'Harry Potter Reunion' is emotionally charged; doesn't omit JK Rowling
"After all this time?" "Always." This famous dialog from the Harry Potter series sums up the bittersweet emotions evoked by the reunion special of the film franchise. Titled, Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts, the special features cast and crew of the successful series returning to the actual movie sets. It dropped on Amazon Prime Video for Indian viewers Saturday. Here's our review.
Complementing Christmas vibes, the special opens with Emma Watson (Hermione Granger), Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom), and Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid) getting their letters (Hogwarts' style) for the reunion in the middle of snowy winter. Other characters are introduced in passing glimpses as John Williams' iconic score takes us back to the magic land of Hogwarts and its characters. Quite an emotional start.
Directors make sure to hit us with all the beloved characters roaming about the Great Hall or chatting in the Potions Classroom to immediately draw us in. But if you are a casual watcher/reader, the grand sets and the reunion of the golden trio (Watson, Daniel Radcliffe, and Rupert Grint) are bound to make you stick. The 102-minute runtime might tire you out though.
As the directors and actors talk about their favorite moments, we see scenes from the movies for context. While the intention is heartwarming, this also stretches the runtime. The retelling of old stories might bore some as well. Like, Watson having a crush on Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy) or the primary cast being asked to write essays on their characters are quite publicly known.
As noted in the trailer, author JK Rowling had not been involved in making the reunion. But she is very much in here via others' statements and her old footage. With Rowling's opinions and politics taking a problematic turn, many ardent Harry Potter fans had to put up a divide between the art and the artist. They might have to do the same here.
Despite its shortcomings, the special holds a lot of promise for readers/viewers—young and old. As Watson says, it offers a place "where we can rest and feel held." Divided into four chapters, the reunion episode is streaming on Prime Video. Verdict: It gets 3/5 stars.
