Film Feature: 10 Most Controversial Moments in ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’

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CHICAGO – Taken as one complete film, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” is easily the best installment of the series. By splitting J.K. Rowling’s spellbinding final book into two parts, director David Yates and screenwriter Steve Kloves had much more time to pace each sequence and develop each character to the best of their ability. The added minutes have enabled them to deliver a rousing finale to one of the greatest franchises in history.

That being said, I freely admit that my experience of growing up with Harry Potter has contributed considerably to my impassioned involvement in the subsequent film adaptations. To say the books are better than the movies would be to miss the point entirely. Literature and cinema are entirely different languages and must be judged on their own terms. The extraordinary thing about the “Potter” films is the fact that they have continued to get better and better with each passing year. Yet even in the sublime “Deathly Hallows,” there are a handful of moments that have caused otherwise entranced moviegoers to raise their eyebrows.

Instead of dismiss these reservations as mere quibbles, I’ve decided to deconstruct each of them in order to determine whether they indeed hold the film back from greatness. After gauging audience responses at three separate screenings of “Part 2,” I have come up with ten moments that I would deem the most controversial in the entirety of “Deathly Hallows.” A word of caution: this article is intended solely for moviegoers who have seen the final film, and judging by the film’s record-breaking opening week at the box office, there are a great many of you out there. Nearly every single one of these moments could be deemed a spoiler, so for the Muggles who haven’t seen “Part 2,” please do as soon as possible (it’s the hottest ticket this season, by far). For everyone who already cheered (and jeered) at the epic showdown between Harry Potter and Voldemort, I encourage you to join in the debate regarding these wisely disputed scenes. Here they are, in order of appearance…

Matthew Lewis, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and Daniel Radcliffe star in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.
Matthew Lewis, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and Daniel Radcliffe star in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.
Photo credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

1.) The Dance

One of the greatest shortcomings of any adaptation is the need to condense. The weakest page-to-screen transfers play like visual SparkNotes montages, comprised entirely of exposition enabling each scene to lead swiftly to the next (for a particularly soulless example, check out the “Da Vinci Code” films). It’s rare when an adaptation can take a moment to breathe and allow its characters to simply behave. That’s precisely what Yates and Kloves manage to do during the tensest section of “Deathly Hallows: Part 1,” as the young heroes find themselves lost in the woods, unsure about what to do next. Ron has left in a huff, leaving Harry and Hermione to hunt the Horcruxes on their own. Their “dance” takes place during a scene entirely invented by the filmmakers, as the two longtime friends allow themselves to momentarily become kids again.

Sure, the last thing fans were expecting was the jarringly contemporary voices of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds popping up in a “Potter” flick, but their haunting rendition of “O Children” sounds gloriously poignant as it emanates from Hermione’s radio. It’s the first time in quite a while that the luminous Emma Watson is allowed to smile, and her refreshing looseness instantly evokes memories of her exuberant early years in the franchise, before she became weary of playing a witch for the remainder of her adolescence. Some fans have speculated about the scene’s hinting of an attraction between the two characters, but I found their shared warmth entirely platonic. This scene is the sort of gem that’s often guaranteed a place on the cutting room floor, if only because it commits the sin of not moving along the plot. If Yates had left it out, he would’ve been cutting the film’s heart. It may be my favorite moment in all of “Deathly Hallows.”

2.) The Nude Scene

For all those who thought the previous scene indicated possible chemistry between Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, this moment may have satisfied their curiosity all too well. Though neither star technically appears “nude,” it’s clear that they aren’t wearing anything apart from some strategically placed clouds of smoke. No matter how integral the filmmakers thought this image was to their portrayal of Ron’s tormented psyche, it didn’t do much more than inspire incredulous howls at midnight screenings around the globe. It’s a pity, especially considering how the surrounding sequence is a well-realized staging of the Satan-like spell Voldemort casts upon Ron as he attempts to destroy one of the Horcruxes. Ron’s mistaken suspicion of his friends’ lustful attraction toward one another is exploited by Voldemort, who conjures silver-skinned apparitions of Harry and Hermione. They taunt Ron before instantly doffing their clothes and making out. Since romantic subplots have always been the weakest aspects of a “Potter” picture, this last-second stab at eroticism is jarring beyond belief. It also evokes unwelcome memories of Radcliffe’s nude work in “Equus” and Watson’s professed desire to shed her clothes for Bernardo Bertolucci. It’s as if some perverted fan fiction writer secretly inserted a page into the script for “Deathly Hallows,” and it somehow ended up on film.

