed up his role, which was expected of course but was still nice given the kinds of stuff they cut from the films.
- I liked all the little things that were throwbacks to the other movies, like the chocolate frog on the window, the Cornish pixies, McGonagall referring to Seamus’ proclivity for pyrotechnics, Sirius being the one to remind us that the ones who love us never really leave us, etc.
- I also liked the return of all the old Hogwarts staff like Professor Sprout and Madam Pomfrey.
- Totally awkward and unnecessary mention of Teddy
RuxpinLupin. File under Sometimes It’s Okay To Not Placate The Fans. You can also add the random Ariana Dumbledore reference to that file. - Quick ways to identify noobs in the audience: when Luna cryptically refers to Harry needing to find Helena Ravenclaw, some guy goes “Wait, he’s going to see that chick in the bathroom?” No. Moaning Myrtle does not know anything about Ravenclaw’s diadem.
- I liked the Ron/Hermione kiss. I wasn’t expecting it to happen when it did (mostly because I wasn’t really thinking about it in the first place).
- I really loved Luna when she was like “Harry Potter, you listen to me!” She was pretty awesome in her limited time on screen.
- So, when they destroyed the Quidditch pitch and set it on fire, naturally all I could think was they’re rioting at a college level!
- I liked the Charlie Brown stripe of shells on the walls at Shell Cottage.
- Helena Bonham Carter is ace at pretending to be Hermione pretending to be Bellatrix. Fantastic.
- So… Snape can cry out his memories?
- Speaking of which: they used my one of my favourite techniques to identify young!Snape by giving him the same Miss Clairol feathery hairstyle that Alan Rickman sports in the films. Amazing.
- The Resurrection Stone scene was weird; Harry Sees Dead People but then when he walks through the forest to find Voldemort, we don’t see them anymore. This makes sense for any Voldemort POV shots but it would have been nice to see them there with him at the end, especially since it gives that scene a nice emotional sucker punch to the gut in the book.
- Absolutely nothing on Grindlewald and Dumbledore, BFFs. This is not a complaint, mind you, just an observation.
- I… am… so… sick… of… Rickman’s… delivery… of… all… of… Snape’s… lines. It gets worse every movie. I thought Snape’s last gasp before turning his head and dying was downright embarrassing. I’m actually really upset about this. Also, when did they start making him wear so much eye shadow?
- Everyone else in this was top-notch, though. I’m really happy to see how these kids have grown. I also continue to love Ralph Fiennes in this role.
- Dean Thomas is approximately eight feet tall.
- Draco Malfoy: the only person in recorded history to ever hug Voldemort. Awkward.
- I mentioned this when I saw Half-Blood Prince but I never tire of Filch’s dedication to the school and how he does it in his own very Filchy way. Watching him try to sweep up a giant mountain of Hogwarts rubble was both heartbreaking and endearing. I love this guy.
- I have to say the epilogue was probably the best adapted part of this story, since it was as hilarious and cringe-inducing as it was in the book. Draco Malfoy’s Receding Hairline of Awesome, how happy I am to see you! Also: MOM HAIR CUTS.
- In shocking news, hell is indeed other people. I will definitely need to see this again because there was a segment of our audience that was bent on ruining it for everyone else. I don’t know, it seems to me that if you’re someone who sees something like this on opening day, it’s safe to assume you’re a fan. There was a group at the back that had a very challenging time suppressing their giggles through much of the film, when they weren’t speaking at normal volume to each other. Naturally, when we came to the dramatic moment where Voldemort orders Nagini to kill Snape, they chose this moment to take their hiccuping selves out of the theatre, falling down the stairs in the process. (Drunk?) Because it wasn’t enough that they ruined this moment, they managed to return to the theatre precisely when Snape is giving his memories to Harry. Still suppressing their giggles and hiccups, they were making a series of awkward noises that prompted one guy to shout “This isn’t the place to fuck!” which then got a round of laughter from everyone else in the theatre, followed by him saying “Well, it isn’t!” Truth, friend, truth.
Categories: 3 Stars
Can we mention how Yates cut out the scene in the trailers with Snape up against the boathouse window. So when Nagini attacks him all we hear and see is the outline of Snape being hit against the window several times. And the art director said Snape dies a “romantic” death? The fuck is wrong with the crew? Read the fucking books.
I don’t think I saw that version of the trailer, but I wonder if the choice to use the silhouetted shot instead had anything to do with the movie’s rating.