"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2"

When has there ever been a movie franchise (let alone one that's based on books) as successful as Harry Potter? I remember when the books were super popular when I was in high school and I refused to read them (mainly because they were super popular). I can't remember exactly why I decided to read them, I think curiosity finally won out. The books don't get any good until book 3 (movies are the same, in my opinion) - and then they continually get better with each book (and again with each movie).
Who could have known those kids cast as the leads those many years ago would actually grow into very credible actors? Anyhow, the movie...
It has all built up to these 2 hours and 20 minutes and what a climax it is. Now, I'm usually not a big book vs. movie person - they're such different mediums that I don't think comparison is really fair. However, there were some things I missed: the timing of Neville's heroism (I know why they did it, to build up tension, but I feel like it's a bigger moment for Neville in the book), and going back into the headmaster's office after it's all done and the reaction Potter gets from all the old headmasters).
Other than those two things though, it was SUPERB!!!! I balled like a baby, I'll admit it. A few times. The music is perfectly intense where it needs to be. The "last stand" at Hogwarts is fantastic! The break-in to Gringott's had me on the edge of my seat. The two things with the most emotional resonance were the Resurrection Stone with his family (though his poor dad didn't get much of a moment with him) and Snape's memories. Gah! Alan Rickman is one of the most talented actors out there, and I always thought he was oddly sexy. But I digress. The way the imagry combines with the acting and just the revelation of the truth is overwhelming! LOVE IT!
So, if you actually haven't seen it yet, get a babysitter if needed and go!
I only wish I could have seen it in a full theatre (we went to a matinee) - I'm sure there was much clapping and whooping (especially when Mrs. Weasley calls Bellatrix a B****!), but when there's only 10-15 people in a huge theatre, there isn't usually too much vocalized reaction :)

I feel the same was about the movie as I did about the last book:
This is soooo much better than a Harry Potter movie/book deserves to be!

By that I just mean that it excedes all previous installments by so much that it really is only bound to them by the material of the story and not by the calibur of presentation.

9/10 Stars