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Celebrating Harry Potter’s birthday, DU Beat brings to you 11 ways through which you can access your own Hogwarts at the Delhi University and create your own magic!

Harry Potter has ruled the hearts and souls (refer: Hurcruxes) since we stepped into the Wizarding World through Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in 1997. Today, as we celebrate Harry’s 38th birth anniversary, we bring to you a few parallels that you could draw from the world of muggles and magic to the world of the University of Delhi (DU) and the lack of it. Here’s tracing your journey at Hogwarts through DU:

  1. The Sorting Hat or in our case, DU cut-offs
download
Image Credits- Pottermore

 

The cut-offs act as a sorting hat (but in our case, they don’t really listen to us) as they sort us in different campuses and colleges.

  1. The Four Houses or in our case the different DU Campuses
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Image Credits – Pinterest

 

The sorting Hat, i.e., the cut-off’s divide us up in 4 separate houses:

Gryffindor: The South Campus Colleges

Slytherin: The North Campus Colleges

Hufflepuff: The East and Central Delhi Colleges

Ravenclaw: The West Delhi Colleges

  1. Dumbledore’s Army or dedicated society members
Dumbledore's_Army
Image Credits- Wikia

 

The societies in every college are led by the man behind the show himself: Albus Dumbledore. (Meeting in secret spaces because the college rarely ever gives you space for your society/ lets you miss classes for meetings)

  1. Errol Weasley or the constantly  glitching DU website
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Image Credits – Wikia

 

The Weasley’s loyal family owl is flown out to us in the form of the DU website, which never works during results or exams or pretty much ever.

  1. Dolores Umbridge or scary faculty members
Dolores_Umbridge
Image Credits- Harry Potter Wiki

 

The professors’ and the principals’ reactions towards our self-proclaimed autonomy serve as a social manifestation of the most real villain in the series, Dolores Umbridge. (Read: I must not tell lies.)

  1. Rubeus Hagrid or in our case, college gatekeepers

Every college guard is Hagrid. Try sneaking into your college without an ID and you will see what we mean!

Rubeushagrid
Image Credits – Harry Potter Wiki

 

  1. Argus Filch and Hostel wardens
WB_F4_ArgusFilch_FilchStoodInCorridor_C394-7
Image credits – Pottermore

 

Argus Filch is every strict hostel warden ever who holds on to dear curfew as if it were oxygen. How dare you return at 8:01 p.m. when the in-time was 8!

  1. Norris (Filch’s Cat) and the one classmate who is the teacher’s pet
Image credits- Screenrat
Image credits- Screenrat

 

Every teacher’s pet ever is Filch’s Cat, ready to rat on us and score extra points with the professor. CR’s can sometimes be guilty of doing so.

  1. Voldemort and exams (they must not be named)
Voldemort-Death
Image Credits – MuggleNet

 

The nose-less demon is socially manifested in our lives in the form of exams, with its Horcruxes leaching at our souls all year long through internals and practicals.

11. Howler or an angry phone call from parents

Image credits- Howler
Image credits- Howler

 

A call from angry parents is just like a howler, involving endless screaming, shouting, and embarrassed silence on our end as we get berated endlessly.

12. Hogsmeade aka Hudson Lane and Satya Niketan

Image Credits- Pottermore
Image Credits- Pottermore

 

Each Campus has its own Hogsmeade. North Campus has Hudson Lane, South Camus has Satya Niketan, and the off-campus colleges have their own few spots to go drink Butterbeer too!

 

Every year, the applications are out and the cut-offs release, DU receives its very own fresh batch of Wizards, ready to change the world in their own ways. And even though Hogwarts has no comparison and it never will, we can’t help but wonder if Hogwarts is only accessible through Platform Nine and Three Quarters or do we really create our magic, even if it is in the Muggle world.

 

Feature Image Credits:  Cnet

Muskan Sethi

[email protected]

On 2nd May 1998, Harry, Hermione, and Ron were seen destroying horcruxes and avenging the evil that reeked through Voldemort. It’s been twenty years hence, and it still seems as though this sequence of events is taking place right now. As we lament the deaths of those characters who faced an untimely end, today marks the anniversary of one of the greatest moments in the Harry Potter universe.