Rupert Grint and Emma Watson star in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.
Rupert Grint and Emma Watson star in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.
Photo credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

3.) The Ron/Hermione Kiss

One of Yates’s greatest triumphs was his ability to actually make the budding love story between Ron and Hermione wholly credible. Even when I read the books, I wasn’t entirely sold on the attraction Rowling attempted to contrive between the two characters, whose bickering sounded less like that of a married couple than playful siblings. It’s primarily through silent expressions in “Part 1,” mainly conveyed by the marvelously nuanced face of Rupert Grint, that Yates was able to establish a connection that felt like something more than friendship. The build-up crystalizes beautifully in “Part 2,” as the two characters consummate their feelings for one another with an exquisitely timed kiss. Instead of previous “Potter” lip-smacks that take place after an ungainly series of lines designed to mask the young actors’ woeful lack of chemistry, Kloves doesn’t bother preceding the much-hyped moment with dialogue. Instead, he allows the kiss to occur immediately after Ron and Hermione have risked their lives while performing their latest act of improvisational heroism. Their passion for one another grows organically out of their shared exhilaration. It’s an impeccable expression of the simple reason why they’re attracted to one another: they’ve been through so much together. Plus, their subsequent giggle rids the moment of any nagging awkwardness.

4.) The Harry/Ginny Kiss

Sadly, the same cannot be said for Harry and Ginny’s less-hyped, predictably unsatisfactory snog. It’s the final nail in the coffin for this failed subplot—so sweet within the pages of Rowling’s text, so painfully wrongheaded whenever it rears its blurry-eyed head onscreen. The biggest problem is Ginny herself, played by the fatally wooden Bonnie Wright. She’s been nothing more than a one-dimensional damsel ever since she was saved by Harry in “Chamber in Secrets.” Her acting in that film was entirely nonexistent. She delivered her lines as she were reading them for the first time. In recent years, Wright has attempted to sound more naturalistic by utilizing a more mumbly, clipped speech that ultimately doesn’t sound any less hollow than her earlier zombie-like recitations.

Kloves doesn’t help matters with his refusal to develop their attraction beyond Harry’s vague admittance to Ron (in “Half-Blood Prince”) that he likes Ginny’s skin. I always thought Harry and Luna would’ve made a better match, considering how both of them have the ability to envision things that others can’t. Plus Evanna Lynch’s loopy portrayal of Luna is infinitely more beguiling than Wright’s immobile presence. As chaos engulfs her classmates in “Part 2,” Ginny still manages to remain frozen. Even with Neville hanging off a crumbling bridge, she just stands there like an unpossessed chess piece. So it’s really no surprise when Harry and Ginny face each other for what may be the last time in their potentially short lives, and Ginny does nothing more than plant a stilted peck on the lips of the man she allegedly loves.

Alan Rickman stars in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.
Alan Rickman stars in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.
Photo credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

5.) The Flashback

Now with the weakest character out of the way, let’s concentrate on the strongest. From the instant he literally burst onto the screen in “Sorcerer’s Stone,” Severus Snape has always been the most fascinatingly complex and compulsively entertaining character in the “Potter” saga. With his syllable-contorting line delivery and hypnotically reptilian body language, Alan Rickman created an iconically sinister figure of bottomless intrigue. Yet it wasn’t until “Part 2” that Snape’s repressed emotions were finally able to break free in an extended flashback montage (via a Pensieve) that is truly the most riveting moment in the entire picture. Composer Alexandre Desplat’s masterful use of past scores is particularly moving here, as the melancholy tones of “Dumbledore’s Farewell” (written by Nicholas Hooper for “Half-Blood Prince”) are heard during the late professor’s tragic backstory, culminating in his tearful embrace of Lily, Harry’s dead mother, whom Snape had always secretly loved.

This head-spinning twist was galvanizing in Rowling’s book, and editor Mark Day skillfully paces the sequence, enabling the audience to feel as if they are gradually connecting the dots along with Harry. Though Rickman’s screen time in “Part 2” is brief, allowing the actor no more than a single deliciously prolonged line reading (“they will be treated as…e—qual—ly  guilty”), his work during the flashback sequence is thoroughly heartbreaking and deeply moving. As far as I’m concerned, it makes Rickman’s capper to a brilliant eight-picture performance worthy of an Oscar nod. The only real controversy provoked by this sequence is its muddled meaning for viewers unfamiliar with the story (some feel that it makes Snape look like Harry’s father). It’s also worth noting that the entire Lily/Snape subplot is remarkably similar to the Lily/Craven subplot in Marsha Norman and Lucy Simon’s 1991 musical adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s novel “The Secret Garden.” Both stories feature a “villain” haunted by the eyes of a young protagonist with a dead mother named Lily (in both cases, the villain loved Lily, but she ended up falling for his rival). Is this subplot a clever homage or blatant plagiarism?

