Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 is a 2011 epic fantasy film directed by David Yates and the second of two films based on the novel Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling. It is the eighth and final instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by David Heyman, David Barron, and Rowling. The story continues to follow Harry Potter’s quest to find and destroy Lord Voldemort’s Horcruxes. The film stars Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, alongside Rupert Grint and Emma Watson as Harry’s best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Principal photography began on 19 February 2009, and was completed on 12 June 2010, with the final day of reshoots taking place on 21 December 2010, marking the series’ closure of ten years of filming. Part 2 was released in 2D, 3-D and IMAX cinemas worldwide from 13–15 July 2011, and is the only Harry Potter film to be released in 3-D

The film became a financial success and was one of the best-reviewed films of 2011.At the box office, Part 2 claimed the worldwide opening weekend record, earning $483.2 million, as well as setting opening day and opening weekend records in various countries. As of 2012, the film is the fourth highest grossing film of all time, the highest grossing film of 2011, the highest grossing film in the Harry Potter series, and the ninth film to gross over $1 billion.

The Blu-ray and DVD sets were released on 11 November 2011, in the United States and on 2 December 2011, in the United Kingdom. In October 2011, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 was declared the highest pre-ordered Blu-ray and DVD ever by Amazon.com. The film was also released in the Harry Potter: Complete 8-Film Collection box set on DVD and Blu-ray, which included all eight films and new special features. Part 1 and Part 2were released as a combo pack on DVD and Blu-ray on 11 November 2011, in Canada.

PLOT SUMMARY

As Lord Voldemort retrieves the Elder Wand from Albus Dumbledore’s grave, Severus Snape has become Hogwarts headmaster. After burying Dobby, Harry Potter has the goblin Griphook help him, Ron, and Hermione break into Bellatrix Lestrange’s vault at Gringotts bank, suspecting a Horcrux may be there. Griphook agrees, in exchange for the Sword of Gryffindor. Harry has wandmaker Ollivander identify two wands taken from Malfoy Manor. Ollivander says they belonged to Bellatrix and to Draco Malfoy, but Malfoy’s has changed its allegiance to Harry.

In Bellatrix’s vault, Harry discovers the Horcrux is Helga Hufflepuff’s cup. He retrieves it, but Griphook snatches the sword and abandons the trio, leaving them cornered by the alerted security. The three release the dragon guardian and flee on its back. Harry sees a vision of Voldemort killing goblins, including Griphook, and learns Voldemort is aware of the theft. Harry also realizes there is a Horcrux at Hogwarts somehow connected to Rowena Ravenclaw. The trio apparate into Hogsmeade, and set off Caterwauling alarms. They are rescued by Aberforth Dumbledore, who instructs the portrait of his younger sister, Ariana, to fetch Neville Longbottom, who leads the trio through a secret passageway into Hogwarts.

Snape hears of Harry’s return and warns staff and students of the severe punishment for aiding Harry. Harry confronts Snape, who flees after Minerva McGonagall challenges him to a duel. McGonagall gathers the community of Hogwarts to prepare for battle. At Luna Lovegood’s insistence, Harry speaks to Helena Ravenclaw’s ghost, who reveals that Voldemort performed “dark magic” on her mother’s diadem, which is in the Room of Requirement. Ron and Hermione go to the Chamber of Secrets, where Hermione destroys the Horcrux cup with a Basilisk fang. In the Room of Requirement, Draco, Gregory Goyle and Blaise Zabini attack Harry, but Ron and Hermione intervene. Goyle casts a Fiendfyre curse and is unable to control it, and is burned to death while Harry and his friends save Malfoy and Zabini. Harry stabs the diadem with the Basilisk fang and Ron kicks it into the Room of Requirement, where it is destroyed. As Voldemort’s forces attack the school, Harry, seeing into Voldemort’s mind, realizes that Voldemort’s snake Nagini is the final Horcrux. After entering the boathouse, the trio witness Voldemort telling Snape the Elder Wand cannot serve him until Snape dies; he then has Nagini kill Snape. Before dying, Snape tells Harry to take his memories to the Pensieve. In the chaos at Hogwarts, Fred, Lupin, and Tonks are killed.

Harry learns from Snape’s memories that Snape loved Harry’s mother, Lily, but despised his father, James, the latter having bullied him. Following her death, Snape worked secretly with Dumbledore to protect Harry from Voldemort because of his love for Lily. Harry also learns that Dumbledore’s death at Snape’s hands was planned between them. Harry discovers that he became a Horcrux when Voldemort originally failed to kill him and that Harry must die to destroy the piece of Voldemort’s soul within him. Harry goes to die at the hands of Voldemort in the Forbidden Forest. Voldemort casts the Killing Curse upon Harry, who finds himself in a limbo where Dumbledore’s spirit meets him and explains that the part of Voldemort within Harry was killed by Voldemort’s own curse. Harry decides to return to his body to face Voldemort for the final time.

Voldemort announces Harry’s apparent death to everyone at Hogwarts, and that anyone who defies him will be killed. As Neville gives a defiant speech, Harry reveals he is alive. Neville draws the Sword of Gryffindor from the Sorting Hat, and as Harry engages Voldemort in a duel throughout the castle, Neville decapitates Nagini, leaving Voldemort mortal. Molly Weasley kills Bellatrix in the Great Hall. The final stand of Harry and Voldemort’s fight is Voldemort’s own Killing Curse rebounding and obliterating him. After the battle, Harry explains that the Elder Wand had recognized him as its master because he had disarmed Draco at Malfoy Manor, who in turn had disarmed its previous owner, Dumbledore. Harry snaps the Elder Wand, rejecting its power.

Nineteen years later, Harry and Ginny Potter, with Ron and Hermione Weasley, watch proudly as their children leave for Hogwarts from King’s Cross station.

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