nagini was great. i liked the three brothers story. lovegood did very well, he looked like he was torn between helping his daughter’s friend and turning him in for his daughter.
dobby did have a good death scene. in the book i was okay until luna gave her eulogy, that is when the pages got a bit “watery” for me. there was sniffing and watery sounds in the theatr during his death scene, without luna words not so for me.
once again i had the feeling in a few places that the editing was a bit off, that a scene here and there was cut just a tad too short.
I enjoyed the movie for what it was. Thought it was a little confused about what it was trying to do - lots of ‘mood whiplash’ from teen drama to action movie with wizards to Very Important Serious Issues, and the Nazi symbolism was way over the top. But the smaller roles were really solid in this - Mad-Eye, Bellatrix (and I usually want to punch Helena Bonham-Carter whenever I see her on screen), the woman being questioned in the Ministry - and they effectively diluted fun time camping hour with some phenomenal wide shots of British wilderness.
Also saw it in IMAX which I highly recommend.
I haven’t read the book (only read books 1-5) and it was completely clear to me that the locket was reacting to the sword. I didn’t know what was up with the mirror fragment though. And of course the doe Patronus still makes no sense because they never fucking explained Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs back in Movie #3!
The mirror might have made more sense if they showed the blue eye staring back at Harry earlier in the movie (Harry wasn’t sure he saw it). At least it would have given the sense that there is somebody connected at the other end (it was a communication device given to him by his God Father). The reason Harry yell’s “help me” in the Malfoy’s basement is that he thinks there is someone at the other end (which there is).
I’m glad that people see that the locket is strangling Harry because the underwater scene is chaotic. The person I was with missed it.
I saw this at an Imax and I’m not sure if the bigger screen impressed me or not. It seems like the audio was set on stun. I guess I’m not easily impressed by smack-you-in-the-face noise for the sake of it. A little more Alfred Hitchcock and a little less Spinal Tap works for me.
Not a big fan of the books or the movies, her wrighting style dosen’t impress an her imagination underwhelms but as far as faithfulness to the book this is at least better that the last four or so miserable attempts. I wasn’t totally bored, in other words. The use of so much shock and awe was a bit shameful though not unexpected, some things were actually kind of creepy I guess and there was a bit of sexuality in the locket scene. I bring it up, not because it bothers me but in the hope that next time there won’t be a theatre full of crying kids (seriously parents, how about a little fucking discretion) I don’t post spoilers so you’ll get nothing out of me. Just know that if you were a fan of the book you will most likely enjoy the movie very much.
Yah, this is a bit much for little kids. It’s PG-13. Giant snakes coming at you with the thunder of a big screen audio system is going to scare a small child.
Quite the long movie, I will simply post some random thoughts:
The heroes and heroine are adult now, though their characters are teenagers. Ron and Harry sport a slight bit of facial hair. Hermione is thin and brittle like a twig.
The pacing is kind of strange in this movie, very roller-coaster like. Though I recall the book was weak in this department as well.
A couple of good action scenes in this film. My favorite is in a muggle café.
I read the book when it came out but was lost on the importance of the mirror. Could probably have been edited out.
I agree with the poster that said that the nazi symbolism was too much. Too obvious.
I found myself missing Maggie Smith for some reason. Actually, this movie is a huge contrast to the first Harry Potter movie. In the start, the HP world was very curious and charming and humorous pieces were all over. Comparingly, HP7, even if it has needed pieces of humor, is quite dark and grim with death all over and also torture.
A few moments made me think of LOTR. Recieving gifts from Dumbledore (through a will) made me think of Galadriel’s gifts, especially since the gift to Ron was quite similar to Galadriel’s gift to Frodo. Also, there was the sharing a necklace with evil will and the travelling aspect.
The part at Grimmaul’d place was confusing and not very well directed. I suppose it didn’t help that I hate Helena Bonham Carter.
