Harry Potter and the Mountain of Exposition and Hormones

[exsequar]

I believe I have a moral obligation to make a Harry Potter reaction post!

Overall, I loved it a lot! I've been reading a bunch of peoples' reactions and it's really interesting to see how vastly different the opinions are. I know that's been true since the movies started but it's really cool, and to a much greater degree than most fandoms, because everyone has their own mental version of the books and their own priorities so the movies are COMPLETELY different to different people! It's neat.

ANYWAY. I think I'll format my post like many others have.

The Not So Awesome

• As someone on my flist said, wouldn't it be nice if your film had a climax??? Where on earth was the final battle?! As Harry was chasing Snape and all the Death Eaters were flouncing off (after doing... nothing after INFILTRATING HOGWARTS except to watch Dumbledore die), I was just sitting there wondering "Weren't people supposed to... fight? Like...big, nasty fight? Er?" It kind of ruined the whole ending and I barely paid attention to the Harry-Snape scene because I was wondering that. See, the thing is - I don't much care about Snape (SACRELIGE OMG) and the whole battle in Hogwarts at the end of the sixth book is pretty much the only part I like, and the only part I've ever reread (srsly, very unpopular opinions here, idek). So I was kind of appalled that it was entirely wiped out.
  
• They burned down the Burrow? WTAF?!? Uh. What purpose did that scene serve? NONE. NONE PURPOSE. It was very oddly put together, and had no consequences or point other than THEY DESTROYED THE BURROW. Why????????? :(
  
• Harry and Ginny were still awkward. Better than the books, which isn't saying much, but awkward nonetheless.
  
• "I... am the Half Blood Prince." Uh. So what? That reveal is both cheesy and pointless, at least how it plays out in the film. I don't even remember why it matters - so he wrote a nasty spell in an old Potions book? So what? My memory is fuzzy and I'm sure it plays a role in the last book, but that line in the movie was just so lame. The whole plotline was, in fact (except for Harry doing great with that potion and Hermione's mounting annoyance and disbelief, omg *loves her*), which is funny considering the TITLE. It's one of the reasons I dislike the book, but I suppose they couldn't chop it out of the movie given the, you guessed it, TITLE. *hands* It's just that it's supposed to be soooo important, and yet I just don't understand why and it falls flat. One of the casualties of this story being largely preparation for the ending, I suppose.
  
• I think that's it for negative nellie things!

The VERY AWESOME

• I'll start with my v. obvious bias - HERMIONE! Now, I know Emma won't be winning any Oscars any time soon, but I have always loved her and her Hermione. She's a different Hermione than the books, but I still adore her to tiny pieces. And never before quite so much as in this film! She had some wonderfully humorous moments (smacking Ron in the Great Hall, smacking Harry in the library (one of the biggest laughs from the audience in the whole film!), hiding from Cormac, her ruefully fond FACE in the crowd when she thought Ron was Felixed, so much more!) and some extremely touching moments. One of my favorite scenes in the film was the BIRD SCENE. What??? That was the most ludicrous thing in the book, but she pulled it off SO WELL. My heart went out to her so much. And let's segue into...
  
• Harry and Hermione! So I've been a Harry/Hermione girl basically from day one, that's pretty obvious, and they were so sweet in this film. Very much in a best friends, brother-sister sort of way, but that's what I've always loved about their dynamic! I loved how wonderfully supportive of each other they were. I loved Harry sitting by her on the steps, I loved how she clutched at him as she cried, I loved how she totally noticed he's into Ginny, I loved everything. I loved the last scene where she told him how daft he was for thinking she and Ron wouldn't come with him. I loved him watching her hold Ron's hand in the hospital and her self-conscious little smile and "shut up". I loved her hitting him in the library, hee!!! I basically just loved how very much they were each other's rock in this film. It made my little heart SO HAPPY. But now we move on to a rather unexpected...
  
• Ron and Hermione!! I've always liked how the films do them much more than the books - their arguments are more fond and less vicious - and this was just a wonderful development on that. I really buy her affection for him, and I understand Ron's stupid teenage boy-ness. Their friction in this film - the bird flinging, Hermione bringing Cormac to the party - seemed much more like sweet fumbling instead of a vindictive competition. I am REALLY pleased, and I look forward to that developing in the next film.
  
  You know, I disliked this book largely for the reasons I liked the film - all the teenage romance nonsense. Rowling does it terribly, but the films are largely pulling it off. Bravo!
  
• The HUMOR. I know everyone's said it, but Ron on the love potion and Harry on the Felix Felicis are PURE COMEDIC GENIUS. Ron's little FACE! Harry's snarkiness! THE PINCERS oh my god the pincers I almost diiiied. Heeheehee. It was all truly hilarious and showed some real comedic chops from these kids.
  
