By Dan Little
It is all over. After years and years of waiting on bated breath, the whole thing is over. Ever since I was a wee tike in 5th grade who discovered the series three books deep, I have lived with great anticipation for the next installment. Every couple years a new book came along, and almost every year or so a new film. When the books finished a great wave of sadness washed over me that my journey with my beloved heroes had reached its conclusion. After being stuck in a funk for a few days I remembered I still had the movies, which after a weak first couple entries have been more hit (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) than miss (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) and that under Yates' consistent vision from the 5th film on the series was only getting better. So I took a deep breath and began to wait anxiously for each new film. Then it came. This past summer brought about a lot of things, but among them came the end of Harry. This was it, no more books, no more films, no more Harry.
It is hard to review a film that comes with so much emotional baggage and finds itself as part 8 of an enormous saga, but I shall do my best. I won't go into the story as everyone who is anyone at least has some minor grasp on the story. Here in part 8 is the thrilling climax, the battle for Hogwarts. This epic ending is filled with everything anyone could hope. From the minute the film opens all we have is pure action and character all fixed between dazzling special effects for which the series had become known. What truly amazed me was how beautifully the film managed to be incredibly action heavy yet never forget its roots in storytelling and character. After all we have seen films act as the climax to a series before as in X-men 3: The Last Stand, a film entirely built around a final action set piece, yet the film is bloated, weak, and the worst of the continuing series. Yet here is Harry, Ron, and Hermione and all their pals and we get it and we get the same antics as usual, but this time the stakes are higher, the effects better, the style more assured, and the end more poignant. What is there to say at this point that hasn't been said? This film probably could have been as bad as the Twilight saga and I still would have had it on this list, but thank God it actually is a great great film.
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