By Graham Osborne
I bet you all thought I’d forgotten about this, hadn’t you.
Yes, we’re finally returning to the well of magic and mystery. We’ve had a good long time to let the previous article sink in, and now we’re on the homestretch, especially as I’m doing parts one and two at the same time!
I bet you all thought I’d forgotten about this, hadn’t you.
Yes, we’re finally returning to the well of magic and mystery. We’ve had a good long time to let the previous article sink in, and now we’re on the homestretch, especially as I’m doing parts one and two at the same time!
Before I begin though, a co-worker of mine was kind enough to point out something that I’d missed in previous articles. First of all, the students’ reaction to magic in the first three films is almost rather over the top. Admittedly, Harry’s first year would be pretty awe-inspiring, But there would be plenty of children from magical families where this would be par for the course. And surely after a year there, everyone would have acclimatised to the wonder, and shouldn’t be acting as if they’d just found out magic was real all along.
With that out the way, let’s get back onto the main story. We see Hermione erasing her parents’ memories, and leaving her house. This is all well and good, until you realise she erased their memories, not alter them. In the books, Hermione sets up a nice little cover story that means her parents will be happy regardless of the trio’s success. In the films she uses a simple “obliviate” charm, thus removing any trace of her from their memories, yet still leaving various aspects of her in their life. Her bedroom still looks like it may have been recently lived in, and someone is probably going to be having an awkward conversation when they discover an item of clothing that didn’t fit Hermione, so she left it behind. I’m unsure on how the memory erasing charm works, but it is implied to be near permanent too, meaning that she has given up her children ever knowing their grandparents too. It’s never brought up again, so we can hope this isn’t the case, but at least the books gave the glimmer of hope that she could track them down and reverse the charm.
With that out the way, let’s get back onto the main story. We see Hermione erasing her parents’ memories, and leaving her house. This is all well and good, until you realise she erased their memories, not alter them. In the books, Hermione sets up a nice little cover story that means her parents will be happy regardless of the trio’s success. In the films she uses a simple “obliviate” charm, thus removing any trace of her from their memories, yet still leaving various aspects of her in their life. Her bedroom still looks like it may have been recently lived in, and someone is probably going to be having an awkward conversation when they discover an item of clothing that didn’t fit Hermione, so she left it behind. I’m unsure on how the memory erasing charm works, but it is implied to be near permanent too, meaning that she has given up her children ever knowing their grandparents too. It’s never brought up again, so we can hope this isn’t the case, but at least the books gave the glimmer of hope that she could track them down and reverse the charm.
We then cut to Harry packing up his bag and looking at a random shard of mirror, which suddenly shows a different face to Harry’s. This scene makes no sense in the context of the film world, where the mirrors have no mention made of them until now. The closest we get is Sirius handing a package to Harry in Order of the Phoenix. There’s also the question of why Mundungus Fletcher deemed the mirror valuable enough to steal, but that’s fairly minor compared to the sudden appearance of a plot device that should have been mentioned earlier. Admittedly, when the fifth film came out, no one knew it would be important, so it got sidelined for other plot points.
During the escape from Privet Drive, Moody refers to the Weasley household (the final destination) as The Burrows, despite the fact that there is only one. It wouldn’t have been too hard to alter the audio in post production to make it the correct pronunciation. It’s a minor point, but after seven films, you would expect something like that to be picked up and corrected.
Following the chase sequence, Lupin tests Harry’s authenticity by asking him which creature was above Lupin’s desk during his third year at Hogwarts. However, there were no creatures (at least none that could be seen) above Lupin’s desk. Are we now entering an alternate universe, where Harry WAS replaced by a Death Eater, who then had a change of heart and chose to continue living out the real Harry’s life and defeat Voldemort? No. That would be stupid, it makes more sense that we could have been shown a random creature in a tank during the third film and it got cut due to budget constraints.
During the escape from Privet Drive, Moody refers to the Weasley household (the final destination) as The Burrows, despite the fact that there is only one. It wouldn’t have been too hard to alter the audio in post production to make it the correct pronunciation. It’s a minor point, but after seven films, you would expect something like that to be picked up and corrected.
Following the chase sequence, Lupin tests Harry’s authenticity by asking him which creature was above Lupin’s desk during his third year at Hogwarts. However, there were no creatures (at least none that could be seen) above Lupin’s desk. Are we now entering an alternate universe, where Harry WAS replaced by a Death Eater, who then had a change of heart and chose to continue living out the real Harry’s life and defeat Voldemort? No. That would be stupid, it makes more sense that we could have been shown a random creature in a tank during the third film and it got cut due to budget constraints.
