Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (part 2) 12A ***** (2D)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (part 2) *****

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint

Dir: David Yates

Synopsis: Harry, Ron and Hermione continue their search for the Dark Lord's horcruxes as begun in Deathly Hallows part 1, which see's them return to Hogwarts for the final battle.

Review:

The final part of the Harry Potter franchise has already broken US box office records for its opening weekned - £23.75m in three days. This is not an unwarranted figure after the success of the previous seven films, coupled with the splitting of the final book into the two films.

As the films have progressed they have undoubtedly taken a darker turn, and the latest offering is no exception, even compared to part 1, yet Yates has included some well received comic relief. Add to this some fantastic action sequences and some very emotional scenes will put this film, in both its parts, one of the best fantasy films of the year and a fitting conclusion to a franchise which has spanned a decade.

Part 2, more than part 1, is about action from the start, with the breaking into and out of Gringotts, to the epic final battle at Hogwarts. This means a plethora of stunning special effects which range from the all new CG Hogwarts (as oppose to scale models in previous films) to spells and creatures during the battle.

Having only seen the film in 2D so far, I cannot comment on the quality of the 3D special effects, which will be added to the review at a later date once it has been seen, but from the version seen, it is clear where the 3D will be very prominent.

The cast deliver a great performance, especially the mature members, but the delivery from the primary cast ranges from very good to, at times, average. However, having watched the cast grow up from Philosphers Stone through a decade to this finale, their development as actors is clear to see and appreciate.

Appendix:- Saw the 3D earlier in the week but only just had a real chance to get online. I must say that overall, the 3D SFX is good in HP7.2, with only one brief hiccough which I noticed. The 3D was used to great effect in all of the places I spotted in the 2D, and left me thoroughly impressed.