Harry Potter has just had its first reunion on HBO Max, twenty years after the first film came out, and here’s the review from a Potterhead. Spoiler alert: the episode is magical.
I have been a Potterhead for almost two decades now, first by movie, and then by books. I’ve seen the first two movies after they came out, and then I had to know what happened next. Unfortunately, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban the movie wasn’t out yet at that time. But the book was. I had a classmate who owned the books, and lent the third one to me, which automatically became my favorite.
But, although I have a huge passion for writing and reading now, that wasn’t the case back then. It took me around three weeks to get through the third book in the series, which was the first I’ve read. Then, as I finished it, I re-read it again in two or three days. Obviously, the next books followed.
And that’s how my love for Harry Potter was born, and I have been re-reading the books and watching the movies religiously. I even have a Harry Potter tattoo, and visited the Warner Bros Studio Tour in London three times, and was set for another visit before the pandemic.
So, yeah, I have been excited over the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them franchise. While that’s lovely, it doesn’t measure to HP by any means.
When I heard there was a Harry Potter reunion in the works (similar to the Friends one, released in May, 2021, also on HBO Max), I couldn’t have been more excited.
And now, on the first day of another year as a huge Potterhead, here we have the Harry Potter reunion, and here’s my review of it.
The HBO Max reunion covers all eight movies. In a documentary-interview format, all the actors reminisce about filming and what the franchise meant to them, combined with key scenes from the series.
It comes with some information huge Potterheads already know. Like Emma Watson‘s crush on Tom Felton. And that Daniel Radcliffe and Watson would race each other while filming The Deathly Hallows (“For me, running is a stunt,” – Rupert Grint, 2021). Or Radcliffe being in complete awe of Gary Oldman (Sirius) whenever they filmed together.
Or the fact that Alfonso Cuaron made the Golden Trio hand out an essay on their characters. Emma wrote 12 pages, Daniel wrapped it up in just one page, and Rupert didn’t hand it in, because Ron wouldn’t. And some other small details that you can find in any Harry Potter trivia.
Here, we found out about Watson’s struggle in keeping up with fame. She revealed she almost quit the film before The Order of The Phoenix. Luckily, she didn’t. She also added that she didn’t need anyone to convince her otherwise.
Or how The Goblet of Fire was “peak hormone” for the actors as well as for their characters on screen.
All the directors from the series came back. They reminisced on what it was like to film the franchise, all with their own unique vision.
A chilling part was seeing Ralph Fiennes channel Lord Voldemort’s voice so effortlessly. As he went into how he created the voice, he could just step on set again as if no time has passed. Helena Bonham Carter was also lovely, as usual, with many tales and even the teeth from the set.
Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid), Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy), James Phelps (Fred Weasley), Oliver Phelps (George Weasley), Mark Williams (Arthur Weasley), Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley), Alfred Enoch (Dean Thomas), Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom), Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), and filmmaker Chris Columbus also had amazing memories from their time on set.
All the actors hold such incredible respect for one another, and it shows. There have always been the child actors and the grown-ups, and they all complemented each other. But even between Ralph Fiennes and late Alan Rickman, there was a glimpse of nervousness about each other’s talent.
Something I truly loved was how they honored each late actor, and how incredibly amazing they all were. Richard Harris, Richard Griffin, Helen McCory, and Alan Rickman may no longer be with us, but their legacy lives.
There are a lot of wonderful memories revived in this Harry Potter reunion, and it’s a must-see for any Potterhead. I, for one, couldn’t stop crying at the final scenes, when all the other actors were visibly moved.
When it comes to other people, you might not need to have it in ink on your body. Or know the lines, have seen it several times, and know all the actors’ names. But it does give you a glimpse into the phenomenon that shaped an entire generation, and more to come.
And that takes us to two quotes. One from author J.K. Rowling, who was not part of the reunion, but everyone knows this one: “Whether you come back by page or by the big screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home.”
And the other, the famous Severus Snape line: “After all this time?” “Always.”