It would be an understatement to say that the Harry Potter series has inspired me and a million other children across the globe – an entire generation has grown up immersed in the wizarding world’s shenanigans. This is the same generation which has ever so patiently been waiting for their Hogwarts acceptance letters to arrive, has thrived on every piece of trivia supplied to it through Pottermore, and has taken multiple quizzes to find out which Harry Potter character they were. This is the Harry Potter generation. A generation that consists of people of varied ages, races, and countries with an equal and undying sense of loyalty towards the books.

I can proudly affirm to the fact that I belong to this generation, and that Harry Potter taught me lessons that no teacher could teach me patiently. The books were those comforting friends that helped me steer my way through middle-school crushes and high-school heartbreaks, through the rough times in friendships and all personal lows. Those of us who grew up reading this magical series, spent months waiting for the next movie in the franchise, and re-read parts from Snape’s memories on the days when we felt like crumbling in our own living hells. J.K Rowling weaved an entire universe of intricate details and complex characters that it’s compelling enough to forget our mundane problems for a long while.

The first book in the series taught me that it’s alright if you disagree with your friends, like Neville stood against the trio. It taught me that it’s okay to be yourself and embrace your uniqueness like Luna Lovegood. The seventh book taught me that the hero might not always be the knight in the shining armour, and the fifth Book taught me that every great personality started from a place we are at now. As each day passes, there’s something new that I learn and connect from each of the books, which is why this list is inexhaustible. If I were to write down all the lessons I gathered, no thousand-page thesis could ever do justice.

Bhavya Banerjee, an avid reader of the books, shared her story, “Harry Potter has been much more than just a story for me. It gave me another universe where I could exist and grow up with all the characters. Hermione taught me to find a friend in your books. Ron taught me it’s okay to prioritise food over people and Harry taught me how to bounce back from mistakes. Harry Potter has essentially been a very important influence in my life.”

Vineeta Rana, another potterhead in Delhi University, sat up excitedly when I asked about her learnings from Harry Potter. She said, “Harry Potter has taught me the value of friendship. The books taught me the importance of staying loyal to your loved ones, and that anything is possible in Hogwarts, provided you’ve got enough nerve.”

A million more stories like these and an equal number of lives shaped for the better, entirely on the basis of one brilliant mind and her idea of such a world.

Until next time, when we take a few minutes from our lives to acknowledge the beauty of those seven books, we can drink Butterbeer while re-reading about Voldemort’s obsession with a teenage boy, and lazily dream of entering the magical world through platform 9¾.

 

Feature Image Credits: Flickr

Vijeata Balani
[email protected]

On 26 June 1997, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was first published. Twenty years later, we celebrate two decades of the joy that the Harry Potter franchise has given to millions of people around the world. I will not talk about the plot of the franchise. Nor will I talk about how the books are superior to the movies (which they totally are, by the way). Instead, I’ll write about how Harry Potter was – and always will be – my most profound teacher and, in a way, my best friend.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone starts off with “The Boy Who Lived”, the first chapter of the fantasy series. From here, JK Rowling takes us on an adventure with Harry, one of the most relatable characters of our generation. Sure, not all of us live in constant fear of an evil wizard who’s out to kill us. But we do face many of the same troubles and tribulations that Harry does over the years – the emotionally taxing ones like being lonely at school and facing situations you aren’t ready for, as well as the mundane ones of too much homework and exam stress (the few times when Harry actually gives his exams). At some point, we’ve all identified with Ron’s feelings of inadequacy and envy. We’ve encountered racism and casteism and empathised with the Muggle-borns of the wizarding world, and we’ve seen that even Hogwarts isn’t immune to the plague of rote memorisation.
It’s no wonder, then, that I’ve learnt how to navigate life through the Harry Potter series. Hermione Granger was my first role model when I started reading the books at age 7. She followed rules and prioritised knowledge above all else, but she also taught me to value “friendship and bravery” over merely “books and cleverness”. For the first few years, Rowling taught me through direct dialogue, often that of Albus Dumbledore – how it does not do to dwell on dreams, how our choices reflect our true selves much more than our abilities, and to ask for help when needed (I’m still struggling with the last one, but I’m indebted to Rowling nonetheless). As I grew older, I started looking up to Minerva McGonagall for her no-nonsense attitude and affinity for fairness. The lessons I learnt now were more through my inferences from the literature and my own judgment of characters. Sometimes, these were even contradictory to what the plot implied. The most apparent example is that I concluded that Severus Snape’s love for Lily Potter could not excuse his abuse of children (and I will fight anyone who claims otherwise). Perhaps the biggest lesson we’ve all learnt, though, is that no matter who you are, there’s always a place where you belong.
In addition to the countless pieces of advice Harry Potter has offered me, it has also been a source of comfort and friendship. It’s my go-to feel-good series and I’ve ran to it umpteen times when I’m feeling low. I cannot speak for older people, but I know for a fact that our generation has been through it all with the golden trio. We grew up together and stuck with them through thick and thin. We experienced butterflies in our stomachs in Goblet of Fire when romance first became a part of the books, and suffered through whole pages of Harry shouting in Order of the Phoenix. We even made peace with the fact that the movies completely ignored the existence of Peeves. And for this Hufflepuff-worthy loyalty, we were rewarded with a fandom that keeps on giving – a textbook initially written for Comic Relief that was itself turned into a movie series, an online wizarding world where we can get our own wand and brew Polyjuice Potion, even a glimpse into the future where Harry and Draco’s sons are best friends.
Twenty years later, the fantasy world continues to heal people of all ages around the world. And six years after the release of the last Harry Potter movie, Rowling has stayed true to her word – whether we come back by page or by screen, Hogwarts has always been there to welcome us home.
Here’s wishing you a happy 20th anniversary of the Chosen One. To conclude, I’d like to say a few words, and here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!

