“”Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II”” hits theaters on July 15. And, as excited as we are, the three-word tagline, “”It all ends …”” stings like a slap in the face.
That “”it”” encapsulates a lot more than just the Harry Potter series. For our generation, “”it all ends”” marks the close to 14 eager years of book releases and midnight movie premieres. It signifies the last leg of our journey alongside a lovable cast of characters who grew as we did, and is a goodbye kiss to thousands of schoolgirl crushes on a heroic boy with circular spectacles. J.K. Rowling dedicated the last book to the readers who “”have stuck with Harry until the very end,”” which we did because he stuck with us, too.
“”Deathly Hallows: Part II”” follows the finale of Harry, Ron and Hermione’s quest to find Voldemort’s horcruxes, which the trio must destroy to save the wizarding world from the darkest evils. Like the past three installments, “”Deathly Hallows: Part II”” is directed by David Yates, whose vision of the films is darker and more uniquely and aesthetically macabre than that of the series’ past directors. The film will be released in both 2D and 3D (and of course, the 3D glasses are round).
The Harry Potter series may have started with a group of innocent and wide-eyed young witches and wizards, but as the characters — and the readers — have matured, so have the themes. “”Deathly Hallows: Part I”” was a world apart from the first film, “”Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,”” which was a friendly introduction to the hijinks at Hogwarts. “”Deathly Hallows: Part I”” addressed the tempting power of evil and the even stronger pull of love. So “”Deathly Hallows: Part II”” is bound to be even darker, in order to further explore the depths of good versus evil as the characters hurtle toward the final battle at Hogwarts.
Early reviews of “”Deathly Hallows: Part II”” call the film “”monumental cinema”” and a “”genuinely terrifying spectacle.”” So for lifelong fans, it is sure to be an emotional experience. But although this is clearly the most anticipated of all eight films, there is a certain reluctance that will last until the lights in the theater go down. After the movie ends, it will really feel like an era come to a close.
Of course, as Rowling said at the London premiere of “”Deathly Hallows: Part I,”” “”Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home.”” Deep down, we know that we’ll remember the story we’ve grown to know and love for many years to come.
But we’ll still sob like infants when it’s over.
