You probably know that the final installment in the acclaimed Harry Potter film series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2, was released two weeks ago to record-smashing acclaim. Two weeks in, Deathly Hallows 2 has already had the biggest midnight opening of all time ($43.5 million from the opening midnight launch alone), earned the highest-grossing opening weekend ever, and hit the $900 million mark in worldwide box office returns faster than any movie in history.
As impressive as the numbers are, it shouldn't overshadow what may be the true accomplishment of the Harry Potter movie franchise -- a ten-year series of films featuring the same trio of young actors who literally grew up in front of our eyes. Few film series feature eight installments; fewer still manage to deliver a compelling, emotional story in their final chapters that don't leave the audience feeling the franchise has worn out its welcome. There's a reason the Potter stories aren't just popular, but rather are a true worldwide phenomenon -- there is undoubtably something special about them.
Only two weeks out in theaters, Deathly Hallows 2 is sure to be playing for quite some time, and won't be released to DVD for months. But while we're waiting, let's take a look back at what has led up to this final film: a movie series a decade in the making.
(Or, if you're pressed for time, feel free to check out one musically-gifted teen's sung version of all seven stories ... in 99 seconds. Definitely worth a watch!)
"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" [2001] -- Directed by Chris Columbus, this movie is still touted as a favorite entry in the series by many a Potter fan. Columbus faithfully renders the story and world from the book onto the big screen, telling the already-beloved story of the bespectacled boy who finds out he's really a wizard. This is, first and foremost, an origin story, and Columbus allows the movie to open naturally and deliberately, which lets us feel as amazed as Harry himself at the unfolding story. While the film has its weak points (the special effects looked dated even back in 2001), you can't ask for much more in a first-story book-to-film adaptation than this.
"Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" [2002]
Director Chris Columbus continued the tradition he'd begun in the first film of creating film adaptations that were faithful to the original source material. Indeed, it became perhaps a bit too faithful: clocking in at 161 minutes, it's the longest film in the series, despite being developed from one of the shortest books. Nearly every plot detail from the book is preserved, making this an enjoyable experience for book purists but dragging a bit for the average movie-goer. Still, it's a pleasure to fall back into the "groove" of Hogwarts now that the origin story of the first film is past. And there are some wonderful performances, in particular Jason Isaacs as blonde bad-guy Lucius Malfoy, Shirley Henderson as the ghost-girl Moaning Myrtle, and Richard Harris in his final performance as Headmaster Albus Dumbledore.
"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" [2004]
New director Alfonso Cuarón takes the Harry Potter series in a new direction for this third installment, giving us signs that both the child actors and the film series as a whole are growing up. This was the first film to really break away from the by-the-numbers book-to-film transition that Columbus had diligently employed in the first two movies. And, indeed -- now that the world of Harry Potter had been so well established by Columbus, it became more feasible to shake up the movie translations of the source material. What results is a weird, wonderful little movie that is perhaps the most self-contained entry in the series: Voldemort isn't the bad guy this time around, which gives the story a chance to stand completely on its own merits. With the introduction of a real "family" member for Harry, there's also a surprising amount of emotion, as for the first time we're presented with a story exploring Harry's past. This is easily my favorite film of the bunch (with the possible exception of the final entry).
"Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" [2005]
As Potter's first British director, Mike Newell enters in to continue the trend begun by Cuarón in pushing for a darker mood for the story, as well as taking more liberties with the source material than Columbus had. Many Potter fans are divided in their opinions on Goblet of Fire (as well as on Prisoner of Azkaban, for that matter), as book storylines are removed and whole characters are excised. The payoff is a story that, again like Azkaban, has more time to focus on prevailing storylines of Harry's struggles in the wizarding world and the build-up to the return of the primary bad guy of the series: Lord Voldemort. This movie is famous for also being the first to feature the death of a semi-major character, setting the stage for the upcoming battles -- and losses -- to come.
"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" [2007]
David Yates becomes the fourth and final director to come into the Harry Potter series; he will remain on board through the final three films. Voldemort has finally and properly returned, so it's no surprise that this film is among the darkest in the series, with a struggling Harry fighting to deal with pressures both inside and out: Voldemort's return, the wizarding world's prevailing belief that Harry cannot be trusted, and Harry's own teenaged self-doubt in his friends and himself. New characters are introduced, familiar characters are lost (continuing the trend of Goblet of Fire, a major character is killed during the big battle), and Harry is left reeling from a particularly poignant loss. And yet the film seems to lack something, perhaps due to the temporary replacement of screenwriter Steve Kloves with Michael Goldenberg. Being the longest book in the series, Order of the Phoenix was always going to have to be pared down; but despite grounding the story primarily in Harry's emotional arc, the emotional response for the audience seems to be lacking. Being my favorite book of the series, I was disappointed not to better enjoy the film adaptation.
"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" [2009]
Dealing in large part with the backstory of Voldemort's rise to power, Half-Blood Prince must have been difficult to adapt for film. Yet screenwriter Kloves returns to meet the challenge, writing a script that finds a surprisingly graceful balance between dark secrets being revealed and some truly light-hearted comedy about the imperiling journey through the teen years. During its comedic scenes, Half-Blood Prince is an amazingly funny movie, allowing its teen characters to, for a little while, just be teens. Meanwhile, the large strokes of Voldemort's backstory are brought into the story without slowing down the plot so completely as to lose the audience's interest. A word of caution, however: while a growing problem since the third film, Half-Blood Prince is the movie where a reading of the book becomes essential if you want to completely understand the ins and outs of the plot. This movie also features another heart-rending character death, although if you've ever seen Star Wars or Lord of the Rings, you already know it's coming.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 1 [2010]
The filmmakers chose to split the final book installment of the Potter series into two films -- for preserving artistic merit or for the cash, your call. (I suspect different motives for different people involved in the process.) With the Final Battle off in the wings waiting for Part 2, this movie can't help but be heavy on set-up, reestablishing Harry and friends' quest for the Horcruxes (see Half-Blood Prince for more) and introducing the Deathly Hallows (three mystical objects with the power to make their owner "the Master of Death"). That doesn't stop the film from presenting us with plenty of action -- including several mini-battle sequences and a rip-roaring aerial chase across London -- and even some light moments of humor. ("Right. Perspective.") And if you've grown as attached to these characters as much as I have over the last decade, your heart will be in your mouth by the ending sequence -- which is just the ticket to get you geared up for Part Two.
-- Post by Ms. B
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