Childhood ends in a burst of 3D

The finale is here. For millions of fans of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, many of whom virtually grew up alongside their hero, this marks the end of their childhood. As the symbolic inscription on the golden snitch states, “I open at the close.”

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 contains considerably more action than Part 1. It has the most intense battle scene of all the installments, with curses flying (no pun intended), Hogwarts crumbling and the marching of the never-before-seen stone army.

Audiences are also presented with bursts of awesomeness from the series’ dependable adults: Professor McGonagall, Molly Weasley and, most unexpectedly, Severus Snape, among others.

Finally, the fateful battle between the hero and the villain takes place. It is in this film that the mysteries wrapping the bond between the dark lord and “the boy who lived” unfold in carefully constructed intervals. Toward the end are shocking and tear-inducing scenes in which both the living and the dead have their undying support for beloved Harry forever cast in light.

Love has always been a powerful element in the Harry Potter series, its primary force being its ability to triumph over evil. It is precisely this power that Harry possesses in spades and precisely what Voldemort lacks.

Harry was born into this world out of parental love, whereas the dark lord’s birth was a result of a twisted lie, even coercion (not as clearly shown in the movies as it is in the books). And this difference sets apart their beliefs and ambitions – while Harry merely wishes for a normal life, the narcissistic psychopath, Tom Riddle, desires to rule.

Though orphaned, we see that children’s capacities for love are determined through the affection they receive throughout their lives. In this, Harry stands vastly superior to Voldemort, despite the villain’s immense magical skill, their soul-link and slightly similar physical appearances.

Unlike the dark lord, who controls his followers through fear and is eventually betrayed (excluding by mad Bellatrix and a few others who meet their deserving ends), Harry earns his support through selfless love, and this is what compels them to stand by him, even with their lives on the line.

Harry himself courageously lives up to their trust by ridding the wizard world of Voldemort once and for all. Lives are unsurprisingly sacrificed in place of his, but hey, cut the boy some slack. He repays them accordingly in the end.

In an epic battle such as this, losses are indeed inevitable — most significantly, the death of a Weasley, a few dear friends of Harry and the demise of a secret guardian. In this final installment, sorrow and anguish fill the hearts of many characters as much as loyalty and love.

The main actors do earn their share of brilliance – Mr. Radcliffe, Mr. Grint and Ms. Watson have thrown away traces of their characters’ childhood weakness in favor of responsibility and determintion needed to overcome the dark forces, while still managing to portray their noble hearts.

However, it is the older actors who successfully dominate the spotlight: Mr. Rickman gives mind-blowing emotional depth to the incredibly stoic Snape — his character probably went from the most hated to the most beloved by the end of the series, being the anti-hero.

And don’t forget Mr. Fiennes, with his admirable ability to produce snakelike gestures and exhibit an overwhelming desire to murder Harry Potter.

Director David Yates and writer Steve Kloves’ masterwork is amplified by 3D effects that bring in even more thrill. Viewers are welcomed by floating dementors at the film’s opening and are licked by fire from a stunningly constructed Ukrainian Ironbelly dragon.

The peak, however, is the dark lord’s permanent downfall portrayed in such cinematic suspense. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 possesses the right amount of technical brilliance that does not overshadow. Instead of being overly computer-generated, humanity really shines through the characters.

Obviously, the film omits important scenes from the seventh book due to time constraints. For one thing, how did a certain unexpected character appear and guide Harry towards a sword lying on the bottom of a (literally) freezing lake? Nonetheless, it is gratifying that the film maintains most of the book’s original storytelling.

Perhaps the strongest magical power of Mr. Yates’ movie is the after-affect the film imparts on its viewers: the lingering feeling of loss and shock, of triumph and a rush of adrenaline.

Finally, the end is here. With the conclusion of the film series, fans realize that nothing lasts forever. As Dumbledore would say, there is no immortality; T he right thing is to accept mortality and move on.

Thanks to J.K. Rowling and the series’ cast and crew, who magically wove the classic tale of good versus evil into a breathtaking story and realistic human development, portraying the growth of children into strong and dependable adults, all in 3D.

“I open at the close.” Like their hero, grown up fans should cast away their shells of childhood innocence and enter the next stage of life gratefully. At the close of this journey, a new world opens.

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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 3D is rated PG-13 for depictions of intense fight scenes, grotesque
creatures and death. Premiers July 29 in cinemas nationwide.