During the wedding, Harry is wandering around undisguised whilst random strangers cavort. I’m personally of the opinion that if I have someone with designs on racially purifying the entire world actively gunning for me because I happen to have the macguffin to stop him in my possession, the only safe place where I can freely walk around undisguised is a cave somewhere in the mountains, preferably with plenty of winding, dark passages to lose potential pursuers and (ideally) enough weaponry to wipe out a sizeable continent*. But that’s just me. You’d think Harry would have at least the slightest bit of sense to use his invisibility cloak, or (as with the books) use some polyjuice potion to disguise himself as a random guest. It’s always made clear that the Burrow is probably one of the safest places in the country at the time, but seeing as it all falls to pieces the second Voldemort takes over the Ministry, it would have been a lot safer for both Harry and the countless guests who were almost certainly tortured after someone accidentally let slip that Harry was there.
Staying with the tracking of our heroic trio, it’s never explained as to how the Death Eaters ever discover where Harry, Ron and Hermione are hiding. It’s explained in the books that a jinx has been placed on Voldemort’s name, admittedly later in the tale, but it’s never brought up in the films. This makes the Death Eaters either incredibly lucky, and they just happen to be where the three friends show up, or they have fantastic tracking skills and choose to hunt Harry on their own to be able to brag about taking him down (ignoring the fact that Voldemort would almost certainly torture them for stealing his kill).
During the infiltration of the Ministry, by Harry, Ron and Hermione, Harry’s polyjuice potion wears off first, despite the three of them taking it at the same time. I’m still not entirely certain on timings for the potion, since its introduction in the second book where it was just an hour, but it does seem to have kept that time frame. It may be the concentration, the amount that was made or a whole host of other factors, but it would be reckless to give the three of them differing amounts of potion, especially when the smallest amount is given to Public Enemy Number One. It would have been easy to fix this by adding in a line about how it is the last of the potion (it never gets used again in the films) and it becomes more unstable the longer it is left unused. This then explains why Harry is the first to transform so long before the other two.
Staying with the tracking of our heroic trio, it’s never explained as to how the Death Eaters ever discover where Harry, Ron and Hermione are hiding. It’s explained in the books that a jinx has been placed on Voldemort’s name, admittedly later in the tale, but it’s never brought up in the films. This makes the Death Eaters either incredibly lucky, and they just happen to be where the three friends show up, or they have fantastic tracking skills and choose to hunt Harry on their own to be able to brag about taking him down (ignoring the fact that Voldemort would almost certainly torture them for stealing his kill).
During the infiltration of the Ministry, by Harry, Ron and Hermione, Harry’s polyjuice potion wears off first, despite the three of them taking it at the same time. I’m still not entirely certain on timings for the potion, since its introduction in the second book where it was just an hour, but it does seem to have kept that time frame. It may be the concentration, the amount that was made or a whole host of other factors, but it would be reckless to give the three of them differing amounts of potion, especially when the smallest amount is given to Public Enemy Number One. It would have been easy to fix this by adding in a line about how it is the last of the potion (it never gets used again in the films) and it becomes more unstable the longer it is left unused. This then explains why Harry is the first to transform so long before the other two.
The scene where Snape gives the Sword of Gryffindor to Harry is a pivotal moment in the story, where the trio go from being on the back foot to setting themselves on the path to defeat Voldemort. Admittedly, Snape is one of the last people that Harry would want to see, but one must wonder how Snape was able to find them in the first place. It is not established whether Hermione took down the painting of Phinneas Nigellus when they were staying in Grimmauld Place, but there is no other reason why they are so easily discovered (unless Snape is using the same tracking techniques as the other Death Eaters, see above). Whilst adding in another portrait, especially one that hasn’t received much screen time (he appeared briefly in Order of the Phoenix) isn’t a sound move as there would need to be characterisation and back story added to explain to the audience who don’t know who the character is. Something needs to be added to address the plothole. Maybe show Harry sneaking out of a village and almost getting caught, then have Snape find out about what happened and deduce where they went from there. It’s not a brilliant solution, and it doesn’t take into account the fact that they can apparate from there to anywhere else in the country (possibly the world, depending on how well travelled they are), but it makes more of an attempt than just having Snape using omnipotence to find them.