6.) The Dream Sequence

Strangeness accompanied by an eerie quiet are always reliable ingredients for uncomfortable snickers, and that is precisely what this sequence has generated. It takes place immediately after Voldemort has supposedly killed Harry, and includes an ambiguous conversation between the deceased boy wizard and his trusted mentor, Dumbledore (Michael Gambon). Ever since Gambon replaced the late Richard Harris in “Prisoner of Azkaban,” several fans have blasted Gambon for his aggressive portrayal of a gentle character, and his refusal to read Rowling’s original text. I may be in the minority, but I find Gambon’s portrayal absolutely essential to the evolution of his character from a larger-than-life god to a flawed and distressingly fallible human being. Gambon also isn’t above injecting some wry humor into the role, and his deadpan delivery is a welcome addition to Harry’s imagined encounter in “Part 2.” What viewers unfamiliar with the books will find wholly incomprehensible about the sequence is the shocking appearance of what looks like a bloodied Voldemort fetus. It’s meant to represent the part of Voldemort’s soul that was killed in the preceding wand blast, thus relieving Harry of his identity as a Horcrux. Kloves doesn’t bother to explain this, and his preference for ambiguity is admirable, though it’s bound to inspire much head-scratching.

7.) The Rise of Neville Longbottom

So…is Neville Longbottom the Chosen One? I think not. He is merely the character who has undergone the greatest transformation during his seven years at Hogwarts. His vital heroism in “Part 2” is very much in keeping with the preceding dream sequence, where Dumbeldore tells Harry that help will always come to those at Hogwarts who need it. The Sword of Gryffindor was bound to appear to a student—it just happened to be Neville. And it seriously couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy. Audiences have riotously cheered Neville on during the final act, and it’s easy to see why they love him. It’s not just his bravery, pluck and dashing good looks, it’s also because…well, he’s still the same lovable, neurotic, cardigan-wearing character that he always was. Matthew Lewis pulls off the difficult task of taking his character to the next level while still keeping his tender spirit and relatable vulnerability intact. Lewis has always been one of the finest young actors in the series, and his star turn here is entirely earned.

Ralph Fiennes stars in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.
Ralph Fiennes stars in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.
Photo credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

8.) The Fall of Voldemort

After seven pictures of ominous foreboding, Voldemort is finally revealed to be a character based entirely in hype. All one has to do is dare to say his name, and already he’s lost some of his power. Though the final battle in “Part 2” is true to the novel in its anti-climactic nature, it may prove to disappoint viewers expecting an explosive death of the evil demon. Instead, Voldemort merely disintegrates into the air as Harry drifts into obscurity. There’s something beautiful about the way peace and order are restored to the world with a nearly wordless calm. Perhaps what’s more troubling is Ralph Fiennes’s portrayal of Voldemort as he begins to lose his grip on power. Fiennes’s performance has been electrifying throughout the series, but here his non-threatening cackle takes on an almost comical nature. When Voldemort declares that Harry Potter is dead, the subsequent wicked (yet passionless) guffaws of his followers inspire a laugh at the worst possible moment. Fiennes gives it his all, and he’s still fascinating to watch, but the lack of palpable terror is a bit of a letdown.

9.) The Line Everyone Has Waited For

As soon as fans finished “Deathly Hallows,” the line everyone’s been waiting to see on film is Mrs. Weasley’s enraged exclamation, “Not my daughter, you BITCH!” before offing the loathsome Bellatrix Lestrange. It was a moment destined to become a surefire crowd-pleaser, and the film didn’t disappoint. Though Julie Walters resists delivering the words with the conviction some may have hoped, she was wise in not attempting to top the infamous movie line that so obviously inspired it: Sigourney Weaver’s badass snarl, “Get away from her, you BITCH!” in James Cameron’s “Aliens.” The moment is intensely satisfying, spectacularly visualized and over far too quickly. It is also the moment that has inspired the largest applause at every screening I’ve attended.

10.) The Epilogue

Alas, the most problematic scene in “Part 2” is saved for the very end. It’s an epilogue set 19 years in the future that commits the critical error of featuring the same young actors decked out in unconvincing, digitally enhanced makeup. It plays like the type of deleted scene one watches on DVD while breathing a sigh of relief that the filmmakers weren’t dense enough to include it in the final cut. It’s a damned shame, considering how poignant the scene is, both in terms of its premise and execution (Desplat’s use of John Williams’s “Leaving Hogwarts” theme is an utter masterstroke).

