HP8
Just got back, so I'm sure my thoughts need more time to settle, but first blush? I think they fumbled the ending. Great build up, awesome moments, but it just ended on a fizzle instead of a bang. But here's the break down:
Things of utter and complete awesome:
SNAPE. Everything about him. He wins.
LUNA. The one character who came out even more awesome in the movies than the books, and I'm not even sure how that is possible. Love that she yells Harry down.
NEVILLE. The speech. The sword. Hitting on Luna while there is still time. KILLING THE SNAKE. (I thought for a bit they were going to take that away from him.)
Molly Freaking Weasley. BAD ASS.
Draco and the Malfoys. I love that they let Draco be ambiguous, uncertain, and highlighted the fact that he didn't turn Harry in when he had the chance, even though we are never sure if that was cowardice or morals. It's good they kept it ambiguous. And, even though I have to admit I really really wanted Draco to refuse to cross the line at the end, it made more sense that he did, and even more awesome sense that the second Harry came back to life, the Malfoys were OUT of there.
McGonagall. She doesn't wait for Snape to strike first, just GOES FOR IT. And her "I've always wanted to do that spell." God, priceless.
I even really liked that they changed it so that Voldemort and Harry really felt it when a horcrux was destroyed. It gave a building sense of Harry's coming sacrifice. And I loved that the trio had that moment before Harry went and sacrificed himself. (Though was Ron shocked or just comatose?)
Helena Ravenclaw. I just...really liked her. I'm not sure I can even explain why.
Helena Bonham Carter playing Hermione. "Good morning!" Haahah. Utter WIN.
Things that make me go Meh:
Basically everything after Neville's speech over Harry's supposedly dead body. Harry coming back was anticlimatic, and so was the entire endless fight between Voldemort and Harry. I think I can see why this decision was made, visually the long fight translates better, but it lacks the utter epicness of that last one spell between the two of them in the book. Plus, Harry's speech in the book about how his sacrifice protects all these people from Voldemort is one of my favorite twists. But I get that there was way too much narrative explanation in that final fight to translate to the screen that they would have to massively change things to make sense to a theater audience. (I still can't imagine having only seen the movies. Would any of this make sense? Lol)
The otherworld with Dumbledore. It felt...rather emotionless over all. Not sure why. Another one of my favorite scenes from the book that just didn't translate. But then again, I have to admit that I am not overall a fan of Gambon's Dumbledore.
They killed Fred off-screen? Oh, REALLY? Boo. And wait, wasn't someone supposed to get a reprieve in the movie who didn't get one in the book?
The Hermione and Ron hookup. Probably not surprising considering the long history of massive chemistry between DR and EW, and a last minute attempt in HP7 to build the Ron and Hermione chemistry, but it doesn't quite work. It even seems a little out of nowhere. And I'm a R/H shipper! Though getting that hint of Neville/Luna almost made up for it.
Ginny didn't make me wince in this one, which probably had more to do with the fact that she was barely there. What there was of her was awesome, but could Harry have pretended she didn't exist more? I don't think he could have. It was kind of painful to watch. Like Ginny was still that annoying 11 year old and Harry was so over her.
Things that make me go 'WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?'
Epilogue. You included the epilogue?! I swear the entire theater groaned when the "19 years later" came up. (Though they did a pretty good job aging them. CG crow's feet!) It's just...well the perfect contrivance of it sort of kills whatever gravity came before, in this fan girl's opinion.
++
But, forgetting the negative, let's just pause and wonder at the epic amazingness that is the collection of eight movies all together. With almost entirely the same cast. It's just...pretty fucking awesome. I've been so pleased to go along on the ride. I have no doubt that Harry Potter books will be a favorite of mine for my entire life. Thanks, JKR. You've given all of us an amazing treasure.
Things of utter and complete awesome:
SNAPE. Everything about him. He wins.
LUNA. The one character who came out even more awesome in the movies than the books, and I'm not even sure how that is possible. Love that she yells Harry down.
NEVILLE. The speech. The sword. Hitting on Luna while there is still time. KILLING THE SNAKE. (I thought for a bit they were going to take that away from him.)
Molly Freaking Weasley. BAD ASS.
Draco and the Malfoys. I love that they let Draco be ambiguous, uncertain, and highlighted the fact that he didn't turn Harry in when he had the chance, even though we are never sure if that was cowardice or morals. It's good they kept it ambiguous. And, even though I have to admit I really really wanted Draco to refuse to cross the line at the end, it made more sense that he did, and even more awesome sense that the second Harry came back to life, the Malfoys were OUT of there.
McGonagall. She doesn't wait for Snape to strike first, just GOES FOR IT. And her "I've always wanted to do that spell." God, priceless.
I even really liked that they changed it so that Voldemort and Harry really felt it when a horcrux was destroyed. It gave a building sense of Harry's coming sacrifice. And I loved that the trio had that moment before Harry went and sacrificed himself. (Though was Ron shocked or just comatose?)
Helena Ravenclaw. I just...really liked her. I'm not sure I can even explain why.
Helena Bonham Carter playing Hermione. "Good morning!" Haahah. Utter WIN.
Things that make me go Meh:
Basically everything after Neville's speech over Harry's supposedly dead body. Harry coming back was anticlimatic, and so was the entire endless fight between Voldemort and Harry. I think I can see why this decision was made, visually the long fight translates better, but it lacks the utter epicness of that last one spell between the two of them in the book. Plus, Harry's speech in the book about how his sacrifice protects all these people from Voldemort is one of my favorite twists. But I get that there was way too much narrative explanation in that final fight to translate to the screen that they would have to massively change things to make sense to a theater audience. (I still can't imagine having only seen the movies. Would any of this make sense? Lol)
The otherworld with Dumbledore. It felt...rather emotionless over all. Not sure why. Another one of my favorite scenes from the book that just didn't translate. But then again, I have to admit that I am not overall a fan of Gambon's Dumbledore.
They killed Fred off-screen? Oh, REALLY? Boo. And wait, wasn't someone supposed to get a reprieve in the movie who didn't get one in the book?
The Hermione and Ron hookup. Probably not surprising considering the long history of massive chemistry between DR and EW, and a last minute attempt in HP7 to build the Ron and Hermione chemistry, but it doesn't quite work. It even seems a little out of nowhere. And I'm a R/H shipper! Though getting that hint of Neville/Luna almost made up for it.
Ginny didn't make me wince in this one, which probably had more to do with the fact that she was barely there. What there was of her was awesome, but could Harry have pretended she didn't exist more? I don't think he could have. It was kind of painful to watch. Like Ginny was still that annoying 11 year old and Harry was so over her.
Things that make me go 'WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?'
Epilogue. You included the epilogue?! I swear the entire theater groaned when the "19 years later" came up. (Though they did a pretty good job aging them. CG crow's feet!) It's just...well the perfect contrivance of it sort of kills whatever gravity came before, in this fan girl's opinion.
++
But, forgetting the negative, let's just pause and wonder at the epic amazingness that is the collection of eight movies all together. With almost entirely the same cast. It's just...pretty fucking awesome. I've been so pleased to go along on the ride. I have no doubt that Harry Potter books will be a favorite of mine for my entire life. Thanks, JKR. You've given all of us an amazing treasure.