Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 - A Spectacular Finish

Director David Yates has been at the helm of the Harry Potter series since the fifth film, and he sends it off with a spectacular finish in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. The movie switches from a sparse, atmospheric tone to a relentlessly intense war film, capturing the climactic Battle of Hogwarts.

In this epic finale, Harry makes life-changing discoveries while his friends take up wands to help him save the wizarding world from Lord Voldemort's desperate attempt to kill him before he can destroy all remaining Horcruxes and render him mortal again. With aid from Aberforth Dumbledore and Neville Longbottom, who has assembled their friends, the central trio goes back to a Death Eater-run Hogwarts led by Headmaster Severus Snape.

However, after a death-defying escape, Harry realizes that they must return to Hogwarts to find the final items they seek. He enlists injured goblin Griphook's help to break into Bellatrix Lestrange's vault at Gringotts in search of more missing Horcruxes.

The movie begins when we last saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione convalescing at Shell Cottage after Dobby died rescuing them from certain death at Malfoy Manor. Themes include courage, perseverance, and teamwork, and it's not the violence that viewers will take away but the idea that every hero needs loyal friends to defeat evil and that love lives on even in the face of death.

Despite the raging battle, Ron and Hermione find a moment to share a romantic moment, and Harry and Ginny also share a quick kiss. In some scenes, characters are bloodied and injured or dead, with several bodies shown on screen. The movie has an extremely high body count, including the deaths of several beloved supporting characters.

Overall, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is the deadliest, most intense, and most touching installment of the lot, wrapping up the epic saga based on J.K. Rowling's books with a fitting conclusion.

Deathly hallows2