 

Feature Image credits: The Independent

Vineeta Rana

[email protected]

Harry Potter fans around the world are always in want of getting that ‘magical’ feeling back. And what better way to tingle the senses than the latest magical flick of Fantastic Beasts! We all know how stretching a concept too far can make it lose its charm (Golmaal 4?) but this is completely different.  The movie scheduled for release on 18th November in India promises all the thrills and magic of the earlier Harry Potter versions.

The story is set in the America of 1920s where Newt Scamander (author of the textbook Fantastic Beasts And Where to Find Them) played by Eddie Redmayne, arrives in New York with a battered suitcase full of magical creatures. All hell breaks lose after it gets exchanged with a No-Maj (the American equivalent of a Muggle) Jacob Kowalski played by Dan Fogler who accidentally lets the creature escape. The Wizarding community is threatened to exposure by the magical beasts who run amok.  Running the risk of a war with the No-Majs, Scamander has the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA) breathing down his neck while he frantically attempts to round up all the creatures. He is helped in his quest by Tina Goldstein played by Katherine Waterston.

Even as I apologize for ruining the storyline for the highly sensitive Potter-heads out there, here are a few interesting facts about the upcoming film:

Fantastic Beasts will be J.K. Rowling’s screenwriting debut. After having drafted three versions, the final version was sent to David Yates, who directed the previous four films in the franchise. With inputs from producers David Heyman and Steve Kloves, the script finally had the right balance of dark and good.

The Americans No-Majs are dangerous. The European muggles could be handled with a simple Obliviate charm but the No-Majs are not messing around. Wand wielders and armed police are seen fighting and on the brink of a war. Scamander’s little accident seems to have threatened the entire wizarding community.

Gellert Grindewald is back and there is a brand new Dark Wizard in town. Very less of Grindewald is known except for the fact that he dueled Dumbledore in 1945 and was held prisoner in a fortress. And this is exactly what Rowling plans on changing. With Fantastic Beasts, many aspects of the wizarding world previously unknown (and fantasized by fans) will be revealed. This alone is a dream come true for Potter-heads!

Finally, the best part. There will be four more films, that is, four more sequels to Fantastic Beasts! Director Yates has confirmed that he will be directing all four upcoming films which will also be scripted by Rowling. This has to be the best news for fans in a long time.

It remains to be seen whether the film can bring back the magic of old but as of yet, it looks to be holding all the promising cards. Here and hoping!

BONUS: Google has partnered with the film to allow Android users to cast spells! Just open the google search app and say lumos, this will turn on your flashlight! Say Nox and it will turn off. Silencio switches your phone to silent mode. There are more fun features you can enjoy. Click here for more.  

