Pottering (Hello to Jason Isaacs)

I went to see the final part of the Harry Potter saga on Friday: The 2d version, which is the one where it turns out that Hermione was the evil one all along and Harry and Ron live together happily ever after in a civil partnership while, full of remorse they become full time carers for what's left of Voldywhoshallnotbebreathingverywellthroughthatnose and fill their remaining hours with games of bicycle quidditch and Snapes and ladders. It may very well be the same as the 3d version but with it being so dark already, no-one is going to be able to tell with those glasses on.

Who am I to argue with the general reaction of critics and public alike that it is a well made and appropriate ending to a landmark cinema franchise? I can't find much fault with it at all (except for my doubts about the Hermi one ending up with duff old Ron - even Neville would be more credible)...but, I somehow didn't feel that engaged. It may be pointed out with some justification that I am not the target audience of this film but I think the answer is simpler even than that: There were no shocks or surprises because I've read the (enormous - was the editor over-awed by billionaire businesswoman Jo?) book. I wish I wasn't able to look at it objectively but, as I am, I would say it is a very good film, made by a team who care about it, the franchise, and probably each other, but a little clunky in places from its awareness that it has to tie the whole rambling saga up definitively. This includes allowing each of the characters to take a bow. Never mind the Deathly Hallows, it's more like the deadly goodbyes: It's goodbye from Jim Broadbent, momentarily on camera rhubarbing away, and it's goodbye from Miriam Margolyes similarly and so on. The chaos of the latter part of the film (I'm desperately trying to avoid spoilers for the one person who hasn't read the books but still, for some unfathomable reason wants to see the finale) is used as the attempt to cover this but it still feels artificial. The various love plots are tied up in surprisingly perfunctory manner too but then there were a lot of special effects to cram in.

What am I saying? I liked it. I liked the books (although never understood why they made the crossover to a wider audience when so many brilliant children's books with at least as much merit do not) and I liked all the other films to a greater or lesser degree, but I'm rather glad it's over and hopefully the, now not so young, actors can manage to make a career out in the world of muggles. They are surely too old now if JK has a change of heart and writes more of her Hogwarts.

Having said that I am rather looking forward to being able to watch the whole saga again on DVD in the not too distant future. It will be interesting to see the progression and to compare the work of David Yates and the earlier directors.