"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" review by Chris, Illustration by Tim

The Harry Potter series has been one of the highest grossing franchises of all time and has touched the hearts of many. But, fair warning: "Deathly Hallows: Part 2" does not stand without the first part, and it barely stands without knowledge of all the previous films. If you haven’t seen the earlier films, (seriously, where have you been?) go watch them. This movie was created for the fans, and idle moviegoers shouldn't waste their time.

Every actor brings their A game, but it’s difficult to feel a connection. The film relies on your previous attachment to the characters to make the big moments hit home. As much as I respect what they tried to do by dividing the film into two parts, what's been created is two half films. They don't function alone. The earlier films cut out significant chunks from the books to make them run smoothly, and this film may have fared better if they had used a similar technique. While non-readers are given most of the information they need to understand the story, small bits are still missing which can make the film a little confusing. However, the story flaws don't take away the enjoyment of the film. Harry's story gets the conclusion he deserves and most of the side character's stories do rap up nicely.

What “Part 1” lacked in action this one makes up for tenfold, and the visuals do bring Rowling’s book to life. The more magical aspects like multiplying objects and dragons are quite convincing, and tend to dazzle, while many of the spells used in battles are glorified light shows with no discernable use. But they do look pretty, and the spectacular wizarding battles are what keep this franchise magical.

The non-fans out there won’t understand perfectly what's happening, but let’s face it — by now most people are probably fans. If you’re not, you can enjoy the light show of excellent special effects. But what the lights and pretty visuals can’t cloak is how the side characters bog down the overall experience and don’t come into their own. This is an epic end to a historical franchise, but don't be surprised if you feel like you're missing something.

Three "Deathly Hallows" out of Five