If Yates had shown me a rough cut of “Part 2,” here’s how I would advise him to change the epilogue. First of all, get rid of Radcliffe, Grint and Watson. The preceding shot of them standing together on the bridge near Hogwarts is the perfect final image of these beloved actors. Audiences have loved watching them literally age before their eyes. Don’t botch the magic of their organic aging process with an outrageously unbelievable act of dress-up right in the final inning. The remarkable casting directors that selected the adult actors in “Part 1” (whom the three stars posed as via Polyjuice Potion in the Ministry of Magic) could certainly find suitable choices for adult versions of Harry, Ron and Hermione. Also, get rid of the inexplicable touchy-feely shot of a fatherly Draco Malfoy—there’s no reason why audiences should have any warm feelings toward him. Okay, so Harry and his son have their chat and then the boy hops aboard the Hogwarts Express. Williams’s music begins to swell as Harry waves to his son. This is where Day could’ve inserted an archival shot of Radcliffe (at the end of “Sorcerer’s Stone”) waving back to Harry. This would allow Harry to literally see himself in his son, creating a moment of misty-eyed poignance. The adult actor would also be able to project a middle-aged wistfulness that the 21-year-old Radcliffe simply couldn’t pull off. This would’ve earned the film rapturous cheers and applause without a single smattering of derisive laughter.

‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2’ stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Ralph Fiennes, Alan Rickman, Matthew Lewis, Tom Felton, Michael Gambon, Evanna Lynch and Warwick Davis. It was written by Steve Kloves and directed by David Yates. It opened in local theaters on July 15. It is rated PG-13.

HollywoodChicago.com staff writer Matt Fagerholm

By MATT FAGERHOLM
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
matt@hollywoodchicago.com

Anonymous's picture

Regarding Ten Most Controversial Moments in ‘Deathly Hallows’

Plainly the dance was awkward, it must of made Harry/Hermione fans love it, but you couldn’t just feel that they were being friends. I felt sad that the kisses were not the ones from the book. Although they were well done in the movie, they could have followed how they happened. The nude scene is controversial, if Riddle-Harry and Riddle-Hermione wore clothes while making out in front of Ron would have given the same effect to be angry and destroy the Horcrux. I agree Voldemort’s character was weakened by the end of the movie. He was over the top jubilant and even gave Draco Malfoy a hug. You didn’t feel creeped.The ending was just poorly executed. The dream sequence was a let down, but it gave the just the fact that Snape has been protecting Harry through the love of Lily and Harry must offer himself to death. The rise of Neville was well done, but still unlike the book.

One of the Most Controversial Moments in ‘Deathly Hallows’ is that Harry snaps the Elder Wand. Fans and myself were expecting him to mend his old one to give a sense of perserverance and it plainly was just a great way to end the movie especially when Harry says in the line from the book: “The wand is more trouble than it’s worth and quiet honestly, I’ve had enough trouble in a lifetime.” Another controversial moment is Goyle was killed off instead of Crabbe. The actor of Crabbe did some drug business I’ve heard, but it’s still a let down to choose Goyle to die. Another controversial fact is also Wormtail is merely knocked out in the Deathly Hallows, instead of being killed. It would of been a creepy scene involving Wormtail strangle himself with his new metal hand which would have been an interesting scene to watch. Another unfortunate miss was the fact Harry did not use the cloak of Invisibility in the Forest scene. It is an important factor not because it follows the book, but the fact that it metaphorically shows Harry is the master of the Deathly Hallows because he is accepting to die as Voldemort isn’t. Lastly I personally didn’t like the fight scene at the end of the movie between Harry and Voldemort…the movie creators should have just followed the end…

somewhat hp fan's picture

ADAPTATION- look it up

Oh come on, your entire comment is basically “blah blah blah doesn’t follow book blah blah blah did things different blah!” It’s an adaptation- some things just woundn’t work on screen so they changed them, this is what happens with every film of a famous book/cartoon/tv show/whatever. Gotta laugh at you saying you were “let down” by Goyle dying; after all he was such a well-developed and popular character in the books wasn’t he?

I can well remember that the worst film- chamber of secrets- was the most faithful to its source book, again showing why meticulous screenplays should not be the norm. I think back through all the films, and the best moments were embellishments of scenes in the books, not word-for-word screen translations:

The time-turner sequence, the Voldemort-Dumbledore duel, Harry leaping out of Hagrid’s arms in front of everybody at the end… And these were all great not just because of how enjoyable they were to watch or how good they were visually, but because the viewer felt excited seeing a clever alteration to scenes they’d already experienced (in text) many times before.

I’ll never get all these fans who wanted the films to follow the books to the very last letter.. smh

Anonymous123's picture

I don’t think the person

I don’t think the person is trying to say that they want the movies to be Exactly like the books. For me, there were scenes in the movie that they changed from the books that made it feel anti-climatic, such as Voldemort’s death. Or how Neville killed Nagini in front of Voldemort, and Bellatrix being killed in front of him as well (even though that was still great). You slowly get to see Voldemort’s reaction to him losing everything and it was powerful. I think those are just things that book readers probably expected to see because they had so much emotion. If the book can produce that kind of emotion from reading it, then you would expect even more from a movie. And it’s not just because they changed it from the books, it’s the lack of excitement.
And I’d have to disagree with you on the scene where Harry jumped out of Hagrid’s arms, in the book it felt more powerful for me personally. I feel more time was spent on his friend’s and everyone elses reaction to him being alive which made it great. I still enjoyed the movie immensely, went and saw it twice in 1 day lol.

