Simon Dillon reviews the film

NOTE: Major spoilers ahead from all seven Harry Potter books.

Those of you that have read my reviews of the previous Harry Potter films will be familiar with my opinions on the franchise. In short, I like the books a great deal but have been less happy with the films for two main reasons: lacklustre performances from the lead actors and a join-the-dots tendency in the adaptation process that has meant emotionally charged sections of the books tend to be skimmed over or Cornelius fudged (poor gag, sorry).

It therefore gives me great pleasure to report that the filmmakers have finally got it right. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 lives up to JK Rowling's vivid imagination, and is nigh-on as good as the book (or the latter half of it). This is the one where Harry at last faces his destiny, wrapping up his hunt for Horcruxes (scattered parts of evil Lord Voldemort's soul), and confronting his arch nemesis; precipitating a cataclysmic battle in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It's an all action extravaganza with plenty of spectacle but also plenty of heart. Yes there are still a few nits, and cinematically speaking it's not in the same league as Peter Jackson's monumental adaptation of The Lord of the Rings, but for the first time whilst watching the films (as opposed to reading the books), I actually found myself caring about the fate of the characters.

Key moments in the previous films that ought to have been deeply moving (the death of Sirius Black, the death of Dumbledore, the death of Dobby - in fact, generally the deaths of anyone Harry was close to), weren't so much deeply moving as deeply not moving enough or, in the worst cases, deeply stationary (sorry again). However, this time there were moments of genuine emotional punch, particularly during the revelations from Severus Snape's past. Certain sequences even improve on the book. For instance, during the battle of Hogwarts (which occupies much of the running time), Lupin and Tonks cast a sideways glance at one another whilst facing Voldemort's attacking hoards. They then reach for one another, their fingers not quite touching. When we see later that they have died, their corpses are face to face; their hands still reaching for one another but not quite touching. It's a powerful image that really demonstrates how screenwriter Steven Kloves at last seems to have cracked the whole turning-the-written-page-into-a-good-film thing.

The three leads - Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint - are still shy of greatness, but here they are much, much better (and to be fair they have improved steadily throughout the series). Better still are their co-stars, some of whom really get to shine for once (especially Alan Rickman and Maggie Smith), whilst others are relegated to an odd line here and there. Robbie Coltrane, Jim Broadbent, Julie Walters and many other big names get very short shrift - not that long shrift was going to be an option in this particular film.

The visual effects are stunning, the sound effects first rate and Alexandre Desplat's music score compliments the film well. It's also nice that in the finale and part of the end credits the original John Williams score is also heard, which as far as I'm concerned was the only truly outstanding thing in any of the previous Harry Potter films. Direction wise David Yates really cuts loose with some terrific actions sequences that boast just the right amount of swooping aerial shots and slow motion, whilst all the time generating a dark, gothic atmosphere to convey the whole darkest-hour-before-the-dawn thing so appropriate in stories about good versus evil.

And that is what Potter is ultimately about: good versus evil. For all the hot-under-the-dog-collar Christians who have expressed worry about Potter corrupting young minds and leading them into witchcraft, consider this: there are distinctly Christ-like overtones in the ultimate sacrifice, death and resurrection of Harry, not to mention the moral fortitude demonstrated when he wisely rejects the absolute power the Elder wand will give him. There are also allegorical messages condemning fascism and racism, as well as a very traditional set of male/female role models that seem positively archaic given the world we live in today. In the world of Harry Potter people seem to marry their first serious boyfriend/girlfriend then settle into very traditional family roles. There is not a whiff of adultery or anything like it in the wizarding world, even on the dark side! Yes, I know some Christians think JK Rowling is a witch (she isn't) and that the spells in the books are genuine (they aren't, as anyone who understands Rowling's cod Latin jokes will tell you). Such people will never be convinced otherwise, though any sensible reader/viewer (Christian or otherwise) will understand straight away that the witchcraft of JK Rowling's world is a fantasy that is sometimes allegorical, and bears no resemblance to the real-life witchcraft that Christians should avoid at all costs.

Of course, regular readers of my reviews will know I am simply reiterating old points here, but I am choosing to do so because this will be my last word on the Potter franchise. I still maintain that the Potter books and films are highly unlikely to corrupt anyone, though as a caveat I do appreciate concerns parents may have about links to genuine occult content on Potter fan websites and related multi-media. All that said, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 is a very satisfying finale to the film series, and it's just a shame it took seven previous attempts before reaching the standard of the books.