Well, we saw the
Potter finale last night (along with seemingly everyone else in the world.) Seriously. It seemed like every theatre at the Riverview was playing it - and that's a lot.
Even though I knew what was coming (from reading the books) I can't remember being this wrapped up in a story in a LONG time. Like, remember seeing
Dogville or some other LVT for the first time, and feeling just
ill about it? It wasn't quite like that (you know: awful), but it had me just as anxious. This part is no spoilers, so I'll cut it short, but know this: you should watch
Deathly Hallows Part 1 (which is really a whole different kind of movie, but also good AND it's only 99c to rent on iTunes), and then get to the theatre to see
Part 2 as soon as you can.
Every person in the whole theatre was totally rapt. No one pulled out a phone to check the time. No one whispered. No one got up to pee. And it's
long. If nothing else, I think that could be a general indicator of the movie. (It's also the first midnight movie maybe EVER that I have been so so so awake for, the entire time).
When we got home, we stood in the dark living room for a while in the middle of the night talking about what we'd seen. I, for one, was still a little riled up.
Now this part has some spoilers. Not PLOT spoilers, but cinematic spoilers, so read on only if you want. I'm mostly feeling out other people's opinions here.
On it's divergence from the book: first, if you never read the book, you'd never know. You're missing out on...like knowing what a couple spells are or whatever, but I think this film totally stands alone without any book knowledge.
There were a couple fights that were "better" in the book, but it's kind of time to recognize that the books and the movies are two different things,
right? They can't be spot on in every exact point.
(Also, the very end/synopsis was true to the written work, and to be honest, I think both the movie and the book could have done without this entire part. Thoughts?)
Effects: throughout the entire series, we've seen some great effects and some terrible ones (see most of
Chamber of Secrets, the mermaids in
Goblet of Fire, etc). This movie had a couple dumb special effects: a few key characters just kind of
dissolve and flutter away like burned toilet paper when they die? Lame. Grey Lady ghost? She looked like a video game character, right? Like worse than any of the other CGI creatures ever in the whole series.
Some of the special effects were super great though - like all of Gringott's escape, all (most of) the fight scenes, and especially the King's Cross afterlife peek.
Also - less scary than other ones, right? Darker,
sadder, but less scary? I can only remember one gross part.
For now, I'm skipping plot and story review. But I would talk about it IRL if you want. Especially maybe after I see it again.
