Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) - Movie Review for Parents

Bottom line: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 presents the climactic final battle and the end of the epic story. As Harry has grown, the story has become darker and the consequences more dire. This final installment contains heavy magical violence, including a few deaths that may be frightening or unsettling to kids.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 - Overview

This final chapter in the Harry Potter movie series picks up right where the last left off. Harry, Hermione and Ron are in search of the last of the horcruxes, each of which contain a piece of the evil Lord Voldemort's soul. But, dark and powerful forces oppose them. Professor Snape and other Deatheaters have taken over Hogwarts School, and Voldemort now has the infamous Elder Wand. Harry and his friends must find all of the horcruxes and destroy them as well as Voldemort. The fate of the magical world lies in their hands.

Voldemort hopes that the Elder Wand will give him all the power he needs to finally kill Harry Potter. He will stop at nothing to defeat his young nemesis, and he does not care what or who stands in his way. A great battle unfolds on the grounds of Hogwarts, and many lives are lost. In order to claim victory, however, the winner must harness magical power that is completely beyond the understanding of anyone living, including Voldemort. One way or the other, defeat is eminent -- either Harry, Voldemort or both will fall.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 - Guide Review for Parents

Voldemort's grip on the wizarding world has tightened like a noose, and the characters we've come to know and love are not only now feeling the stress of the evil around them, but they are also cognizant of the looming battle that must inevitably occur between good and evil -- a battle which will certainly have dire consequences. Exciting scenes from the book come to life, and a few scenes are slightly different than what is written in the book.

The intense scenes and culminating battle involve various forms and degrees of magical violence and some hand-to-hand combat. Characters are bloodied and beaten, and a few important characters die. Some images, such as those of the evil looking Deatheaters or Lord Voldemort himself, may be intensely disturbing or frightening to children. The movie also contains a few scary magical creatures including a dragon and hideous looking giants. A hideous and tormented creature that Harry sees may be disturbing to some viewers. In addition to scary scenes, the movie also shows some sad scenes in which people mourn for those who have died. For more details on movie content, please see the overview below.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 - Content Overview

• Violence (High): Characters in the movie fight each other with magic, but they still cause considerable harm and even death. Battle scenes in this movie look like those from other movies with wounded walking around limping and mourning over their dead. Buildings and other structures are destroyed by magic, objects and fire. Some characters hauntingly disintegrate as they die.
• Scary Scenes (High): Scenes listed under "violence" may be scary for children. A few magical creatures like a dragon, giants and a large snake may also be frightening to young viewers. Scenes where the voice of Voldemort whispers through the building and causes some characters to cover their ears in pain, or scenes where Voldemort hurts and kills other characters may be very disturbing to kids.
• Sex/Nudity (Low): A few kisses occur in the movie.
• Drugs and Alcohol (None)
• Language (Medium): The word "hell" is used. Also, the "b" word is used once.
• Disrespectful/Imitative Behavior (High): Voldemort and his followers take delight in causing pain and being evil. A few characters fight, and some engage in mild name calling. Some characters lie, impersonate others, break their word and steal. Some of these acts are done in order to aid the cause of good, others to aid Voldemort or for selfish reasons.

• Sad/Unsettling Scenes (High): A few important characters die in the film and their survivors mourn them. Also, Harry sees his dead parents and others, but they are not real. Dead bodies that are shown in the movie could be very unsettling to some viewers.
• Movie Topics Kids Might Have Questions About: magic, evil, death, ghosts, curses, choosing between good and evil, risking one's life for a cause