Party-time for Potter finale

The waiting is over, the final instalment of the Harry Potter series has arrived - and a gathering of Kiwi fans were the first in the country see it, at the New Zealand premiere last night.

Hundreds of people arrived at the Hoyts theatre in Riccarton, Christchurch, to see Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part II.

Many youngsters dressed in robes and over-sized glasses and were armed with wands; among the adults, men wore long blond wigs and silver beards while women had towering, pointed hats.

There was excited chatter about what would happen and how it would be presented on the big screen. One young fan was overheard questioning why the red carpet was black.

"It's all part of the show," her mother explained.

The film is the final instalment and eighth movie in the Harry Potter series and opens in cinemas around the country tomorrow.

Most fans will already know how it all ends, as J.K. Rowling's book was released in 2007.

But that has not taken away from the hype, and many theatres around the country have reported sold-out shows for the first few days.

The first part of The Deathly Hallows was released this year. In it, the three main characters, Harry, Ron and Hermione, leave school and begin a tough and at times seemingly impossible quest - to kill Lord Voldemort.

In the second part, the trio's quest continues as they come closer to finding all of Voldemort's horcruxes - objects which hold parts of his soul, making it impossible to kill him without destroying them first.

This last film has been touted by the cast as the darkest yet and presents a good old-fashioned fight between good and evil and a battle to the death.

Last night, a sudden silence descended as the film began.

This is not a film for young children. It ends with an emotional battle in which many much-loved characters die fighting.

The 3D effects are explosive, grand and exciting, and the film has a climactic finish, with a hint that the magic does not end there.

Harry Potter Special in Timeout - get your copy in tomorrow's Herald.