Image credits: cdmfansided, cosmopolitan.co.uk, laineygossip, maxresdefault, odeonfrastly, the geekianreport and warnerbros.co.uk


Arindam Goswami

arindamg@@dubeat.com

 

 

 

In an event marked with engaging conversations and exchange of ideas over the recent Harry Potter book, the Hindu College literary society organised one of its kind discussions over the text that saw participation from across the varsity. The event, which was conducted in a room decorated with fancy lights and posters, went on for over two hours.

With over 30 participants, the discussion was moderated by Nidhi Srivastava of the Bring Your Own Book (BYOB) club and Swati Daftuar, Special Correspondent with The Hindu and a core member of the Lit for Life team. The discussion began with the moderators revealing the ways in which they laid hands over their copies of the text with Daftuar claiming that “In bookstores in general, it is rare for one to not find a Harry Potter book.” The discussion progressed with the participants discussing the plot and characters of the text and why the book doesn’t fall in the same literary canon as the other Harry Potter books, “I wouldn’t keep my copy of the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in the same shelf as the other Harry Potter Books. This one belongs to a different convention”, exclaimed Daftuar.

Many participants, who were addressing themselves as members of different houses of the Harry Potter series, complained over the genre of the text which is the form of a play and the restrictions it places over delving into the psyche of the characters, “The text lacks elements of Naturalism. It doesn’t offer readers any chance to create mental space and see the characters as organic beings” claimed one participant. Various plot holes were also investigated alongside the back and forth movement in time, a trope extensively used in the text. Nidhi brought out an analogy from the TV series Dr. Who which employs similar techniques.

The discussion ended with the moderators remarking about the very adult centric instinct of finding plot holes in a text, comparing it with the mind of a child which cares only for thrills in a story.

Sidharth Yadav

[email protected]

Released on 31st July 2016, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is already the UK’s fastest selling book of the decade. The book picks up right where the epilogue of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows ended: at platform 9 ¾, with Albus Severus Potter worrying about being sorted into Slytherin. The familiarity of the words is overwhelming – a theme that resonates throughout the book. It does not feel like nine years have passed since the penultimate HP book was released, and the nostalgia that comes with this realization is both enthralling and plaintive. Right off the bat, the language and dialogue are strikingly appropriate and allow the characters to stay true to themselves, which gives credibility to both the characters and the book. The Golden Trio are exactly as we remember them – brave, hilarious, and setting unattainable friendship goals since 1991. While many may describe the HP series as one of good over evil, to me it has always been a tale of friendship. In that sense, the Cursed Child continues that trend and highlights an unlikely but extraordinary friendship between the two protagonists – Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy. On the other hand, the actual plot promises more than it delivers, and is unfortunately a letdown. The storyline turned out to be redundant and while there was definite potential for a more wholesome story, the plot in itself was underdeveloped. The primary twist was a welcome relief and added not only purpose but also pace and intrigue to an otherwise stagnant setup. This may be simply because the Cursed Child is not a novel. It is the script of a play, and while it may read like an oversimplified text, I do believe that the play would be an entirely different and more rewarding experience. Image Credits: www.pottermore.com Vineeta Rana [email protected]]]>

There is a certain thing about fandoms that you generally become so loyal to them that you start associating them to reality. Being a part of a fandom is a surreal experience because one tends to be a part of something greater, larger and more pervasive than the spheres of one’s life. Fandoms make you connect to people you have never met, but seen, though not always in person. Fandoms make you believe in fiction like it is reality. They give you courage and emotional strength, but they may also give you pain and trouble like real experiences.

For 11 years now, I have been a Potterhead, and no matter how old I grow or how mature I become, this fandom I will always associate with. I remember reading somewhere “One day, the last surviving member of the cast of Harry Potter will die, and I will find my 7 books, remove the dust off them, hold them to my chest and cry. Then, I will open them and revisit the wizarding world once again. And, when my children will ask me, ‘Mum, after all this time?, I will reply ‘Always.’”

So, on 14th January 2016, when I came across the news of Alan Rickman’s death, I was devastated! First, because I did not know about his cancer and second, I did not know what to do with this news. It was sudden and shocking. I couldn’t help but reconfirm from the news-bearer, and then, cry.

So, when I came across this news, I started writing a eulogy to him. However, what I saw was something that made me smile, despite my tears. My Facebook wall was full of posts thanking Alan. I saw that those people who once made fun of me for being crazy about Potter are now associating themselves with it. 

