Warning: contains spoilers***

Shortly after burying the dead house elf, Dobby, Harry needs to speak with Mr. Olivander. Mr. Olivander identifies 2 wands that belonged to Bellatrix Lestrange and Drake Malfoy. But Draco’s wand might have chosen Harry instead recently.

Right after that, Hermione and Ron take Polyjuice Potion to turn into 2 different Death Eaters. Ron turns into an unidentified man, and Hermione transforms into Bellatrix Lestrange.

They all need to go to Gringotts Bank to access Bellatrix’s vault, because another horcrux, which is Helga Hufflepuff’ cup, is there.

While Ron and Hermione walk around disguised as Death Eaters, Harry carries Griphook the goblin on his back. But both Harry and Griphook. are covered by the invisibility cloak.

The goblin who assisted Ron and Hermione under their disguises takes them, Harry and Griphook to Bellatrix’s vault. However, an enchanted waterfall erases all magical effects as everyone goes under it. So, Ron and Hermione are now back as themselves.

Both goblins leave the golden trio on their own to destroy that cup, even though anything they touch will multiply. Yet they do make it out of the multiplying cups.

They even ride a white dragon out of Gringotts. But they do need to jump into a lake once they arrive there.

While under water, Harry has a vision of voldemort. He finds out that he knows what they’re doing and that he’s mad and scared.

After the trio change back into their normal clothes, they disspperate into Hogsmeade. Then they meet Dumbledore’s brother, Aberforth. Despite his mostly negative attitude, he does help the 3 access a passage to Hogwarts.

Neville leads them up that tunnel and tells them that Hogwarts has changed for the worst. Snape is the headmaster, but is hardly around. The Carrow siblings are the most dangerous and give highly cruel and unusual punishments.

Once in the Gryffindor common room, Harry is welcomed by his fellow classmates. That even includes alumni, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws.

More importantly, Harry finds out what the next horcrux needs to be destroyed is. That is Ravenclaw’s diadem.

Not long after all, the students are summoned to the great hall. Snape warns everyone about what consequences they will face if they don’t turn in Harry.

Surprisingly, though, Harry reveals himself and puts Snape down. Snape apparently tries to hurt Harry. But McGonagall stops him and even blasts him and the Carrow siblings out the window.

Everyone cheers… until Voldemort’s voice warns everyone what he wants. That is to destroy Harry once and for all.

The battle of Hogwarts officially begins. Kids panic throughout the staircases. Adults cast advanced spell to shield the school.

Unfortunately, Voldemort and his Death Eaters destroy the shield, and attack the campus.

Harry and his friends run into other mishaps. From having to destroy the diadem to getting chased by fire in the room of requirement, the war just gets more intense.

At some point, Harry witnesses Snape being killed. Snape’s last words to Harry are, “You have your mother’s eyes.” Then he kicks the bucket.

Even worse, lots of other people Harry knew died too. That includes Fred, Lupin and Tonks.

Harry then goes into the pensieve in the headmaster’s office. After Dumbledore’s death a year ago, all his memories were replaced with Snape’s.

Harry witnesses Snape’s life from when he first met Lily, Harry’s mom, as a child to all his interactions with Dumbledore involving Harry’s fate. Once that’s done, Harry learns that he must die.

He goes into the forbidden forest and uses the Resurrection Stone to temporarily revive different loved ones that had died for him. They include his parents, James and Lily, his godfather, Sirius, and Lupin, a former Hogwarts professor and old friend of his parents. They assure him that dying won’t be painful at all and help him become confident in it.

Harry then comes face-to-face with Voldemort, who uses the killing curse to murder him.

Harry’s soul wakes up in a strange version of King’s Cross station. It’s mostly white and has no trains. Dumbledore’s soul also comes and helps Harry decide whether to return to the land of the living or stay in the afterlife.

The scene switches back to the Forbidden Forest. Narcissa Malfoy, Draco’s mother, who also serves Voldemort, claims that Harry is dead.

Hagrid is forced to carry Harry’s dead body back to Hogwarts, while the Death Eaters and Voldemort follow him. Luckily, though, Harry turns out to be alive since Voldemort killed only the horcrux in him and not harry himself entirely.

After jumping out of Hagrid’s arms, Harry continues to battle Voldemort. Ultimately, he and Voldemort’s spells crash into each other, and Harry wins by backfiring Voldemort’s killing curse. At last, Voldemort finally meets his demise.

Everyone has calmed down now that the battle is officially over. Harry goes back to Ron and Hermione and decides to destroy the elder wand, which he had used to defeat Voldemort.

Nineteen years later, Harry and his former Hogwarts classmates are now sending their kids to school at King’s Cross Station.

Like with almost all the other Harry Potter films, this one engaged me the entire way through. Even though this movie is over 2 hours long, its high levels of action, tension, and suspense sped up the pacing.

Many moments were faithful to the book, although some moments were still cut or changed. I finally understand why fans disliked the scene where Harry and Voldemort fell together. I found it a bit awkward, too.

I did admire the occasional lighthearted comedic moments. Fans generally express disappointment in Ron being a whiny comic relief character in the movies, deviating from his strong and brave personality in the novels. But he did feel believable screaming from a fire monster in the room of requirement.

Despite the fast pacing, some parts were a little slow and boring. But if they were heartwarming, then they really drew me in.

For instance, I found the scene where Harry temporarily revived his lost loved ones with the Resurrection Stone. He interacted with his parents for the first time ever. It was particularly sweet when Sirius spoke to him again for the first time in 2 years.

I did find it odd that he called Lupin by his first name, Remus. Neville referred to him as Remus, too.

Obviously, when he was teaching at Hogwarts, Harry and all the other students called him Professor Lupin. The text in the 5th book, Order of the Phoenix referred to him as just Lupin.

I could be wrong, but I’m pretty the books never mention Lupin inviting Harry or any of his classmates to address him by his first time. He must’ve done it at some point, though. I just wish it was definitely in the books and I remembered it.

Overall, I enjoyed Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2. I do strongly recommend seeing all the other movies and/or reading all the books prior.

I give this film 4 out of 5 stars.