Let's face it, if you've done your time and read the Harry Potter books at least up until the sixth book, chances are you're going to go see the movie too. If you didn't read up to that point, and you haven't bothered with the last couple of books...well, chances are you could care less, haha. Me, I read the books, but I'm not a Hogwarts junkie. For the movies, eh, they've been clever at times, but I'm not hanging on every release date.
That's probably why I just now got to see the newest one. Yesterday, as I've already plugged, was my birthday, so dear old mom took my daughter and I out for lunch and a movie. There's no way I could bear to sit through a G Force or what-not, so I opted for everyone's favorite boy (now teen) wizard with the scar on his forehead.
For all the reasons I'm sure people hated the movie, I conversely loved in it. First off it boiled it back down to just three main characters (Harry, Ron, and Hermione) and focused on them and their character development. You weren't overloaded with a cast of a dozen primary players and twice that number in supporting roles.
Action, combat, magical explosions...heck, just magical tricks and tomfoolery in general were kept to a bare bones minimum. When done though, in particular Dumbledore's pyrotechnics against the zombie-ghoul thingies was delicious. Delightfully, most of the movie was based in dialog with a small number of characters on screen at any time. The entire pulse, pace, and feel of the movie was so much different than its predecessors.
It's not masterpiece theater, but if you've even had just a passing interest in the mythos over the years, then you'll find this latest installment to your liking.
Only the end was truly disappointing, other than that thought it was pretty good.
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Can't expect Harry to stand around while Dumbledore is killed, just not in character. Removing that final fight scene was a wasted opportunity for some action/effects.
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I definitely enjoyed it as well, I'd got a little tired with the last couple, just didn't catch my interest but I felt this movie was a good return to the feel of the Potter verse. I'll agree with Tristan though, not freezing Harry at the end really took a little from his character for no apparent reason that I could see.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I agree with the both of you, that part was a let down to say the least. You're right G, this one was a good return to the series after a couple of 'hollow' feeling ones...
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen the latest one yet but will eventually
ReplyDelete@Tristan at least it kept to the book like so many annoying facts that you notice are wrong. It's JK's fault not the director.
Two good films I've watched recently (seen them before but) that I thought were quite good were 'Kingdom of Heaven' a film about the crusades and 'King Authur' (Directors cut for me) which are both pretty good I reccomend checking them out
Its been a while since I read the books so thankfully I didn't remember the discrepancies. I liked the movie and effects were good. Has anyone else heard that the last book is being split into two movies? I heard that as a rumor.
ReplyDeleteThe last book is definitely being done as two movies, which is good IMO. Too much going on in that book to try and cush it into a single film.
ReplyDeleteAs for Harry's freezing, that is part of Harry's extreme loyalty to Dumbledore (who orders him not to interfere under any circumstances), the one thing that is more powerful than Harry's impetuousity.