That Was A Great Game!

There is a wonderful line at the end of the movie Hook. After all the adventures of Pan and the Lost Boys, after all the highs and lows, triumphs and set backs, shouts and tears; after Pan leaves, one of the Lost Boys looks at another, smiles and says:

"That was a great game!"

That was how I felt as the 2nd part of Harry Potter 7 faded from the screen today. After 8 movies and countless hours reading those books many times - THAT was a great game! Thank you Ms. Rowling!

Spoiler Ahead:

I really enjoyed the movie today and would give it an A+ except for one area. The final battle between Harry and Voldemort occurred with no one around. It mostly came down to a battle of wills and the fact that Voldermort never really controlled the Elder wand. However, in the book it was so much more than that. The battle was more about ideas - how Harry and Dumbledore viewed the world and how Voldemort and his Death Eaters saw life. Love was stronger than hate and fear.

Also, Rowling has a consistent theme of redemption and repentance throughout the series. In the book, one of my favorite parts in the final battle is when Harry appeals to Voldemort to look at his choices and to try and feel remorse; to be a man, be human, and regret what he had done. Harry practically begs him to repent. It is reminiscent of many of the exchanges in C.S. Lewis's The Great Divorce. Harry put before Voldemort Death and Life - and even after everything Voldemort had done - Harry implored him to choose Life.

Removing that piece from the movie took the power out of the ending for me.

Still, in pretty much everything else, they produced a crowd pleaser. I can't wait to see it again!