HP Fan!'s picture

I loved the Harry/Hermione

I loved the Harry/Hermione dance scene - true fans would be able to understand that Harry initiated the dance to keep them both from going insane (& the producers needed some way to break up all the silence in that area of the film - and they did it brilliantly). Touching scene.

In Part 2, I LOVED Ralph Fiennes performance - it was so chilling. To see him nail the subtle fury AND utter ecstasy at finally being in total, unprecedented power was amazing. He NAILED it. He laughed because he didn’t know what to do with himself, he thought he’d won and that NOTHING could stop him. Great scene that one. So so chilling! The epilogue scene was for me personally, satisfying. It wasn’t perfect, but Im so glad they used Dan, Rupert, Emma and Tom F in that scene - it was funny, but so emotional. I would’ve died if it weren’t in the film!! The handling of The Prince’s Tale was perfect, althought it could’ve been better if it were longer.

My issues with Part 2:
- No Dumbledore backstory; people now know nothing about the character apart from that he raised Harry as a ‘pig for slaughter’ and that he was ‘power’ hungry. That needed explaining - people’s opinions of the character will now be tarnished.
- Harry snapping the Elder Wand. Symbolic of a war ending? Yes, I’ll give them that. But was it canon - NO. Also didn’t like how the wand cracked when Voldemort destroyed the shield. Stupid.
- Bellatrix & Voldemort exploding/crumbling - it was a childish touch to the deaths - and it wasn’t necessary. They are both human, their bodies should have stayed in tact and a JOYOUS reaction should’ve followed after Voldemort’s death. Also kind of bummed that Voldemort missed Bellatrix’s death. Would’ve been so awesome. Don’t get me wrong, it was still incredible to watch, but it wouldn’t be my first choice as to how they would’ve died onscreen.
- We needed a powerful Harry/Ginny moment.
- Ron’s head blocked THE KISS.
- We also needed an EXPLANATION as to WHY Harry didn’t die. And Harry also should’ve filled Voldemort in on everything BEFORE he died with EVERYONE watching.

Basically, they should’ve followed the book throughout the novel. Brilliant acting all round. I’m satisfied!

Audrey's picture

does anyone read anymore?

The sub-plot of Lily and Severus is based off of the main plot of Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. Heathcliff and Catherine fall in love as children and when Catherine meets Edgar falls for him and forgets about Heathcliff but Heathcliff never forgets or stops loving Catherine and is tortured with her memory forever. Hello? doesn’t this sound familiar? If you were an actual potter nerd and actually listened to podcasts like the Leaky Cauldron or went on Leaky’s site you would know that we’ve come to this conclusion a long time ago. I swear doesn’t anyone read anymore? And Alan Rickman’s performance should get him more than just a nod. He should get that oscar.

Rock Legend Bruce Dickinson's picture

Why recasting for The Epilogue doesn't work...

Here’s where the “recast for the epilogue” argument flies off the rails for me. You DO NOT recast the most important roles for the epilouge. Let’s say they did recast the trio for the epilogue, the problem becomes that we’ve spent seven films with Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson as these characters and now we’re supposed to pretend that three older actors are the same people?

If this had happened, people would be tearing up message boards all over the internet asking why didn’t they just have Radcliffe, Grint and Watson play the characters but just slightly older. It’s a no-win situation either way, but at least this way there is an emotional connection for the viewer instead of having three complete asshole strangers playing older versions of the characters we’ve grown to love.

Eric's picture

In case people didn't know

I have been a huge fan of both the book series as well as the movies and believe that they should be considered separately for the most part. I believe that if scenes are added in the movies that weren’t in the book then they are just parts of the story that ALSO happened. These scenes are acceptable as long as they don’t break the logic of the story. The places that I take issue are where things don’t feel right in the scenes that were, for some reason, changed.

I have found that after every movie people have had questions but have held off asking them because there was always another movie. This movie left the most questions due to the nature of a conclusion. Some of the things I have had to explain over the past few weeks are listed below.

1.) The Dance

Hermione’s trouble over the loss of Ron was devastating. The gifted young witch had been the responsible one in setting up the defenses whenever they took camp but after she could delay leaving the last place she knew Ron would be able to find them (the same place he abandoned them) she breaks down and we see Harry set up the defenses for the first time in their journey. The days to follow don’t change much for Hermione eventually resulting in Harry breaking her out of her rut.

