It all ends. The final instalment of the Harry Potter series, which culminates in the final confrontation between the eponymous hero and Lord Voldermort.
It’s easy to dismiss huge blockbuster movies as populist rubbish that have no real cinematic value (e.g. Transformers). But that really can’t be applied to such a box office phenomenon as the Harry Potter franchise. No other movie franchise can even come close to matching the success of Harry Potter, and unusually for such a series, the films are entertaining and engaging. The only other franchises that can even come close are Twilight and Pirates. The problems with those however are; Twilight is very divisive, and a little too much like Marmite; and while some kids may think Pirates of the Caribbean is swashbuckling fun, the films have very little value. Harry Potter however has not only engaged a generation to fanatical levels, it also has wider appeal.
The early HP films were kids films, featuring kids. But as the actors who portray the characters have matured, so have the films. Progressively becoming darker and more sinister, the HP franchise finally reaches a dramatic, epic conclusion this weekend, breaking all sorts of box office records in the process. The great success of the films is in part due to the fact audiences have invested a lot of time in the characters. Even if you’ve never read the books, you’ve seen the kids grow up in the films and you’re going to stick with them to the end.
There are problems with Deathly Hallows Part 2, but they almost don’t matter. There are massive, epic battle set pieces, there’s drama, tension, romance and comedy, what else can you ask for?! Perhaps some decent 3D.
