In the epic finale, the battle between the good and evil forces of the wizarding world escalates into an all-out war. The stakes have never been higher and no one is safe. But it is Harry Potter who may be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice as he draws closer to the climactic showdown with Lord Voldemort. It all ends here.

Much like a fine wine the Harry Potter films have gotten much better with age. The acting has gotten better and more poignant as the actors have gotten better as they have gotten older. The effects have gotten better and much more spectacular. And the story has got deeper and more enthralling as they pull from the books which had the same effect. The story is darker and not as light as the first couple of books and movies which adds emotional depth as the characters must grieve for an innocence loss but still find that everything they once knew still holds true. That is that friendship and love are the greatest things in the world and grander than magic even if it has to come with some loss. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II is simply put probably the best of all eight movies and a grand finale for a series that has become so much part of our lives and culture.

Deathly Hallows Part II is so strong and so emotional at times in fact that some of the audience may find themselves crying and weeping for characters killed and for a series finally coming to conclusion. It is a powerful film not just a special effects laden film but one of great emotional depth as everything the books and movies delved into are finally brought to a head. Harry must once and for all face his destiny but this time he knows he is not alone and that the friendships and love he found along the way will always be with him. That is not to say the movie isn’t spectacular special effects wise and an action packed masterpiece because it is. The action sequences in the film are some of the best of the series and of all time. From a dragon in Gringots to the near destruction of Hogwarts the film is not short of amazing action sequences that will take your breath away.

I am glad the last four films finally found one director and stayed with him David Yates. Yates brought a consistency that had been missing from the first four films with the constant directorial changes and changes in how to approach the films in adapting them from the books. And the best part is that of the four directors who had a hand in the films he is the best of them. Yates does the best adapting the books to the screen and keeping you enthralled and entertained. He took a few liberties at times but in the end he captured the magic that are and were the books and brought them to life for the big screen which is the most important thing that could have happened. His films are well paced, emotionally packed and action driven masterpieces worthy of the Harry Potter name.

What more can be said about the actors that haven’t been said before. The trio of stars at the heart of the film have so become the characters they have played for the last decade it is hard to think of anyone else as Harry, Ron and Hermione. Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson have gotten so good and so believable in their roles it will be sad we never get to see them in another Harry Potter film or acting side by side once more. Sure the film is filled with other great acting performances Alan Rickman’s Professor Snape’s revelations in the film are heart breaking but the series of films like the book were about the trio and their friendship and they say goodbye to us in their best performances to date. Harry Potter was and is a wonderful series of books and movies and it is sad to see them finally be over but it is also fitting that the final chapter was the best and a film you will want to see hundreds of times if not more.

Grade: A+