Fan Rant: Harry Potter and The 'Heroes' Effect

Hmmm... I can understand the frustration, but in terms of the way they approached the story and the thematic elements that were explored -- and knowing what's to come in the final two installments -- I can understand the reasoning behind their decisions.

Reply

It's not always about what happens at the end its about the journey.

I suppose you could say the ending to Harry Potter was anti-climatic but if you've enjoyed the last 2 and a half hours it's not a big issue.

Not all movies end with a big bang most of them take you for a ride and simmer down at the end,

Even though when Dumbledore died it hit pitch fever it was obvious with the scenes between Hermione and Harry later on it wasn't designed to end with a big bang but rather with a cliff hanger.

I thought the ending was fine Dumbledore is obviously a smaller part of the picture the bigger confrontation has yet to take place.

Some people may think it anti-climatic but at the end of the day others will enjoy the journey rather than focus on the destination.

Personally I loved the movie and the Dumbledore situation took nothing away from it for me.

Reply

YOU HIT IT ON THE NAIL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THIS DIRECTOR SUCKS SO MUCH THE BOOK WAS ABOUT SO MUCH AND THE FILM IS ABOUT SO LITTLE WHAT A LET DOWN.

Reply

I was not a particular fan of this movie. Your point is exactly true -- the whole movie felt as if it was leading up to something, and the something turned out to be the next film instead of an ending.

The more I think about the film, the less it makes sense. [spoiler] For instance, why did Harry have to get the memory from his teacher if Dumbledore was already out collecting the items that the memory revealed.

It was not an unenjoyable experience, but felt more like a filler episode of the aforementioned Heroes than a story of its own.

Reply

Actually, I'd argue that the movie has a lot on its mind. The book's plot elements are utilized to explore themes such as coming-of-age, life and death, and, ultimately, the death of childhood.

It may not be a faithful adaptation, but it is certainly not a bad movie. In fact, it's quite brilliant. It's like a big budget British New Wave movie from the late 50s/early 60s.

Reply

I think they addressed this in an interview and decided against it since it would have been too much like the seventh book battle.

Reply

I think in the case of Heroes it probably has more to do with the fact that they have to work with a limited budget. TV rarely gets the money a feature film does and must skimp out on some of the cooler things the writers come up with.

Reply

I felt the same way. I sat there watching the film, as the tension kept building, waiting for the release of the climatic fight scene at the end, and it NEVER came! I was totally let-down. Waiting all this time, for that? I understand things get cut or changed when adapting a novel, but cutting out the fight scene makes no sense. Like, why would Draco even want to get the Death Eaters inside Hogwarts, if they didn't want a fight? Apparently they're saving "the only grand fight scene" for 2011. I think it was a mistake to cut the battle.

Reply

I definitely felt like McGonagall was left out too much in this Potter film, Maggie Smith's talent can't just be put to waste like this! Give her power, give her momentum, I wanted a reason to think she was the only possible Head for Hogwarts.

*Spoiler* It wasn't really even suggested that she took on that role in the end of the film, meanwhile the irritating and not entertaining Lavender Brown gets more screen time than nearly every accomplished actor in the film? Where's Robbie Coltrane?

I think this is what I felt was lacking from the 6th film, even if I did like it more than several of the others. It didn't have the spark of magic, it could have taken place anywhere. Hardly anything was there to make me love Hogwarts except the devotion I gained from reading the books.

Reply

I can't comment on the latest film (I'll see it tomorrow), but I was disappointed in Goblet of Fire. They could have actually shown us the other contestants face their dragons, but instead, they insisted on following Harry's POV, while extending his encounter with his dragon to a point where his score no longer made any sense. The book loses nothing by not showing the others because we still have the descriptions; there is no such equivalent in the film. Very annoying. (I won't even get into the departures in the Chamber of Secrets climax and phoenix's song.)

Reply

Thank you for this review. The fight scene happining downstairs was the thing I missed the most from the book. It was annoying not to see it in the movie after waiting for a long time. Both 5th and 6th movies are bad because not only making no sense, they both miss too much out of the book. Hope they will solve this problem some how and the last 2 movies will be better.

Reply

The Director clearly doesn't understand the character of Harry Potter. The movie was wonderful but the end was terrible. Dumbledore froze Harry in the book under the invisibility cloak so he couldn't try to help him. Harry would never have stood by while Dumbledore was in trouble and he certainly would not have listened to Snape telling him to shush. The fight scene with Snape was lame and the scene with everyone's wand in the air was absolutely ridiculous - they all looked like they were at a concert. I understand they had to leave a lot out of the movie but to change such key parts of the story is inexcusable.

Reply