After the three friends are captured and imprisoned in Malfoy Manor, Ron and Harry are locked in the basement, whilst Hermione is tortured upstairs. This will sound rather callous and potentially disturbing, but it should be implied that Hermione is being tortured more than she is. The book goes into detail with regards to the pain that she’s put through, and Ron’s response helps to show how much he cares for her. The scene was probably toned down to achieve a lower rating from the film classification board, but it feels like Ron and Harry don’t care so much for what is happening. They obviously do, but without the screams of their friend, they seem a little less eager to escape.
After the three friends are captured and imprisoned in Malfoy Manor, Ron and Harry are locked in the basement, whilst Hermione is tortured upstairs. This will sound rather callous and potentially disturbing, but it should be implied that Hermione is being tortured more than she is. The book goes into detail with regards to the pain that she’s put through, and Ron’s response helps to show how much he cares for her. The scene was probably toned down to achieve a lower rating from the film classification board, but it feels like Ron and Harry don’t care so much for what is happening. They obviously do, but without the screams of their friend, they seem a little less eager to escape.
Speaking of the escape, we are treated to a visual spectacle, with Dobby returning as a Big Damn Hero. Unfortunately, the escapees decide to then have a lovely little conversation with their captors before fleeing for their lives. This seems incredibly counterproductive to me, especially when Bellatrix is wandless, thus resulting in an incredibly easy escape attempt. Had any of their captors been armed, it would have been a different matter as the playing field is a bit more even. However, there was no reason to stay, aside from dramatic tension building and getting Dobby killed. Had they left when Bellatrix was recovering from the spell onslaught, we would have Dobby apparating the trio into Hogwarts and Gringotts, grabbing the horcruxes, and getting out before Voldemort could get his robes on. Bingo, no messy deaths for anyone else, just celebrations for the next film.
Finally, for the first film at least. The final scene, where we see Voldemort desecrating Dumbledore’s tomb should be placed as an Avengers style post-credits scene, as a little teaser for what we’ll be expecting in the next film, especially as it’s repeated at the beginning of part two.
Finally, for the first film at least. The final scene, where we see Voldemort desecrating Dumbledore’s tomb should be placed as an Avengers style post-credits scene, as a little teaser for what we’ll be expecting in the next film, especially as it’s repeated at the beginning of part two.
Right. That’s part one done. On to Round Two!
Part two begins with the trio leaving Shell Cottage to rob a bank, with Hermione impersonating Bellatrix (guess they didn’t run out of the plot-dependent polyjuice potion then, or it’s a more stable batch). We see Ron and Hermione in disguise, whilst Harry is his usual, unadulterated self (see my point about hiding earlier). They then choose to apparate without Harry wearing his invisibility cloak.
Into one of the most heavily guarded places in the wizarding world.
Where Harry is Public Enemy Number One.
Nothing can go wrong!
Instead of blatantly appearing in Diagon Alley, they should have Harry hide underneath the invisibility cloak immediately. It doesn’t change the film in any way, but it makes me feel safer with the story knowing that the Chosen One isn’t holding an Idiot Ball and flashing his mug wherever he goes. Hell, it would make production costs cheaper, as all you’d have to do was dub in Harry’s lines during post-production and have the other characters pretend he was there. The stealthy apparition problem happens again later when they go to Hogsmeade. Instead of apparating under the cloak, they choose to go completely undisguised and then put the cloak on when they get there, despite the fact that they could have bumped into anyone; Death Eater, Voldemort, random member of the public who’s so scared for their life that they’ll snitch on anyone just to save themselves... When you think about it, Harry, Ron and Hermione got very lucky.
Into one of the most heavily guarded places in the wizarding world.
Where Harry is Public Enemy Number One.
Nothing can go wrong!
Instead of blatantly appearing in Diagon Alley, they should have Harry hide underneath the invisibility cloak immediately. It doesn’t change the film in any way, but it makes me feel safer with the story knowing that the Chosen One isn’t holding an Idiot Ball and flashing his mug wherever he goes. Hell, it would make production costs cheaper, as all you’d have to do was dub in Harry’s lines during post-production and have the other characters pretend he was there. The stealthy apparition problem happens again later when they go to Hogsmeade. Instead of apparating under the cloak, they choose to go completely undisguised and then put the cloak on when they get there, despite the fact that they could have bumped into anyone; Death Eater, Voldemort, random member of the public who’s so scared for their life that they’ll snitch on anyone just to save themselves... When you think about it, Harry, Ron and Hermione got very lucky.
