ive never read the books, but I've seen all the movies. I kind of felt like the last few movies were dark, slow, dreary, boring and depressing. Didn't mind them, but I didn't feel the need to see them a second time.
Saw the last one on Friday. Wasn't thrilled with it. Kinda bored by it. Still felt it was dark, dreary and kinda depressing. It was nice to wrap it up and finally see Voldermort vs Harry, but I felt the final sequence was a little odd and anti-climactic. It got great reviews, but I'm not really sure why. Pretty overrated if you ask me. In general I wasn't impressed.
The thing is... I actually did enjoy the first few movies. I'm not sure at what point the series turned into the "dark" territory, but I'm not really a fan of it. I think Harry Potter was far more appealing when the characters were kids, everything was full of magic and wonder, people weren't dying all over the place and it just had a fun whimsical christmas feel to it. I blame the writing... trying to make it "mature" for her audience as they grew up. Personally I think the "boarding school for British Wizards" worked a heck of a lot better as a fun children's movie than as uber-serious drama.
I think if you find someone who has never seen the previous movies, give them a short explanation of the character's backstory and then make them watch the final movie... they would think the movie was pretty weak. I think the great ratings are based on everyone's attachment to the characters.
Maybe I'm in the minority. Those raving about how great it was... maybe step back from it for a second and ask yourself whether you had more fun seeing the kids going on adventures, entering quidditch matches, learning magic, eating chocolate frogs and sneaking around the school.... or if you had more fun watching the school blow up, Harry brooding around and a bunch of wizards killing each other? Meh