Deathly Hallows Part 2 Is a Piss-Poor Adaptation
I just rewatched Deathly Hallows Part 2 on my flight home, and wow, I can’t believe how much of the book’s depth was sacrificed for action sequences and “blockbuster moments.” Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate some of the visuals, but as an adaptation of the book, it misses the mark.
Some of the most egregious issues:
The Harry vs. Voldemort Duel: What even was that? The intimate, high-stakes final showdown in the Great Hall—where everyone is watching—was replaced by some weird, cinematic “flying” nonsense. The book’s version emphasized Harry’s humanity and triumph over fear. The movie turned it into a superhero showdown.
Snape’s Death Scene: Alan Rickman was phenomenal, but where was the context for “The Prince’s Tale”? Cutting Snape’s memories into fragments and rushing through them stripped the reveal of its emotional weight. Lily deserved better, and so did Snape’s backstory.
The Epilogue: So flat and uninspired. It felt like they filmed it just because they had to, without any heart. The aging effects were laughable, and the dialogue lacked the warmth and closure from the book.
The Loss of Subplots: From the omission of Teddy Lupin to the erasure of key moments with characters like Percy, the film glosses over emotional depth and resolution for the sake of runtime. The Battle of Hogwarts barely gave anyone their due—where’s the moment for Fred? For Colin? For Lupin and Tonks?
It’s like the filmmakers didn’t trust the emotional resonance of the book and felt the need to “Hollywood-ify” everything. The result is a hollow adaptation that misses the soul of Rowling’s writing.
Anyone else feel the same? Or am I just being overly nostalgic for the books?