The way the dance was filmed was awkward in my opinion. I didn’t approve of the grainy textured film style for the moment and the dancing could have been a tad more coordinated. Silly is one thing but frilly is quite another.

2.) The Nude Scene

I honestly didn’t think twice when I saw this. Was it a “temptation that went too far”? Yes. But wasn’t that the point. The Voldemort in the horcrux was an exagerated evil entity and it made sense to me why it would be filmed that way. Could it have been filmed differently? Such with clothing? Yes. But it wouldn’t be the only scene that “could have been filmed differently”.

3.) The Ron/Hermione Kiss

The Ron/Hermione love story is a complicated one. At the beginning of the series Ron finds Hermione annoying and she finds him dirty and rude in return. As the trio brews into an epic companionship these two show many signs of feeling more than just friendship for one another.

The Goblet Of Fire really opens up the dynamic of the men in the story being interested in some of the female characters. Ron starts to have feelings for Hermione as shown through his jealousy and it is strongly implied that Hermione feels similarly towards Ron. This is openly confirmed in The Half Blood Prince with Hermione’s reactions to Ron’s first real love interest, Lavender Brown (who is seen at the end of the final movie being attacked by Fenrir Greyback, one of the most popular werewolves in the story).

The couple share a moment during The Half Blood Prince where they are a couple… Unfortunately Ron is asleep and refuses to admit anything he remembers. They go back to their story of sexual frustration for most of the final book/movie before the moment when they stop hiding their feelings as all walls are taken down and time no longer presents itself as a commodity.

4.) The Harry/Ginny Kiss

Short, unrewarding and lacking any sort of passion. I cared less about this kiss than I did about the kiss in book 6. The original kiss between Harry and Ginny was a much stronger moment than they put forth on the screen and was a big reason why the sixth movie was one of my least favorite in the series (combined with the fact that reference of “The Half Blood Prince” played such a small part in a movie that was named that for a reason).

Concerning the characters and possible compatibility with other people I will have to disagree. Harry is a strong willed character with endless courage and lots of combat experience. His friendship with Luna stems from his respect for people who are genuinely good which Luna is. He doesn’t really understand Luna most of the time though (then again no one does). Luna looks to Harry as a good person and a good friend but never more than that.

Ginny has had a crush on Harry since book/movie one. Seeing him for the first time at the train station was all it took. Her family has to deal with endless questions about Harry Potter and when she sees him again at the start of the second book/movie she is taken off guard and escapes while being only slightly embarassed with her, “have you seen my jumper” line.

Over the next few years her thoughts don’t change. In The Order Of The Phoenix they amplify as she gets to learn how to do magic first hand from Harry Potter and see him in a leadership role. It is also here that we begin to see that little Ginny is a magical force not to be messed with. We may later come to realize that her and Harry are the most apt witch and wizard in battle of their age. Some will argue that Hermione should take that award. Hermione’s resourcefulness stems from her knowledge and not any sort of source of power within that we see in Ginny.

5.) The Flashback

I had my fingers crossed hoping that this would make it in the film and how could I expect it not to. I have had countless conversations with friends and had to explain to them the same thing time and time again. Snape is good. He took a turn to the bad side based on his family history but his love for Lily was what turned him to the Order and not the Death Eaters in the end. The death of Dumbledore and Snapes hand was one of specific design crafted by Dumbledore to be the one true weapon to kill Voldemort. I will touch back on this later.

The flashback features lots of emotion with a great score behind it. Rickman has indeed been fantastic through all eight movies. I could not agree with you more on this fact. The long pauses give much needed depth to the character that has always been calculating and deliberate in every decision he has made since his turn to the Order. It has not been easy for his character. In a world where powerful witches and wizards can read your mind and out the truth Snape’s position is a sticky one. Lucky for him he is the most powerful legimens of the age. What do I mean? Legimens… able to read and block others from reading your mind. The story makes no secret that Voldemort and Dumbledore are the two most powerful and knowledgable wizards of the age and here we have Snape in the middle able to play Voldemort and make Dumbledore result on trust alone.

Is he Harry’s father? No. I can see where people who didn’t read the book can think that and I had to explain it to my friends as I was walking up the stairs out of the IMAX. Snape loved Lily. And as such his patronus changed (they can do that). It changed into a Doe to match Lily’s patronus. There is no other implication here other than he LOVE one woman with every cell in his body. Snape talks of Harry’s father, James, all the time. James was the husband of Lily and stayed downstairs to hold off Voldemort as Lily ran upstairs to guard her baby from harm. But the symbol that I focus on most is Harry’s Patronus… The Stag.

