Let's be honest, no one expects me to give this film anything other than a rave review.  And yes, I loved this film.  But this movie really did earn my admiration.

I'm still amazed that the decision to split the final Harry Potter book into two films was a controversial one.  That was the only way to do this film and include all necessary plot plot points.  Instead of part two acting a sequel, it immediately picks up where part one left off creating a complete 5 hour story between the two films.  No title card or credits, the movie immediately starts and never stops for a single moment.  For anyone who complained that part one was too slow, this movie should more than make up for it.  If you are not familiar with the books, please keep in mind that a mass majority of this film takes place within a single day, giving a fast pace for almost two full hours.

After 8 movies together, it was only natural to assume that Daniel Radcliff, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint would grow and mature as actors together.  And this movie showed that our assumptions were well founded.  Each of the three main actors played their parts as beautifully as ever, and as strongly as ever.  Though Harry is the center of the story, Ron and Hermione hold their own in this movie, cementing their status as equals to Harry.  But the stand out for this movie, though only present in the last half of the film, is Alan Rickman as Headmaster of Hogwarts Severus Snape.  Just as in the books, Snape in the films is a despicable character.  He hates Harry simply for being the son of James Potter, but in this movie we finally found out exactly why that carries such resentment in Snape's heart.  After all revelations of Snape's past, some of which Alan Rickman was told by J.K. Rowling several years ago, it really shows that complexity of the character that Rickman has played extremely well.  There really wasn't a weak member of the cast here.  The casting of the Harry Potter series has always been one of the highlights with actors who can personify characters that so many readers had been envisioning for several books.  Not an easy task.

One thing I hate hearing when it comes to Harry Potter movies is, "(Insert random scene) wasn't like it was in the books."  Well, if you wanted it to be just as it was in the books, you should have stayed home and read the book.  This is a different medium that requires a different interpretation of certain points.

I'd love to get into more aspects of the film that I loved, but to do so would require spoilers.  The main things to know going into this movie is that it has something for everyone.  It is a perfect blend of big-budget special effects that blend in seamlessly with live actors and sets, and top-notch writing, directing and acting.  You hear that Michael Bay?  It IS possible to have the best of both worlds in a single film.  Fans of the books should be pleased with this interpretation as long as they keep in mind that some changes had to made.  The only complaint I had about this movie was the people sitting behind me.  When I read the book, it was such an intensely emotional experience that I cried a few times while reading it.  I was hoping for the same emotional experience with this movie, and it got close a few times.  I had a tear or two welling up in my eyes, and then the guy and his son sitting behind us had to start talking.  Not whispering, TALKING.  The son had a question or comment every few minutes, and the father felt the need to repeat every line he thought was funny.  I think that goes to show what kind of a movie it was that my biggest complaint isn't about the movie itself, but the people watching it.

Even if you are just a casual fan of the Harry Potter series, this is definitely a movie you need to experience on the big screen!

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