Review of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) by Sebastian — 18 Jul 2011

Regarding the relationship between the books and movies: Novel "purists" should stop pretending the relationship is or should be one-sided, in which movies serve as visual allegiances to Rowling's words. The imaginative worlds of the movies and books are both distinct and mutually influential. It seems clear that Rowling started writing with a movie consciousness (altering her themes and action in preparation for the big screen) in Goblet of Fire, or at least Order of the Phoenix. So not only do the movies deserve their own agency, they push back on Rowling and shape the novels.

About the movie: It's at once a celebration of the first seven films and their fireworks grand finale. Have fun recognizing all the homages. Note the score, which incorporates themes from much of John Williams' original visions, as well as mood pieces from Yates' earlier contributions. Although some character cameos from the previous films are obvious, others take a bit of crowd analysis. Also check the room of requirement for a few trips down memory lane. The movie is a time capsule of the films' collective culture.

But it's also a fluid and marvelous piece of entertainment on its own (as like 200 professional critics have noted with enough words). Is it perfect? Well, it has Ginny Weasley. But Neville Longbottom's geek awesomeness more than baptizes those moments. If you enjoy the idea of Neville Longbottom being awesome, you'll fall for the movie as naturally as Luna falls for--all assortment of geeky things.