Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2

Filmmaker David Yates's fast-paced, spectacular conclusion to the spellbinding Harry Potter franchise boasts everything one could wish for in an action-adventure movie. Throughout the series, young wizard-in-training Harry has struggled with both the difficulties of adolescence and being the target of a villainous enemy. Now Lord Voldemort is using Horcruxes to become immortal, secreting fragments of his soul within these magical objects so he can be regenerated or resurrected. Determined to destroy the remaining Horcruxes, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermione Granger (Emma Watson), and Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) must sneak past wary goblins into Gringotts Wizarding Bank and then find the Diadem of Ravenclaw, which is hidden somewhere at Hogwarts. In the terrifying, final battle for control of the wizarding world, Harry will learn the secrets of enigmatic Severus Snape (Alan Rickman) and confront reptilian-looking Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes). In this fun-filled fantasy, even peripheral characters—like Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham Carter), Mrs. Weasley (Julie Walters), and Neville Longbottom (Matthew Lewis)—have their climactic moments, and an epilogue satisfyingly ties the final knot in the narrative thread of J.K. Rowling's beloved series, which winningly explores classic good vs. evil themes while also chronicling the evolution of innocent preteens into bright, brave, resourceful young adults. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. [Note: Blu-ray/DVD extras include eight deleted scenes (7 min.). Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is a “Blowing Up Hogwarts” Maximum Movie Mode viewing option hosted by costar Matthew Lewis that incorporates deleted scenes and “Focus Point” segments with cast and crew on specific scenes, costumes, and characters (26 min.), “A Conversation with J.K. Rowling and Daniel Radcliffe (53 min.) with the author and star, “The Women of Harry Potter” cast featurette (23 min.), “The Goblins of Gringotts” on makeup and casting (11 min.), cast and crew farewells (3 min.), a Warner Bros. London studio tour (2 min.), a brief segment with Rowling on her Pottermore website, bonus DVD and digital copies of the film, and the BD-Live function. Bottom line: an excellent Blu-ray extras package for this wonderful conclusion to the Harry Potter saga.] (S. Granger)