Harry’s father was part of a 4 person clique which consisted of James Potter, Sirius Black, peter pettigrew and remus lupin. The group decides that they will perform difficult and dangerous magic to help their friend Lupin, a known werewolf, fit in a bit more. The three non-werewolves each became an Animagus, a person who can change into an animal (as explained by Hermione granger in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban). Each of the three chose a different animal. Peter turned into a rat which later became the posession of one Ron Weasley, Sirius turned into a wolf which is confused as “The Grim” in Prisoner of Azkaban and James, Harry’s true father, turns into a stag. This is explained to Harry in the books but never makes it to film minus the following line, “Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers are proud to present THE MARAUDER’S MAP

6.) The Dream Sequence

I found this to be understandable by someone who read the book but easily strange to someone who didn’t. The obvious mistake of the scene is the fact that Dumbledore doesn’t touch on why Harry was able to go back. This has been the number one thing I had to explain and multiple times to certain people. At the end of the Goblet of Fire wormtail performed a spell which brings Voldemort back to live with the use of Harry Potter’s blood. This magical act binds Harry’s life to the physical world as long as Voldemort lives which binds them even farther than Voldemort’s accidental horcrux. Dumbledore explains to Harry that it was a critical act that Harry doesn’t even defend himself when Voldemort successfully casts Avada Kedavra. In doing so he is able to allow the horcrux to die off himself once and for all. We have seen these two in the past blast green and red (slytherin and gryffindor) beams at one another with no effect because neither could do anything to one another with this greater underlying magic.

7.) The Rise of Neville Longbottom

Quote:

Matt wrote:
”So…is Neville Longbottom the Chosen One? I think not.”

But he could have been.

I will agree that he was not the Chosen One but I believe it entertaining to note that the prophecy when spoken by Professor Trelawney during her interview with Dumbledore speaks of two children. A child born at the end of July to parents who had thrice escaped the dark lord can be either Harry Potter or Neville Longbottom. The final part of the prophecy, “and the dark lord will mark him as his equal” meant nothing until Voldemort was told of the prophecy (by Snape) and decided that the boy in question was Harry Potter. It was the act of choice that made it true… he could have easily chosen Neville to be the threat and we would have seen a whole different story. The fact that Voldemort marked Harry as his equal was the ultimate mistake. Harry’s greatest power was that non of Voldemort’s ARMY could touch him. Voldemort put such stock in the concept and such unknown fear (though he won’t admit it) that he denied his followers the chance to put an end to the boy over and over.

It is only fitting that Neville rise to such recognition at the end of the story and be the one to cut the head off the snake.

8.) The Fall of Voldemort

Even before the final movie came out I spoke to a few people who were unhappy with the ending in the book. The movie actually had more action in the fight scene between harry and Voldemort and adds a great deal of discredit to the whole concept truth be told.

To everyone who was unhappy with the ending: HARRY POTTER IS NO WHERE NEAR AS STRONG AS LORD VOLDEMORT!
To the fans: I am sorry but it is true.

Voldemort is a descendant of Salazar Slytherin and has devoted his life to power and torture through magic. I would dare to say he was more powerful than Dumbledore bar two key factors. Dumbledore had an open mind and was able to understand the strength in certain types of magic that Voldemort could never respect. The other was that Dumbledore held the Elder Wand.
Harry Potter is a descendant of Ignotus Peverell, the original owner of the Cloak of Invisibility (which I would like to comment about in a moment). He has power within some of which has been lent by Voldemort himself by mistake but make no mistake Harry does not match up to the strength of Voldemort. Dumbledore knew this. He also knew that Voldemort was far too careful when it came to fighting him that he would not be the one to kill the dark lord. He listened to the prophecy and saw how it could be true. Voldemort, the narrow minded wizard, could be made to believe that the Elder Wand, the wand that only one knew Dumbledore had had successfully passed into his power but set in motion the events that would logical make it transfer to Harry Potter. Dumbledore allows himself to be disarmed by Draco Malfoy, a wizard he knows to be Harry’s childhood rival and knows that the dark lord would never assume that such a boy could possess the elder wand by simply disarming dumbledore. He sees this fate and commands Snape to be the one to kill him (a much more believable scenario in the dark lords eyes). In doing so he gives Harry the one weapon that can kill Voldemort… Voldemort’s own stupidity.

In the movie there are countless spells cast by Voldemort with the elder wand while Harry defends himself… none of this makes sense based on how everything works… the final horcrux means nothing when it comes to the wand’s allegiance.
In the book Harry Potter fights Voldemort in the great hall with all the students around watching. Harry explains the situation to Voldemort and gives him a way out but Voldemort will have nothing of it. He casts one spell to kill and Harry one to disarm. Voldemort’s spell backfires and the Elder Wand obey’s Harry and disarms as shown in the movie. It was beautiful by design to those who enjoy the depth of the concept.

