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Old 07-15-2011, 10:31 AM   #8 (permalink)
r+h4ever1
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Fan Fic Queen

Overall, I’m so emotionally drained that I’m not sure how to feel. The weight of my childhood ending — yes, I do believe I felt it actually happen as the camera faded to black — is overpowering me. Add the fact that it’s now past 6 in the morning, and I’m pretty spent. I feel completely drained and dry from the amount of crying.

I have mixed feelings on the film. It was epic and a lovely ending to a beautiful collection. I went in prepared, knowing that they had changed things to make it more cinematically appealing. So some of my gripes aren’t too bad since I prepared myself for them. So I suppose I’ll start with the less-than-positive parts first…

I knew the final battle would be more action-packed from the look of the trailer so I wasn’t too surprised. I think there was such a beautiful, chilling, powerful factor about the book’s battle — Just Harry and Tom Riddle; no theatrics, no drama. Just the two of them talking and matter-of-fact. I felt like the action took away from the impact the books gave that moment.

Same with Voldemort’s death — it felt anti-climactic. I didn’t really get or like how he evaporated. The whole point of Voldemort’s death is to achieve what Voldemort tried to avoid; the reason Voldemort made Horcruxes in the first place is so that he wouldn’t be a dead body. So when Harry won, he was the thing he tried to avoid his entire life, something all mere mortal men become — a dead body. I think having him go the way they did felt cheap to the weight of the series.

There were little things here and there that I wish had been added, but I let them go. Even the battle and Voldemort’s death can be forgiven.

The one thing that I absolutely HATED, and I will never forgive them for putting in, I don’t care what Jo approved, is that HARRY TELLS RON AND HERMIONE HE’S GOING TO BLEEPING DIE. There’s a specific reason he doesn’t tell them in the books. When he told them, I felt a surge of anger that took me out of the film for a moment because it was so out-of-canon, it was distracting. I hated that they added it; I hated that Ron didn’t get to hug Harry since, you know, RON IS HARRY’S FREAKING BEST FRIEND, THE THING HE’D MISS MOST IN THE ENTIRE WORLD. Plus, it took away the moment in the book when Harry is still pretending to be dead and can hear Ron and Hermione and Ginny over the crowd, calling out his name, just ripping out your heart. They stole that from the audience, to have Ron and Hermione see and be shocked that Harry is dead in Hagrid’s arms. That’s the one thing I cannot and will not let go or forgive about this film. Sorry, Jo, but even your approval can’t change my mind.

Okay…now the good…

* GRINGOTTS - What a spectacular scene! The dragon was absolutely stunning, and the multiplying objects was really well done. I didn’t really mind that they didn’t burn, it was intense enough. And the whole confrontation (and eventual death) of Griphook was fantastic. Helena playing Hermione playing Bellatrix was hilarious; what an actress! Rupert in that beard just made me want to jump on him to be honest. And while I rolled my eyes that Hermione was the one to jump on the dragon’s back (she’s terrified of the idea in the book), the dragon ride was great. It just looked wonderful.

* RETURN TO HOGWARTS - That whole section with Aberforth was nice. (I wasn’t too bothered about not going into Dumbledore’s story. With the focus on these last two, it wasn’t vital.) But when Harry entered the Room of Requirement, and everyone started clapping, I couldn’t stifle my sobs. Seeing all those familiar faces was just really wonderful. And to see how Hogwarts under Snape is so formal and dark and reformatory-like was chilling. But I absolutely loved when Ginny comes and says “Harry.” And he replies, “Ginny.” And they just look at each other hungrily; loved that.

* MAGGIE SMITH - This woman was going through intensive chemotherapy during the filming for this last film. She’s weathered Hell, but she made sure she was there for it to end. Watching her take control of her school was so moving and meaningful. Another BIG cry moment, for me, was when she told Harry it was good to see him. I couldn’t stop the tears. She was legitimately kick butt throughout the film, and it was a pleasure to see McGonagall show that off.

* THE DIADEM - The whole part with Helena Ravenclaw was really well done. The actress was perfect; I would have loved more detail and in-depth story with it, but I thought it was well done overall.

* RON AND HERMIONE KISS - First of all, all of their bits in this film were brilliant. Rupert Grint is still, in my opinion, the best actor of the three, and so even though Ron and Hermione were more in the background in this one (and rightly so), he still commands a presence. He and Emma have fantastic chemistry no matter what they’re doing so… But the kiss was lovely. Since we couldn’t go the book route since they never properly introduced SPEW, this was natural and organic. The fact that they had a beat after destroying the Horcrux before just going at each other was perfect. It really had a “Alright, that’s it; we can die at any moment, I’m in love with you, I have been for seven years, and all I want to do right now is kiss your face off…so I will” vibe to it, which was perfect. It was wonderfully longer than I expected; I just wish they positioned it a little better so Rupert’s head wasn’t mostly what we saw. But how he holds her face (or shoulder?), while her arms are on his chest was so intimate and special. And I appreciated the little laugh at the end. Like Emma Watson said, it was like “Finally! We should have done this ages ago. We’re so silly.” It was very them, and I thought Rupert and Emma did a fantastic job together.
The other Ron and Hermione moments were fantastic — holding each other, holding hands, “THAT’S MY GIRLFRIEND!” etc. I LOVED when Harry smiles at the two of them holding hands, and they’re like “Yup, it finally happened.”

