The Ring & The Crown

What a fitting & spectacular farewell. It’s finally over. 10 years after we first got a glimpse of a bespectacled young Harry Potter with a little lighting shaped scar on his forehead in that cupboard under the stairs at No: 4 Privet Drive, the Harry Potter franchise has finally come to an end with a big bang. The final movie ties up all of the loose ends that the fans were left to wonder about previously and brings a closure for all. The final movie features the trio’s (Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson) strongest dramatic performances in the entire series, finally producing the most convincing & compelling performances ever. In the midst of schools, adventures, magic & spells, lifelong friendships were forged and we have watched them grown from children to adults, both on screen and in real life. The trio have matured as actors and grown into their respective roles. There is a lot of action in this final film installment, but its strength lies in its emotional core – the story of bravery, love & hope in times of darkness & desperation.

The set designs are lovely and the film takes you on a journey of stunning visuals and showy special effects. The escape from Gringott’s bank vaults on the back of a beautifully rendered dragon, the stone knights that comes to life, the shimmering puddles of enchantments around Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry, Hogwarts buildings & bridges being flattened, Neville Longbottom slaughtering Nagini; that last Horcruxe with the Gryffindor sword and the relentless onslaught of attacks from the DeathEaters hell bent in getting in are all the breathtaking moments. Then there was the final kiss that everyone has been waiting for between Ron & Hermione. My only wish was that Neville should have been the one to kill Bellatrix Lestrange who murdered his parents long time ago.

All of the franchise stories were rounded off in such a succinct & perfect way for a whole decade, Harry & his friends have become part of our lives as we look forward to their many adventures and run-ins with the vile dark Lord Voldemort. So goodbye to Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, Hermione Granger, Severus Snape, Reubeus Hagrid, Fred & George Weasley, Sirius Black, Albus Dumbledore, Luna Lovegood & Tom Marvolo Riddle.