10. Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (#221)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 isn't a bad film, by any standard, and as the "final" movie in a huge franchise it delivers on its promise to be appropriately epic. And yet, for what it's worth, David Yates renders his fourth Harry Potter flick with about as much personality as a film "Directed by Warner Bros." (which is another way of saying that it feels incredibly studio-ish and factory-like). This feeling plagued most of Yates' installments, in fact, and although The Deathly Hallows: Part 2 probably stands out as one of the best Potter movies, there's nothing "special" about it to warrant a place in the IMDb Top 250 - has everyone gone totally mad? Ill-judged epilogue withstanding, the picture mostly unravels in a checklist style; events from the original book are ticked off, scene by scene, in a surprisingly detached way, whilst the emotional levels feel dumbed down - especially in the way the script kills off iconic characters with little fanfare. All said and done, it lacks the characteristics of a true cinematic gem - it's far too "polished." Worst still, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - undeniably the best Potter flick of all - is nowhere to be found in the Top 250. What gives, everyone?
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