* RON WEASLEY - He’s my favorite and always will be, but I was pleased (other than the part mentioned that I won’t forgive) that he is Ron in this one too. He takes initiative; he’s brave and ready to fight and die for Harry and Hermione. Rupert’s acting was phenomenal as usual, and I just thought he was perfectly used (again, minus the part I mentioned) since the last part is all about Harry.

* NEVILLE LONGBOTTOM - Excuse my language, but I would mother that guy’s children. I’m so happy they featured Neville’s turn from bumbling child to "gangsta" (as my friend would say), brave man. I wish they had used the line “We’ll join you when Hell freezes over,” but his speech was wonderful. Him slaying Nagini was inspired. Matthew Lewis did a fantastic job. So proud of him!

* “NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU [W]ITCH!” - Julie Walters, Molly Weasley, you are both bada**es. The delivery was absolutely it. She didn’t just throw out the fancy, shocking line and go about it; No. You could see right in her eyes that she was just up and ridiculously angry the hell off. Her son is dead, her other children are in mortal danger; she’s not putting up with it. She’s going to kill this horrible woman. This moment got the biggest applause in my theater, the KISS getting the second, Neville bringing up the close third.

* FIENDFYRE - Well done, that whole sequence. And I’m glad they kept Ron’s line in as well! “If we die for them, I’m going to kill you.” Looked great!

* DEATHS - I loved the execution of the deaths, minus Voldemort’s. I know some people are miffed that Fred’s death wasn’t more of a big deal, and I can understand that. But, for me, it felt true. Yes, I’m disappointed that he (along with Lupin and Tonks) didn’t get big death scenes, but that is the point of war. It’s chaos. It happens. I found it slightly more heartbreaking to see George cry out (my heart shattered) and grab Ron…to see that whole family stand over, sobbing, Fred’s dead body. (Rupert was especially powerful. Wow. Another big cry moment.) Tonks and Lupin dead, almost holding hands undid me. It was so tragic. And then we come to the stand out of the film, in my opinion….

* THE PRINCE’S TALE: This is why I can forgive all of the other little issues I had with the film (minus the big one I mentioned earlier). Alan Rickman is an acting god. The fact that this man has known the ending since he began the films ten years ago just adds to the performance, for me. First off, the snake attack was PERFECT. I LOVED that they didn’t show Nagini attacking, they just showed the closed door with blood splattering — it made it more chilling and emotional because it left something to the imagination. Watching the death scene was almost too much. After he said “Look…at…me,” I saw that he started to say something else, and I almost got really angry, but then he said - “You have your mother’s eyes,” and all was forgiven. If you’re going to change his last words, this was an acceptable addition, in my opinion. Rickman really, truly conveyed the devastating love story. It was really well paced, and I was engaged during the whole thing. And I knew I was going to cry; But HOLY HELL, when Snape sat on the floor, crying, holding Lily Potter’s dead body in his arms, her son in his crib, I couldn’t help the sobs that burst from me. My everything hurt watching it. Truly breathtaking, truly tragic, truly beautiful. Absolutely breathtaking.

* THE FOREST AGAIN - At this point, I had to literally shove my fist full of tissues in my mouth to keep sobs quiet. Daniel Radcliffe has become a fine actor. The gravity of that moment was so strong, and it delivered. When he breathed “I am ready to die,” to the snitch, it felt like my heart just ripped down the middle. The whole part with the dead coming back just really got me, and it shows that simplicity goes a long way.

* KING’S CROSS - I liked how this was done. It was quick and to the point. The bit of Voldemort’s soul under the seat was spot on. And I absolutely loved the additional lines about the power of words. It was so JO. After that line, when Dumbledore says, “Of course it’s in your head, Harry. But why should that mean it’s not real?” I felt a lightbulb go on. Because Harry Potter - the books themselves - are that - they’re words in a book, and they have to come alive in our heads. And so many casual fans or non-fans can’t understand just how much these books impact us. But for these books, the ones we bring to life in our imaginations and minds, are very much real to us. So it just got me thinking and crying all over again. (I basically cried the whole time.)

* HARRY RETURNS - I’m pleased that they kept in the bit with Narcissa asking Harry; that’s very important. [I loved the Malfoys dynamic in this one. I thought it was done really well. But what in God’s name was the bit with Voldemort hugging Draco? Color me confused.] I mentioned above how they stole the moment from Ron and Hermione when Harry appears to be dead. But Bonnie Wright did a great job with her devastated reaction to the news. Her “NO!!!” ripped through me. (I do have to mention that while I never thought the Harry/Ginny relationship was well presented in these films, I thought in this one, it was done really well.)

* THE END - I felt bad for the people next to me when it was just the three of them outside of the ruined Hogwarts. For me, that was the most significant moment in the film, especially in the context of the landmark event.

* THE EPILOGUE - I wish it had been longer. I wanted to hear Ron with his kids and see the families look at Harry. I wanted more interaction with the four of them. The effects/make up was really well done, I thought. And I have to say that Dan will make a great dad some day, the way he was with the kid who played Albus. Very emotional, and that last scene before it faded to black was so perfectly beautiful and sad.

Overall, I really did love it. I plan on seeing it again, of course. But minus a few minor (and ONE HUGE) issues, it was a great way to end it all. They should all be very proud of themselves. I have said my thank yous to Jo and Harry. - I will miss you, Harry. More than you’ll know. - But I also want to thank you, my fellow fans; you're my brothers and sisters, my best friends, my soul mates. It has been an honor to grow up with you.

Mischief Managed.

Shannon
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Last edited by r+h4ever1; 07-15-2011 at 04:00 PM.
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