epalogue.: Mischief mis-managed.

It wasn’t the send-off I was expecting.

Yes, I’m talking of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 movie.

I was disappointed, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t any good. It was good, actually and quite moving but as a reader who has devotedly stuck to the books, it was quite disappointing. Ok, I know that there really are some details that have not matched the books from the previous film adaptations as well, but the stuff I was waiting for weren’t just little details. They were the suspense and the chills that the original scenario got me while I was lying in bed reading the battle at Hogwarts. And the deaths of Fred, Lupin and Tonks weren’t given much justice. I feel sadder for them.

That said, I almost found myself sulking behind my 3D glasses inside the cinema while the movie plays in front of me.

That’s quite a harsh review, but let me get this straight; it wasn’t bad at all. My heart was beating furiously as the characters put up their momentous scenes as though these were their onscreen farewell to the fans that have devoted their childhood in the corners of their room reading the books and lining up the cinema whenever the movie will be shown.

But it was such a comfort watching the movie with fellow Potterheads. It was easy to say so because of the collective reactions from the audience during selected scenes. In previous films, whenever you caught a glimpse of the Weasley twins, you always expect yourself laughing even before the punch line was even said, but during the last scene were they were seen checking on each other, got a collective “awww” reaction from the audience. This, owing to the fact that they knew the fate that’s awaiting one of the twins, Fred.

The triumphant feeling when Mrs. Weasley beat Bellatrix that eventually blasted her into smithereens (though I don’t remember if she died in such a manner). The slow, controlled breaths as the Prince’s Tale (Professor Snape’s confession, for non-readers) unfolds, you knew right then that people were expecting to get emotional with it. And lastly, the dread of seeing the screen go black and see the credits go on, because it only means that it actually is the end.

Funny though, as the credits were shown, almost everyone inside the cinema were still seated, as though waiting for something “magical” to happen. I have watched the entire Harry Potter film adaptations and this was the first time that people were stuck in their seats even as the names of the production crew of the film were shown onscreen. Usually, after every film, I would feel excited for the next movie, but this time, there are no more movies to expect. I guess that was one of the reasons why everyone seemed rooted in their seats. The reality just sunk in that there will never be another Potter film to wait for.

That’s the movie production saying “Mischief managed!”

But really, who cares if the movie adaptation ends here? For Potterheads, as Neville amptly said, Harry will always be in our hearts (or something like that).

So in reality, that's "Mischief mis-managed!".