Ilene Anders
Reporter
Since the first film was released in Nov. 2001, the Harry Potter series has driven thousands to the theaters. The first of seven novels, Harry Potter and Sorcerer’s (Philosopher’s) Stone, was written by British author J.K. Rowling, published in 1997, and the series has since gained worldwide recognition both in print and on the big screen. This past Friday, Nov. 19, the first part of the final movie premiered at 12:01 a.m. The anticipated Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part One brought many fans out to theaters, despite the late hour.
Harry Potter had set many expectations with the public. Sophomore Kate Weisenseel eagerly awaited the last movie, though she predicted that the ending might not be ideal. “I have a feeling that [the movie]is going to end off at a bad point, and everyone’s going to be like ‘Oh, my God,’ what’s going to happen?”
Yet, despite the skepticism towards the last film, many still wish to see it.“I plan on seeing it because it’s the last movie and it’s just kind of required to see it,” sophomore Margie Hahn said.
Sophomore Vincent DeMarco will also most likely be attending though he claims to dislike Harry Potter. “It isn’t believable, but I do enjoy the movies,” he said.
It’s apparent that the public has positively viewed the on-going release of Harry Potter films. “The movies have been going on since I was in first grade and it was a big part of my childhood,” sophomore Katie Melland said. Senior Kate O’Hanlon agreed, saying that she read all the books and grew up with them.
While some appreciate the influence of Potter in their day-to-day lives, others have a slightly less favorable view. “Harry Potter’s a whiney little girl who doesn’t want to do anything on his own,” freshman Isaac Fishman said.
After the premiere, which was packed two hours before the movie began, students shared their take on Potter. “It wasn’t that great,” Margie said. “A lot happened but it was all with very little details.”
Sophomore Peter Baran also decided the movie didn’t quite live up to the hype, but personally, claimed to appreciate it. “It could have been better,” he said. “I read the books a few years back and always [the films]leave out some details, which tends to be annoying. But over all I was rather satisfied with this film and I especially like how the director ended it, it was a good, suspenseful time to stop.”
The actors also stood out to Peter. “The actors did seem to do their parts really well, and it seemed rather believable. My favorite actors by far have to be Snape [Alan Rickman] and Bellatrix Lestrange [Helana Bonham-Carter], they both know how to be great villains,” he said.
The opening weekend of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows made more than 125 million dollars which is almost twice the opening profit of the sixth movie. “I loved it. It was the best installment yet,” sophomore Taylor Dupont, a self-proclaimed Potter fan, said. “They matured so much over every year and we really get to see their characters develop. It was a very dark movie, staying true to the book more so than the other movies. It also ended on a cliffhanger, so I’m really excited for part two.”
