Harry Potter franchise bows out with emotional send-off
The writer wiped away tears, as did an emotional Emma Watson, who plays Hermione Granger, before thanking the actors for “the amazing things they did for my favourite characters”.
Turning to fans, she said: “Thank you for queuing up for the books for all those years, for camping out in a wet Trafalgar Square.”
She then pleaded with the fans, who were chanting “thank you” back to her, to stop, saying “No, no, I’m already crying.”
The sun came out as the film’s stars arrived for its world premiere.
First on the red carpet, which stretched from Trafalgar Square to Leicester Square in central London, was Rupert Grint.
Grint, who plays Ron Weasley in the films, said it was “emotional” to be arriving to see the final film.
He said: “Every film has been just so special.”
Asked to pick his favourite moment from his time in the hugely successful films, he said: “I think it’s probably this.”
Thousands of fans arrived in London from all over the world for the first screening of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part Two.
Many of them are dressed as characters from the films with others waving placards reading “Potter ‘til I die” and “Harry Potter is over. See you in therapy”.
Earlier, Grint told fans making the films had been “the best part of my life”.
Daniel Radcliffe, who plays Harry, got one of the night’s biggest cheers when he said the stories would never end.
He told fans: “Each and every person, not just here in this square but around the world who have watched these films for the last 10 years, they will always carry the films with them for the rest of their lives.”
Other stars walking up the red carpet included Robbie Coltrane, who plays Rubeus Hagrid, Tom Felton who plays Draco Malfoy and Alan Rickman, who plays the sinister Severus Snape.
But the fans reserved their loudest screams for Watson and chanted her name as the actress embarked on a marathon autograph signing session along the length of the red carpet.
Jason Isaacs, who plays Lucius Malfoy, said he was not surprised by the reaction of the thousands of fans who flooded into the West End for the event.
He said: “The books are all about death and loss and mortality so they are very emotional and they make people emotional.
“You find this wherever you go in the world. Harry Potter just seems to light up the world.”
THE final instalment of Harry Potter’s adventures has left critics spellbound.
Those who have been given an early view of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2 have raved about the spectacular action scenes as young wizard Harry and evil Voldemort do battle.
The Daily Mail’s Baz Bamigboye said the final confrontation exceeded expectations.
“Really, the entire series of Potter books and motion pictures has been leading us to this final showdown between Harry and Voldemort. It could easily have been a letdown. But the fight here between good and evil is more than satisfying. It’s thrilling.”
And the writer, who gave the film four out of five stars, lamented the fact that so many staff in the British film industry who created the magical world will now be out of work.
“All of them — actors, producers, technicians, specialists — are among the best working in British movies. And now they’re out of a job. But what a way to go.”
Philip Womack, writing for the Daily Telegraph, said the film made up for the weaknesses of the book.
“Perhaps the greatest triumph of this final film is its ability to overcome the deficiencies of JK Rowling’s writing. In the last Harry Potter volume, she failed singularly to muster the epic feel needed; as a result, on the page, the concluding battle at Hogwarts was a damp squib.
“But (director David) Yates, here transmutes it into a genuinely terrifying spectacle, as bloodied students fight desperately against a horde of screaming black-robed Death Eaters.”
The Sun’s Grant Rollings was unimpressed by the three leads, but was full of praise for the film overall, particularly the “dizzying and thrilling” battle scenes.
“A terrific movie and a great British success story,” he said.
“Unlike many other franchises, the quality of the Harry Potter films never dropped.”
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