9.) The Line Everyone Has Waited For

“You Bitch.” I actually didn’t think they would do it and I laughed because I knew there were a number of children with their parents in the theatre. There are a number of lines that I was much more interested in that (FOR SOME REASON!!!) were replaced with dead air in the movie. At the end of the movie after Harry has defeated Voldemort there are people celebrating everywhere in the great hall which doesn’t happen in the movie and I heard non-book readers complain about. Harry goes with Ron and Hermione to the headmasters office to talk to Dumbledore’s portrait. In the movie he goes with them to the bridge… I’m fine with that. What I am confused about is the fact that they never come out and say that Harry’s cloak is one of the tree deathly hallows… they just let it be assumed.

In the childrens story it talks about how the owner passes the cloak down to his son and greets death as an old friend. This passing down of the cloak from father to son continued for the last time spoke of in the story when James gave it to Harry (descendants of the Peverells).

Harry speaks of the resurrection stone and how he dropped it in the forrest and plans to leave it there to be lost. Finally they get around to the Elder wand and Harry talks about how he doesn’t want it. Ron complains (where in the movie he talks about what they could do with it) but Harry says he prefers his original wand which broke when they fought the snake in Godric’s Hollow and Harry has been carrying around since. Harry casts one last spell with the Elder Wand, “Reparo”, and his wand is fixed (prior to this it was belived no wand could be fixed after broken). Harry decides to put the Elder Wand back in Dumbeldore’s tomb in hopes that when he dies of a natural death the wand’s allegiance will die with him. All of this brings me to the one line that I would like to add… the one line the marked the end of the book… the end of a saga… and was replaced by dead air:

“I’ve had enough trouble for a lifetime.”

10.) The Epilogue

My other major gripe about this movie (the first being the line mentioned above) is that there is not enough dialogue in the Epilogue. When the scene started I expected to see new actors but I was fine with what they did. I was not fine with the lack of content. They don’t talk about how Harry raises Lupin’s son. At least he has his conversation with Albus Severus but again he misses another big line which could have easily been there. They are discussing the sorting hat and how it takes choice into account. How hard would it have been to put one extra line in there, “It did for me.” I found this to be such a powerful point of bonding between father and son in the book. Even without that point it is a huge point to the story as a whole. Harry CHOSE to be good. He CHOSE a different path than Voldemort. Some lines make all the sense in the world to be in the movie and are so easy to put there and then they are taken away. Those are the two lines that I was hoping would be in the movie and both were missing. They marked the end of the story and the end of the Epilogue.

Anonymous's picture

I don’t think Bonnie was

I don’t think Bonnie was bad with her acting. The thing is they didn’t do justice with the Harry/Ginny scenes especially with Ginny, because I think they’re too busy insisting on Harry/Hermione. The scripts were kind of lame. They gave too much attention with Hermione and just leave Ginny there. I love the Hermione!book but I’m not a fan of Hermione-movie character because they overdid her character from the movie. From what I’m seeing with the movie, all of Ginny’s character, they didn’t developed or show the real Ginny from the book. I don’t think Bonnie can do anything about it of what the script says. With Luna and Harry, have you read the book? There’s no Luna/Harry even a small single one that Harry was interested with her. He even think she’s loony despite of being loyal to him. I’m a big fan of the book but though not the movie, I’m satisfied with every actors performance, especially Bonnie on the last one.

Eric's picture

Luna

Anonymous wrote:
With Luna and Harry, have you read the book? There’s no Luna/Harry even a small single one that Harry was interested with her. He even think she’s loony despite of being loyal to him.

I also never really felt anything there. I suppose people could look into the fact that Harry went to the slug party with Luna. It is extensively discussed that they are just friends though. They are friends because Harry actually takes the time to listen to what she has to say and consider it… even if doesn’t have a clue what she is saying,

Quote:
Quote:
”What are Wrackspurts?” - Cho
Quote:
”I have no idea” - Harry.
It is the kindness he gets from his mother.

NancyP's picture

I don’t think Bonnie was

I couldnt agree more. Lets comment on the bad writing & direction that was done with regards to not only her character but to those whom paid the price because the realization came late that the characters they short changed - Weasley’s, Teddy Lupin, Tonks & Remus actually played a bigger part than they had realized. Again, I choke it up to the big picture. A vision that the helms did not have - Yates & Kloves.
They made up love connections and scenes just because they wanted it. You didnt write it Please stick with the story! - Yates, Kloves I am talking to you both. Another example why I dont think they deserve to be recognized for their work. Never stayed true to the story. Never. I noticed that more people ask because the movies never explain it at all. Want to talk bad acting - look to Hermione. Atrocious. Overlooked - Ron.

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