Fandom never ruined me and I was never weak either. I just needed time. I always knew, like many of you that one day would come when all these brilliant actors would breathe their last. Imagine them being more than forty when they played characters you worshipped in your teens. How could they, then survive throughout your life? I think it was meant to happen, it is just that I stuck too literally to the quote I mentioned above, and that too for all the actors from Potterworld.

Harry Potter made me associate with something out-worldly. The force of attraction that overpowered me throughout these years, was from the brilliant array of actors, playing characters we can loathe, love, or never decide what to feel about.  And, now that I know Alan Rickman is no more, I recall telling my mother how I recognized him as the antagonist of Die Hard, when she didn’t. The brilliance of the man was phenomenal!

Now, that this month has seen its share of demises, not just from the Potterworld, but also Mr. Bowie and many others, I urge everyone to stay strong. Never stop believing in your fandom. It is because of people like these that we can make them immortal, because of their class acts and well, years of attachment.

There is no mantra to get over this. Trust me, for I have yet not recovered and gathered courage enough to ever watch Fast and the Furious series again (oh, Paul Walker!). All one can do is cry, and pass each day remembering whenever you can the dialogues of those great artists. Whether it be “always”  or “turn to page 394” or watching that horrible recollection of Snape’s memories, you will shed a tear on what gift you have received anonymously for the rest of your life; being a part of a fandom.

So, I will await, that time, when one of the last surviving members of the Harry Potter cast go, and I revisit my books, and when someone will ask me, “After all this time?”

“Always.”

 

Ayesha Sareen

[email protected]

Feature Image credits: weheartit.com

Reading has always been an intrinsic part of being me. Over the years I have read a great number of books. At the tender age of ten I accidentally found myself reading Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. The other three quickly followed and I was secretly delighted that I was not yet eleven, harbouring dreams of a Hogwarts letter. Well, I didn’t kill myself.

The epitome of fantasy, in my opinion, is the Lord of the Rings. The Narnia series and Dragonheart were other impressive books. I was mesmerized by fantastical creatures like elves, dwarves, dragons, vampires….

Some years ago, I chanced upon Eragon and eagerly picked it up. I would be lying if I said that I did not enjoy the book; it almost got me a fail in my French second term. The idea of a Dragon Rider, a human and a dragon sharing such an intimate bond was fascinating. The book had it’s inconsistencies but I was too young; or maybe on second though, Paolini was. Eldest released in 2005 and burned a hole in my pocket, not that I was complaining, not yet. The book was quite appalling, to put it cleanly. The characters lacked depth, the author lacked good writing skills, there were glaring inconsistencies and being a Tolkien loyalist, the originality and imagination were conspicuous only by their absence. I could write several volumes about the lack of character development but it should suffice to say that Saphira’s character reminded me more of a plain old, nagging aunt rather than a fire- breathing, glorious dragon. Brisingr, the third installment of the Inheritance Cycle had little redeeming value. Every little discrepancy was answered by a sneaky, “It’s magic.” I mean really, it’s not like the readers are daft. Concepts such as that of elvish magiceldunari left a lot to be desired. I am in no hurry to read the final book.

Last year, I eagerly awaited Twilight, touted to be an electrifying teenage vampire romance. I read the book and went on to read the entire Twilight Saga, as it is so unnecessarily called. I say unnecessary because I feel that Twilight did not deserve a sequel. There was no story to take forward. Seldom have I come across a book with such a forced continuation. Girl gets gorgeous boy, they are in love, end of story. Stephanie Meyer is at best a mediocre writer. I criticized Paolini before but one must acknowledge that atleast he tried. Meyer is annoyingly unapologetic about her below par story telling. For me, Twilight was the best book in the series. Relatively that is. The ones which followed abandoned all pretense of plot and logic. I’d like to see Meyer elucidate on the conception of a baby vampire. She has herself said that when a person turns into a vampire, he or she is frozen in that state. A vampire does not grow, their hair, nails do not grow. Vampires can not have children because their biological clocks are busted. Yet, Bella and Edward give us Renesme, a living, breathing half- vampire child. Maybe Edward Cullen besides being a gorgeous Adonis can also continue to produce sperm when the rest of the ‘damned’ suffer from vampire faults.

