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Watching the final film in the “Harry Potter” franchise is bittersweet. No other motion picture series had ever followed a single, linear story involving the same characters over the course of eight full-length movies. Sadly, it all ends here.

What we have left is a brilliant franchise which has been consistent in giving us quality filmmaking since the very first film, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.” With the eight and final movie, the boy who lived has now come to die.

Daniel Radcliffe, who will forever be emblazoned in our minds as our favorite boy wizard, carries much of the weight of the film. Harry Potter must save the wizarding world from the evil clutches of Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes).

The epic finale features an all-out war between good and evil, and Harry must make his ultimate sacrifice. He is no longer a boy but a man ruthlessly sure of his destiny of killing Voldemort.

Helping Harry Potter are his friends, Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) and Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint). The dynamics between these three friends show us that the power of love is stronger than magic, black or white.

Adapting his sixth Harry Potter book (Michael Goldenberg wrote the script for “Order of the Phoenix”), scriptwriter Steve Kloves remains faithful to his source material. “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2” is true to the spirit of author J.K. Rowling’s novels.

As expected, “Part 2” is full of action, drama, and suspense. For those people complaining that “Part 1” was slow and full of expositions, this final chapter pulls out all the stops in the excitement department. You will not be bored.

In order to defeat Voldemort, Harry, Ron, and Hermione must continue finding and destroying the remaining Horcruxes, items in which the Dark Lord has embedded pieces of his soul in his quest for immortality.

What I like about the whole “Harry Potter” franchise is its cerebral approach to magic. Conjuring up magical spells has consequences. Thus, the Deathly Hallows mentioned in the title have far deeper meaning.

David Yates, who has directed the final four films in the “Harry Potter” series, gives us a great ending to an equally great franchise. I must admit that I was hesitant in embracing the director in the beginning, but Yates is truly an influential factor in the “Harry Potter” myth-making.

Some of the lesser-known characters are also given ample scenes to shine. We see the normally stodgy Professor Minerva McGonagall (Maggie Smith) giddy with excitement for using a magic spell, and we clap as Neville Longbottom emerges as the movie’s hero.

Even Helena Bonham Carter as the evil Bellatrix Lestrange was given a funny scene as Hermione tries to impersonate her character. Indeed, all the characters that we’ve grown to love or hate are given their own fitting endings.

The last film in the series makes an ardent connection with the first movie. You will shed a tear or two with the sight of a familiar setting, or a look between Ron and Hermione, or a kiss between Harry and Ginny (Bonnie Wright).

By the time you see Harry’s parents appear as resurrected ghosts, or learn the true nature of the seemingly murderous Professor Severus Snape (Alan Rickman), you will be balling like a baby. And you know how hard it is to cry while wearing 3D glasses.

The three-dimensional quality of the film is also to die for. The technology employed in the movie is seamless that I did not notice any jarring mistake, or that I was even watching the film in 3D at all.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2” made me nostalgic for all things Harry. I wish I have my own Resurrection Stone so I can relive the magic of “Harry Potter” over and over again. I may just have to settle with watching the series on Blu-ray.

RATING: “HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2” GETS 4 KISSES