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A decade ago, this July, the Harry Potter film series came to an end as the final film was released worldwide, concluding the decade-long running series. For many, this represented a ‘closing’ on an important part of their childhood; the end of an era and the ultimate send-off to the story of Harry and his friends. The film received acclaim from critics and grossed over $1 billion at the world-wide box-office. While there is much to be said about the culture surrounding the film, and how the legacy of Harry Potter has changed over the following ten years, I want to focus more on the craftsmanship of the film, as I think it stands up as one of the finest blockbuster films of the previous decade. David Yates, who helmed the final four instalments, offers up an impressively made finale that captures an interesting balance between epic scope and intimacy. The film features unique choices regarding in its approach to the visual, tonal, pacing and focus that often feel ‘outside’ the conventional Hollywood rapport for this type of huge film, especially contemporarily. I believe the audio and visual aspects of the film deserve appreciation, as they really are quite inventive and skilfully deployed.
One of the most fascinating elements of Deathly Hallows: Part II is its sense of balance. The film operates on two levels: as an epic…