What irks me is not that it is a ridiculous book, correction: saga; it is the fact that it has achieved cult status, the kind that eludes many great books. It is heart- wrenching to see teenage girls swooning over Edward God Cullen, unmindful of the ridiculous lack of realism. Bella Swan is a shy, clumsy girl, who is a complete pushover because she cannot resist the gorgeous face. There are only so many times you can say the word “glorious” to describe a man. We get it, he’s beautiful; now get on with the story, please. Honestly, if Meyer dwelt on the superficiality and physical aspect of Edward Cullen a little less, the book would have much more depth. A great example-

His angel’s face was only a few inches from mine. I might have — should have — flinched away from his unexpected closeness, but I was unable to move. His golden eyes mesmerized me. “What are you afraid of, then?” he whispered intently. But I couldn’t answer. As I had just that once before, I smelled his cool breath in my face. Sweet, delicious, the scent made my mouth water. It was unlike anything else. Instinctively, unthinkingly, I leaned closer, inhaling.

I realize that he is fictional character and it is a fantasy novel, but that precisely is the thorn in my flesh. Harry Potter is a character from a fantasy novel. He exemplifies suffering, courage and bravery. The Twilight saga is unjustly compared to the Harry Potter books. The fault is that while the Harry Potter series embody love, triumph over evil and brilliant writing; Twilight dumps on us a mixture of infatuation and stupidity which gives young girls absurd expectations, and the flat, insipid writing style only adds insult to injury.

It kills me that such trash enjoys such immense popularity. It is wrong on so many accounts. I sincerely wish that readers realize the garbage that they are being fed and read something worthwhile. Literature isn’t extinct yet.

Perhaps the fact that this is one of the most highly awaited and anticipated movies of the year will make any review of it redundant, since most people would have made up their minds to watch it irrespective of what the reviewers have to say. Hence the job of the reviewer, already difficult in the face of the hysterical fanaticism surrounding the Harry Potter franchisee, will be made even more challenging as a result of the insular audience. Moreover, in the event of a less than obsequious review, the reviewer shall almost certainly be torn apart by a furious fandom.

However be that as it may, it needs must be said that the movie based on the sixth installment of the Harry Potter series fails to meet up to expectations. Directed by David Yates and produced by Warner Bros., the film seems to have set out to create a story all of its own, merely borrowing a few characters from the original book in the process. To those familiar with the Harry Potter books the events as they unfold in the movie shall come as quite an unpleasant surprise. Although movies traditionally do diverge from the original plot in the novel to make it shorter or more visually appealing, the gross elimination of absolutely essential points in the book and its replacement with trivial frivolities will be a thorn in the flesh of every true Harry Potter fan. Gone are the detailed memories of Voldemort’s past that Harry explores during his sojourns in the penseive. Characters crucial to the story of the seventh book have completely failed to make an appearance while the culminating and highly anticipated fight between the death eaters and the students within the Hogwarts castle is entirely and inexplicably absent.

What results is a tame and insipid story full of school girlish romance and little else. Almost the whole of the movie focuses on the trials of the heart faced by the main characters, and while this was indeed touched upon in the original book, it seems to have assumed centre stage in the movie. The producers may have been trying to cash in on the massive Twilight craze with this cheap stunt, but the result is that the plot is a gigantic failure.

Not so the cinematic effects. While the corrupted storyline might cause it to be voted the worst Harry Potter movie plot wise, the breathtaking cinematic effects are sure to raise its stock sky high. Brilliant direction and exquisite animation and special effects make the movie an intensely wonderful visual experience. Harry Potter’s world, albeit the twisted one of the movie, comes alive with this motion picture. Truly, magic never looked so real.

The acting again is mixed. Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix Lestrange is simply breathtaking in the short while that she occupies the screen, while Rupert Grint playing Ron Weasely does a creditable performance. Michael Gambon is an imposing albeit slightly over the top Dumbledore while Alan Rickman as usual plays Snape to perfection. Jim Broadbent too, very well portrays the newly introduced character of Horace Slughorn. Daniel Radcliff and Emma Watson however are again disappointing with their amateurish acting and unconvincing manner of expression.

Overall, the superb cinematic effects manage to make up for both the weak plot and tiresome lead actors, saving this movie from becoming the utter fiasco to be added to the list of failed book adaptations that it was otherwise headed to be.

My Rating:

Plot/Story: 1/5

Special Effects: 5/5

Overall: 2.5/5

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