• Dumbledore, mostly! I think he felt kind of uneven in this film - he still had some of the harshness Gambon's brought to the role recently, but they also softened him up (he likes KNITTING PATTERNS *dies*) and he had a bit more twinkle to his eye, like he should! But it felt like an odd mix, like there were two characters. But overall I liked him much more in this film than I have since Gambon took over, which is good since he was kind of the focus of this movie. I thought it was deeply weird that he would take an interest in Harry's love life, but other than that, he was quite good.
  
• REMUS. I mean. He didn't do anything particularly wonderful, but he EXISTED and was REMUS and he looked tired and disheveled and boyfriendless and I wanted to wrap him in my arms and snuggle. &&&&REMUS;;;;
  
• Tom Riddle, holy CRAP. Deeply creepy and dead-eyed. Hoo boy. The older one was also kind of insanely attractive and pretty, I'm not gonna lie. O.O I'm going to the special hell. OH WELL. Many of you are going to be down there with me. :P
  
• Draco! Tom Felton did a great job. I wish he'd had more dialogue, but who was he going to talk to about this? Crabbe and Goyle? Haha. It takes a lot of skill to carry a scene with actions and facial expressions alone, and he managed it several times! Bravo, bravo. Carrying on the Jason Isaacs torch in making Malfoys characters you love to hate (or love to love, as is the case with much of fandom :P). But they are completely different characters, which is also wonderful.
  
• The first scene in the Burrow, when everyone kept poking their heads out in the staircase. HEE. Idk, I just thought that was really adorable.
  
• LUNA!!!!! Every time she was on screen was pure delight. I LOVED her party dress, and the detecting goggles things. LUNA. They could not have cast her more perfectly, wow.
  
• I liked that they entirely left out Remus/Tonks. WHAT? *shines Remus/Sirius tinhat*
  
• McGonagall! I have excessive fondness for her (mostly due to her role as McGoogly in Shoebox, hee) and she had moments of extreme awesome in this film. I particularly liked her telling Harry that Ron was looking far too happy and needed to be taken along to Potions, heeee.
  
• Though I have big problems with the ending, I thought everyone raising their wands to salute Dumbledore and banish the dark mark with light was very moving. I didn't tear up until I saw the tear fall down Hermione's cheek (excessive emotional identification what what?) and everyone raise their wands. It was a lovely image and a nice way of making the ending unique to the film.

Hmmm, I've run out of specific things, but suffice to say that I really really enjoyed it, as a film! The pacing got kind of slow sometimes, and the actual big plot things were a little meh, but that's to be expected of a story that is 99% set up for the final installment. The difference between the movie and the book is that the movie made me LOVE that set up, while the book made me want to throw it across the room. So I'd say that's a total win!

In conclusion, B+ will definitely watch again in the theater!!

Oh and the verdict on Francisco, the guy I saw it with, is that he's going to be my awesome geeky buddy but there is no romantic potential at all. And that's that! We had a really fun time together though, I'm glad we went.

YAY HARRY POTTER! *twirls*

Comments

[gestaltrose.livejournal.com]

heee *loves* still haven't seen it but new geek friends are good *smishes you*

[escherzo.livejournal.com]

I wish they hadn't burned down the Burrow. Poor Molly :( I wanted to give her the biggest hug in the universe.

... but the PINCERS. Oh my god. Died.

[exsequar.livejournal.com]

"Tch tch tch tch." OH HARRY. <3333333

Ugh, I know. MOLLY. She has almost no part in the movie except to watch her beloved home burn to the ground for NO REASON. The death eaters didn't snag anyone, it wasn't a distraction, nothing! WHY DID IT HAPPEN??? Augh :(

[soda-and-capes.livejournal.com]

Oh man, I love Hermione so ridiculously much. She's so delightfully indignant!

Rowling does it terribly, but the films are largely pulling it off
YES, THIS.

[exsequar.livejournal.com]

What a fantastic description of my girl! I love herrrr omg.

Rowling FAILS in the romance category. I'm so glad the movies are redeeming that part, cause I didn't LIKE hating it!

[forgotnsuitcase.livejournal.com]

bah gambon as dumbledore is always awful and wrong to me. ginny and harry were so awkward, lol. she jus stared at him all the time. i thought it was a good adaption though, and hermione/ron/harry things were excellent.

(and they didn't leave out tonks/remus- she calls him 'sweetheart')

[exsequar.livejournal.com]

Alright, there was that moment, but they completely dropped the horrendous storyline in which Tonks is depressed for an entire book - over a guy. It was character assassination, and entirely demeaning to Remus. I don't mind that they're a couple, just glad that they didn't make me sit through that waffle.

There was an awful lot of staring though, you're right. :P