Here, character dynamics and expository catch-up are cast aside in favor of swift, decisive action, as Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) hunt down the magical Horcruxes that keep Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) tethered to this world. Indeed, with its accelerated rhythm, relentless flow of incident and wizard-war endgame, “Part 2” will strike many viewers as a much more exciting, involving picture than the slower, more atmospheric “Part 1.” Still, as director David Yates and screenwriter Steve Kloves have constructed their two-part finale to pay off in full here, it’s only fair to expect this eighth chapter to stand on its own, which it does up to a point.
#HARRY POTTER DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2 RUNNING TIME MOVIE#
Such enormous anticipation has saddled “Part 2” with pressures no movie should have to bear, and it should rightly be viewed and assessed as the second half of one long film (the full double feature is being presented in select theaters). Factor in 3D ticket surcharges and higher-than-usual repeat biz, and the July 15 release could well overtake the $974 million grossed by 2001’s “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” the series’ first and still most lucrative title. The new film should only benefit from its position as franchise-capper, as even casual fans will line up to witness the passing of this pop-culture milestone. A memorable early setpiece at the wizard bank Gringotts, with priceless jewels multiplying ad infinitum in an underground vault, reps an apt visual metaphor for the Midas touch Harry Potter has demonstrated at the box office ($6 billion in worldwide receipts and counting), and will continue to show in ancillary for years to come.