More assorted random thoughts-
-I really felt the affection between the principals in this one
-I didn’t like the casting of Xenophilius- I like the actor okay but the character should have been much older
-The Wizarding World is in terrible need of skilled interior decorators; it’s called “color” and it’s allowed
-The house elves, including Dobby, seemed much more believable in this one than previously
-Quite a bit of bare Harry skin in this one- apparently since EQUUS he doesn’t like staying dressed (not that I’m complaining in the slightest)
-I wonder if Harry’s endearingly bad dancing was the character’s or Daniel Radcliffe’s; either way I thought that was a romantically tense scene and wondered if that was intentional
-I’m very glad they cut some of the endless wandering in the wilderness scenes from the book (though I wished they’d had more of the radio broadcasts)
-I really wish they’d put Dudley coming to Harry’s defense in and that Aunt Petunia’s appearance was more than something that could be done with Photoshop
-I wish there’d been more Umbridge (there wasn’t much more in the book but there was some)
-Didn’t mind the Third Reich imagery since I felt it worked
-Leaves you really jonesing for the Battle at Hogwarts
On the whole I’d give it an A and I actually much preferred it to the book.
I too thought it worked well. I think it’s an important part of the story and when I realised the connection (back when I was reading the books) it made me appreciate the books and films on a whole other level. It adds to the seriousness of the situation because we can (at least vaguely) tie it to something that happened in our real world - which makes this apparent fantasy seem scarier and more real.
I’ve only seen the movies, never read the books, except the first one (which I thought was horrid) but why are the parents still sending their children to Hogwarts? I mean, there’s a giant civil war going on but they’re still putting their children on that train?
I thought there wasn’t nearly enough Luna. But she’s my favorite character.
In the final one many parents aren’t sending them there anymore. The ones who are- some are DeathEaters, others are hiding their heads in the sand, some are probably of the “sure it’s rigged but it’s the only game in town” variety, and some for fear of being seen as defying the new Ministry. (I’m trying to remember from the book: is Malfoy still enrolled at Hogwarts? I only remember him there during the battle at the end and during the “fiend fire” incident- the rest of the time he was at his father’s estate.)
For the next movie, I really hope we get to see Neville’s gran. Her actions are only referred to in the book but I’d love to actually see the scene where the snatchers come for her.
Having never read the books and only seeing the films, I have to admit I was surprised how much I thought this film really seemed like some parallel universe of LOTR. The elf was a “good” Gollum…almost the same voice in parts, and the same eyes and body movements - could have been his cousin.
Also, the invisible cloak? Really? Are these mass produced now and sold at Tricks R Us?
Plus, the other scenes mentioned by cactus waltz - yes, there were lots of LOTR touches in this film. J.K seems to be a big fan of J.R.R.
Still, it was a good film - certainly set up the story for the final July release of Part II, and I could even see in this film the parts they intend to gussy up into 3D at a later point for re-release.
As a casual fan who only has seen the films, this new film is eons away from the charm and innocence of the first film. Much darker and, as in real life, sadly the kids are grown up now and the story reflects this quite well.
I am looking forward to the last part, and will miss the somewhat annual jaunt to the local cineplex to get a Harry Potter fix, but that is how I felt with the 3rd film in LOTR.
All in all, a great series of films and this one doesn’t disappoint.
I hope it was intentional. I honestly found the whole, “we love each other like siblings” thing that Rowling used consistently throughout the books to ring a little hollow. They’re both attractive, enjoy each other’s company, spend tons of time (alone) together often in perilous situations, are fiercely loyal to each other, sometimes cuddle together, and ARE NOT SIBLINGS!
In LOTR (the movies, anyway), the cloak didn’t make Frodo invisible, it just camouflaged him and Sam.
The Ring, OTOH… that made him invisible. But obviously he wasn’t supposed to wear it merely for hiding, hence the cloak’s usefulness.
Now my question for those who’ve seen HP7: I don’t remember how the book is divided up, as I could only stomach to read it once. But does the film include any of Bill/Fleur’s wedding, or a reference to Lupin/Tonks’s marriage? (ISTR that Bill was never in the films, so my guess is that the first question is a “nope.”)
It contains Bill/Fleur’s wedding, this being the first movie that Bill was ever actually seen in (he introduces himself at the beginning). Lupin mentions being married to Tonks and she starts to make an announcement (presumably that she’s pregnant) but doesn’t get it out before they’re interrupted.
I loved the paranoia scene when they all apparate in the Borough- “WHAT WAS THE LAST THING DUMBLEDORE SAID TO US WHEN WE WERE TOGETHER?” For an older guy Kingsley Shacklebolt is hot, though part of it is the robes probably.