Harry Potter: How the Movie Missed It

Spoiler Alert: if you haven't read the Harry Potter books or seen the last of the movies, I'll give away the endinng.

I'd like to begin by saying I love the Harry Potter series, the movies and the books.

I have to say, though, that I felt disappointed in the last movie. I felt they really missed the point. I don't really blame them. I think it's easy to get so focused on the idea that either Voldemort or Harry was going to need to die, that the true point was easily missed.

This is my disappointment.

At the end of the 7th book, Harry walks into the dark forest to sacrifice himself willingly and deliberately for his friends. Voldemort then has Hagrid carry the body out, where the final confrontation takes place. Before the final fight seen, Voldemort attempts to silence the crowds several times with a silencing charm, but for some reason, the charm just doesn't hold. Voldemort attempts to torture Neville Longbottom for his loyalty to Harry, but cannot harm him, even when he sets the sorting hat on fire on top of Neville's head.

Why were Voldemort's charms unable to hold the crowd or harm Neville?

Harry knows. Harry's mother sacrificed herself out of love for Harry, thus providing him with the protection that kept Voldemort from being able to harm him as an infant. Harry's willing and deliberate self-sacrifice out of love for his friends provided them the same protection. Because Harry died out of love for his friends, Voldemort's power was broken.

Ultimately, it became irrelevant whether Voldemort died or not. He could no longer harm those for whom Harry died. I wish this had been brought out in the film.

The Dark Lord's power was not broken because he died. The Dark Lord's power was broken because Harry died...for his friends...out of love.

I really wish that had been reflected in the movie.