Deathly Hallows, Part 2

[author_by_night]

I'll probably have more coherent thoughts later, when I've had time to absorb. As soon as I got home I had to do stuff so I haven't really had a chance to sit and think.

My feelings about DH2 are sort of unbalanced. I feel like there's a lot of things I really liked, a lot of things I really did not like, and other things that were just... odd.

-I didn't get Snape. Harry stroking his face was CREEPY. As was Snape holding Lily's dead body and sobbing. I won't lie, that bit made me burst out laughing. Which is too bad because I actually really like the way the book does it.

- However, one thing I DID like was how they replayed that scene from the PS/SS movie where Snape's looking at Harry in a very creepy way, linking that with Lily. I just thought it was interesting.

- This isn't something I liked or disliked, but... what was with Ginny's 90's hairdo 19 years later? I know they were trying to go for an older look, but it was so strange and out of place. 

- I think I liked the epilogue scene better in the movie, and I speak as one of four people in fandom who liked the epilogue. 

- I really liked Ron as a strategist - it was something I liked in the first part as well. The books actually don't play with this much - it may be the first time that they gave Ron a positive attribute not seen in canon as opposed to a negative flaw not seen in canon. 

- Also, Neville is officially the Protector of the Good Ship Ron/Hermione. You heard it here first. Although the way he killed Nagini was way more powerful in the book.

- Why the heck did Bellatrix dissolve into glass, and Voldemort into... whatever he dissolved into?

- Ollivander was a lot more apologetic about giving away information in the book. That bugged me. They made Aberforth seem like more of a jerk too, which is saying something considering in the book he's not exactly a nice guy. And they took out the brilliant goat patronus scene!

- Why did only Hermione hug Harry when he was going to give himself up? Why not Ron as well? I'm not saying they had to launch into song or into a series of flashbacks with cheesy music, but did Hermione have to do all the work yet again? I like Hermione. I think she's allowed to hug her best friend when she thinks she might never see him again because he's a noble idiot. But can't Ron express a little love too? 

- I liked Harry and Ginny's awkwardness. It felt realistic - heck, I was surprised Ginny didn't whack him and then kiss him. I know that's the world's biggest cliche, but I still half expected it.

- I loved McGonagall.

- Was I the only one who felt like Molly's "not my daughter, you bitch" was forced? It was like they realized they'd forgotten that line (I realized straight away) and threw it in.

 And that's that! What did you guys think? I may do a review round-up, so if you've posted anything, well... links are a fangirl's best friend!

Comments

[vifetoile.livejournal.com]

Every Death Eater who died was shattered. Bella, Nagini, Voldie -- My word on Bellatrix was the "Liquid Nitrogen spell plus Slight Percussion spell." Though what's wrong the simplicity of a good AK?

The epilogue was really streamlined. No "Let's point out Remus and Tonks' kid, who is making out with Bill and Fleur's kid, and oh there's Draco Malfoy's kid and Neville now teaches Herbology!" It was just the essentials: Harry and his children and the journey beginning again.

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

I owe you an apology - I was so exhausted last night that I'm not sure anything I said made sense. I ended up falling asleep pretty much right after I stopped IMing with you, if that gives any indication as to how "awake" I was. :P


The epilogue was really streamlined. No "Let's point out Remus and Tonks' kid, who is making out with Bill and Fleur's kid, and oh there's Draco Malfoy's kid and Neville now teaches Herbology!" It was just the essentials: Harry and his children and the journey beginning again. Every Death Eater who died was shattered. Bella, Nagini, Voldie -- My word on Bellatrix was the "Liquid Nitrogen spell plus Slight Percussion spell." Though what's wrong the simplicity of a good AK?


I don't know. I'd say that they maybe just didn't want the characters to use AK, but isn't turning them into liquid nitrogen (I LOVE your name for that!) almost a little worse somehow? I mean, sure, the Death Eaters were sick psychopaths, but... well, as I said in the theater, "geeze."

[vifetoile.livejournal.com]

Feel free to quote me on that; and on:

"My friends asked 'Why is the elder wand breaking apart for no good reason?'

I replied, 'It's cracking from the strain of carrying the entire plot on its thin nonexistant shoulders.'"

Harry was quite silly to forget to repair his own wand. Even fans who watched the movies alone would catch that!

[steampen.livejournal.com]

Was I the only one who felt like Molly's "not my daughter, you bitch" was forced? It was like they realized they'd forgotten that line (I realized straight away) and threw it in.

I didn't mind the line, but I did mind that Molly looked so happy after she killed Bellatrix, or should I say reduced her to smithereens. Her expression was like "HAHA serves you right" and I thought it made the moment less dramatic than it should have been.

[katzpajamas.livejournal.com]

I liked Book/movie epilogue too. :)

Although the way he killed Nagini was way more powerful in the book.

I agree!


- Why did only Hermione hug Harry when he was going to give himself up? Why not Ron as well? I'm not saying they had to launch into song or into a series of flashbacks with cheesy music, but did Hermione have to do all the work yet again? I like Hermione. I think she's allowed to hug her best friend when she thinks she might never see him again because he's a noble idiot. But can't Ron express a little love too?

I think he wanted to be strong for Harry, and so that look he gave him was supposed to convey "I hate this but I know you have to." I don't know. It's hard to explain.

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

I think I know what you're saying. I still would've liked even a pat on the back, but it makes sense, and maybe it's also in keeping with Ron's character - to be fair, he does make a joke at the end of DH when Fred's just died, so perhaps this reaction was realistic too. He either gets really angry or remains really calm. Unless there's spiders involved. :P But I think that's human nature, get worked up over small things so when the big stuff comes, it's like "oh, that's nothing."

[jo-blogs.livejournal.com]

Harry wasn't stroking Snape's face - he was pressing on the wound. I can't 100% remember, but I have a feeling that was in the book.

I actually thought the "Not my daughter..." line had a lot of impact. I liked it better than the all caps rendering in the book.

I loved McGonagall too.

Hermione's long lingering hug of Harry while Harry and Ron exchange stoic / awkward glances was a bit much. But H/Hr-ness was only to be expected at that point given that the Pink Hoodie of Invincibility was back...

[r-a-black.livejournal.com]

Why the heck did Bellatrix dissolve into glass, and Voldemort into... whatever he dissolved into?

I was discussing this at length with the hubby because we both thought it was weird. I figured it can be put down to the filmmakers lacking subtlety, it's a problem I've always had with the films. They tend to go overboard with imagery sometimes in order to obtain a sense of drama(?) but it never makes actual sense, not in the HP world anyway. I don't think they would've been capable of capturing the drama correctly if they had done it more true to the book. *shrug*

Did Molly kind of whisper the line? I recall her not yelling it, at least, which was what I was expecting. I wished they'd done it like in the book, her sort of flying into action as opposed to sort of... popping up. But yes, I also think it was forced, or at least the delivery fell below my expectations.

[shiiki.livejournal.com]

I think some of the effects they went for - like the bodies dissolving and exploding - were for cinematic effect ... sort of in a 'oh, we're wizards we have to die in flashy manners'. It didn't work for me, but it was a minor thing considering how much I loved it all.

Personally my take on why Emma has to do the hugging is because Rupert is so much better at conveying feelings with his facial expressions. That look Ron and Harry shared was more powerful for me than the hug.