We discussed Harry’s mirror shard earlier, and we shall come back to it now. In the Hog’s Head Pub we discover who was behind the face in the mirror, Aberforth Dumbledore. We also discover the shard of Harry’s mirror is part of a bigger piece, and they are still linked. This bit of information means that whatever was in the package that Sirius gave to Harry in Order of the Phoenix, was not the mirror, but something else. It also raises the question of why Mundungus Fletcher would steal something that was broken, but that’s not important. I suppose the whole “shard of mirror” thing was to work themselves out of a previous plothole, but it just creates another one when you start thinking about it too much.
We finally return to Hogwarts to prepare for the final battle. It’s interesting that Harry, Ron and Hermione find Luna already back at Hogwarts with the rest of Dumbledore’s Army, since she had been captured and locked in the Malfoys’ basement for much of the previous film. She was then left with Bill and Fleur at Shell Cottage when the trio go bank robbing. It would have made more sense to have her returning after Harry and Co. had shown up. Whilst we’re in Hogwarts, I’d also like to point out that the phrase Ron uses to open the Chamber of Secrets is different to the one Harry used to open the Chamber in the second film, and the locket in the previous one. A little bit of continuity goes a long way, though I doubt the general audience would pay any attention to random hissing noises.
Voldemort’s usage of the Elder Wand shows it cracking under the strain, no other wand appears to do this. The only wands we see get damaged or destroyed are Harry’s and Ron’s, and that was more down to outside influences than anything they had done. Showing it breaking implies that it isn’t the all-powerful weapon that it’s purported to be until now, instead it shows a potentially weak wand that has had a large legend built around it. This belief is also suggested when Harry snaps it in two easily. He also does it without fixing his old wand. Leaving him defenceless (ok, Voldemort’s been killed, but that doesn’t mean that there couldn’t be a sneaky Death Eater hiding to take a pot-shot at his nemesis. The whole point of Harry’s destruction of the Elder Wand was meant to be symbolic of him being undefeated and depowering the legend that surrounded the wand. It also links into the themes of loyalty, where he retains his old, reliable wand.
Voldemort’s usage of the Elder Wand shows it cracking under the strain, no other wand appears to do this. The only wands we see get damaged or destroyed are Harry’s and Ron’s, and that was more down to outside influences than anything they had done. Showing it breaking implies that it isn’t the all-powerful weapon that it’s purported to be until now, instead it shows a potentially weak wand that has had a large legend built around it. This belief is also suggested when Harry snaps it in two easily. He also does it without fixing his old wand. Leaving him defenceless (ok, Voldemort’s been killed, but that doesn’t mean that there couldn’t be a sneaky Death Eater hiding to take a pot-shot at his nemesis. The whole point of Harry’s destruction of the Elder Wand was meant to be symbolic of him being undefeated and depowering the legend that surrounded the wand. It also links into the themes of loyalty, where he retains his old, reliable wand.
Finally, we are treated to a mention of Teddy Lupin. The son of Remus and Tonks, the only problem is that he is never mentioned before the epilogue. This gets particularly annoying when you remember that Tonks is about to mention that she’s pregnant just before being interrupted by Moody at the beginning of Deathly Hallows Part One. One assumes that the reasoning behind it was to create the idea that anyone can die during the escape from Privet Drive (the weakest of the Escape from New York sequels). It would have been easier to have Tonks say the line, have the rest of the cast congratulate her, THEN have Moody break in to remind everyone of the seriousness of the operation. Then again he may have already known about it (along with the others, save Harry) and didn’t want Harry distracted or worrying during the flight. Let’s face it, he was concerned enough as it was with the idea of his friends risking themselves for him.
And with that, we draw a close to the saga that is Harry Potter, and this chapter of We’ll Fix it in Post. I’ll return with a new film to fix in the New Year. Since it’s been a while, I should mention that this is all my opinion on how to fix the films in question, and doesn’t make judgement on the quality of the overall films (except you, Green Lantern!) this is just a suggestion as to how they could possibly fix certain plot holes or other erroneous facts. Besides, we’ll probably see half of these fixes put in when they come to remake Harry Potter in about a decade or so!
*The difference between him and me with the destruction of the world is my method doesn’t single out a specific race. It’s why I’m the good guy in this scenario.
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