FILM REVIEW

Final Potter installment: anti-fascist fantasy

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows II
Directed by David Yates
Reviewed by Jessica Squires

The first Harry Potter book—Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone—was published in 1997. The film version came out in 2001, about the same time as the fourth book was being read in the UK and North America.

Twelve years later, the eighth and final movie—Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, part 2—has finally been put to bed.

Unfortunately the series is closing on a slightly ambiguous note, even the most ardent Harry Potter fan must admit.

In this final film, Harry finally discovers what his connection to Voldemort means, and Hogwarts school becomes a central character in the fight against the fascist Deatheaters. The anti-fascist themes are continued and made central.

The series’ young actors do well, and lesser characters get their moment to shine. The scenes with everyone’s favourite villain, Severus Snape, are particularly well done; they are moments of still quality in an otherwise almost frenetically paced work.

The movie is well-crafted for the most part and exciting to watch; and the action never stops. A crowd-pleaser, its failing is ultimately its apparent ambition to be an action movie.

It is impossible to discuss this movie without also considering the previous installment, and the book from which both films are derived. One reason for disappointment is the choices made in the transition from book to film.

Many of the strong elements of collective resistance during the final battle at Hogwarts in the book are missing from the film. Fascism can’t be defeated with individual acts of heroism, magical or not—hence the characterization of this film as an anti-fascist fantasy.

The movie also removes much of the complexity from characters as author JK Rowlings has pointed out. In this film, everyone from Harry to Dumbledore has become, unfortunately, more one-dimensional. The first half of Deathly Hallows helps here; but the lack of back-story for Dumbledore, for instance, diminishes the impact of the film’s final scenes.

There is a marked de-emphasis of the importance of the entire world of magical creatures, and not just wizards. The action is centred around individuals instead of the inspiring collective defence of Hogwart’s which took place in the book.

The best way to watch this movie is after having read the books, and immediately or shortly after having watched Deathly Hallows Part I. Enjoy it for what it is: the solid, enjoyable, well-crafted end (except for the usual capitalist re-purposing) of a work of fiction that rekindled interest in reading.

It was in its own way remarkably subversive, as much as any work of such broad appeal can be under capitalism.