You’ve heard it all before: the movies are never as good as the book they are based on. But here’s the rub: reading is a very solitary experience. It’s just you and the author engaging in the story. When I finished the very last book in the Harry Potter series (the Deathly Hallows), it was pretty anticlimactic. It was a tremendous finish with certain secrets revealed and a very stirring end in the choices Harry makes. But I read it alone. Even when my wife read it shortly after I finished, it was different. Sure, we discussed it, but it didn’t feel like a shared experience. There’s something about closing out a series on the big screen. Maybe I’m too real time now with the advent of Twitter and the internet. It’s likely me being a product of my culture, but seeing a film with the anticipation that this one brought on with my wife on the opening Friday in a packed theater was a blast that was a fitting end to the series.
I don’t want to spoil it too much but the ending sequence starting with Snape’s argument with Voldemort and leading to the last crucial horcrux was everything I imagined it and better. Yes, they changed the ending a little and added to the drama, but I appreciate how the writers knew the significance of the ending and did not rush through it on screen. I was very impatient watching this film, I kept wanting it to speed up, but director built and built and built with solid precision.
The epilogue was too much though. If you’ve seen it, you know exactly what I mean.
I want to say more about Harry Potter and the story and the gospel within but I’ll save that for another time. Let’s just say that I’m a big fan. For now, check out some excellent articles below on Harry and the stories within…
From the Rabbit Room:
Harry Potter, Jesus, and Me by Andrew Peterson
What We’ve Learned From Harry, Part 1 by Travis Prinzi
What We’ve Learned From Harry, Part 2 by Travis Prinzi
From Mockingbird
The Seven Sacraments of Harry Potter:
