[MOVIE] Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

[Zashara]

Let the fangirls squee .... new Harry Potter movie.

 

 

Personally I hate all of the movies because they suck compared to the books, but I'm a snob that was a fan before this shit was popular (read it back in 1998 when there was only 1 book out and no one knew who JK Rowling was). So I'm annoyed that a good story turned into a money minting machine.

 

I'll probably go see the movie anyways, if just to be obnoxious about it and tear it to pieces!

 

Any reviews?

[Almearafan]

Haven't seen it yet, but will be as soon as I can.  I love both the movies and the books.  Hands-down the books are better, but I like to see it brought to life, and with a few exceptions the movies have been fairly true to the books thanks to the guidance of JK Rowling.

 

And fanboys can play too...so  :P...LOL.

 

I'm been watching any trailer I can get my hands on for Half Blood Prince and it looks like, visually at the least, it will be amazing.

[Liathiana]

I love both, I'm excited about the movie! ;D

[Dwynwen]

I like the movies, although I do think the books are better.  I always prefer book versions of things over movie versions.  I'm excited to see this movie. 

[Dunbar]

Review: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

 

Posted by Dr. Cole Abaius (cole.abaius@filmschoolrejects.com) on July 9, 2009

 

HalfBloodPrinceReview

 

This isn’t easy to write. I say that for several reasons, the first and foremost being the nature of the film – part six of an octilogy. Is it possible to divorce this movie from the other installments to let it stand or fall on its own merits or failings? Or it is better to discuss it within the greater context of the series? I admit, I’m at a loss.

 

But I’m not surprised to be at a loss. Going into the screening room last night, I wasn’t sure whether I’d be praising Half-Blood Prince to the castle towers or shaking my head in disappointment – but I knew that no matter what, it would be overwhelming. As for the giant praise or crushing disappointment, the result was actually somewhere in the middle.

 

With Lord Voldemort out in the open, his Death Eaters are wreaking havoc on the wizard world and the real world alike. Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) have transcended the student-teacher relationship to become good friends, working together to bring retired professor Horace Slughorn (Jom Broadbent) to Hogwart’s in order to uncover a dark secret he’s kept hidden for years – a secret that may be the key to destroying Voldemort. However, with the fate of the world at stake, all of the students at Hogwart’s – including Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) – are dealing the much stronger force of teenage hormones and young love.

 

It would be disingenuous of me to claim that I wasn’t completely psyched for this film. I’ve been a Potter fan ever since the first movie (after only a year and half earlier claiming to a close friend and children’s bookstore owner that the first book was terrible and wouldn’t go anywhere), and it’s been a fantastic journey to watch these characters grow up and grow together. That journey has been augmented by the range of directors and crew that have worked on the projects, each bringing a unique vision to the table. Oddly enough, even though David Yates has returned for his second Potter flick (his first being 2007’s Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix) it seems like another director has yet again set on making his mark on the series.

 

Most of that is owed to the fact that Yates is still evolving as a director, and the rest of it is owed to the marked difference in tone between the two books that he’s adapted so far. Where Order was shot almost like a gritty documentary film (amidst the sweeping shots), Half-Blood Prince is almost noir-like in its tone. It instantly dives into the depths of the struggle facing the world – specifically with a gorgeous scene in which three Death Eaters destroy the Millennium Bridge in London while people flee for their lives. It’s never egregious, but it’s clear that the film has no qualms with very real danger, no problem threatening the lives of its characters, no issue with placing well-loved characters in mortal peril.

 

I realize that that’s been a common theme throughout the films, but there’s something far more severe and murderous about this film than the fantastical dangers of the first few. Trolls and dragons are one thing, but a crazed witch who wants nothing more than to rip the soul right out of your body is another.

 

Those dark moments are woven between a greater story of romance – and all the fist-clenching frustration that comes with it – wherein all the characters seem to rise above what they once were. Ginny (Bonnie Wright) in particular shines through, building on the power she gained in the last film to become an independent young woman that proves more complex with every scene. If the flirtation between her and Harry has been cute in the past, it explodes into a heavy tension that stands steadfast between them in every scene they share. It’s a similar story for Ron and Hermione, and it stands as a testament to how these young actors have exceeded their talent-level, rising to the occasion that this storyline demands.

 

The dark-side of character growth comes from Tom Felton who has been tethered to a very one-dimensional Draco Malfoy in the other films. In the same way that the character has been tapped to do a great task for The Dark Lord, Felton has been tapped to take on a lot more than he has in the past. Luckily, Felton goes above and beyond what’s required of him, creating a truly rounded character that finally shows the complicated nature of what has otherwise been a hollow sub-antagonist. We get the other side of the bully. While he’s cowardly and full of anger, Malfoy is relatable for the first time in the series.

 

harry_potter_and_the_half_blood_prince_hermione_neville

 

Unfortunately, that story demand does lead to two specific flaws. The first being a tendency toward feeling a bit bi-polar. It’s clear that efforts were made to make the film cohesive, but those efforts fall noticeably short considering just how starkly different the two tones are. At certain points it feels like a clever romantic comedy was shoved together with a gritty thriller. Most of the time it works, but a significant amount of times it doesn’t.

 

The second problem is that with so many characters stepping up, a few that audiences are familiar with have to take a backseat, and the characters that are shown have to share a finite (albeit gigantic) run-time with each other. While the minimization of certain characters, and the complete lack of others (who will not be named) might not bother someone who hasn’t seen the other films – they will be burdened by something far stifling: the confusion at figuring out a movie that refuses to deliver exposition. New characters (like Fenrir Greyback) are never introduced and some new situations (like two main Order members dating) are never explained. I found that incredibly refreshing, and the movie certainly stands on its own, but as with any universe as complex and alien as any fantasy, even I found myself wishing that I had watched Order of the Phoenix as a refresher course.

 

As far as the look of the film, you couldn’t ask for a more beautifully shot feature. The fact that the story is character-driven is not lost on Yates or cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel (who was nominated for an Oscar for his work on Amelie). Amidst the sweeping shots of the castle and its grounds are a plethora of shots that add as much to the characters as the actors do. Pulling in tight as Harry comforts Hermione, marginalizing characters as they’re forced to watch the person they love in another’s arms, Hiding Malfoy behind walls and windows as he attempts a dark task that’s been given to him by Voldemort. The visuals are so moving that you’ll start to think you’re seated on the stone steps of Hogwart’s watching the characters laugh, argue and fall in love.

 

The other aspect of filmmaking that was improved upon (as if there was much room for it in the first place) was the score. I’ve always been impressed by the music created for these films, but what Nicholas Hooper has done here is transcendent.

 

The acting has also improved. While it’s clear that the younger talent still has a few things to learn (and they are learning), the veteran cast is astonishingly good. Maggie Smith carries herself brilliantly, somehow able to express both outrage and concern at the same time while channeling everyone on the planet’s grandmother. Michael Gambon, of course, is at home building and reshaping a Dumbledore that continues to become more enigmatic as we learn more about him.

 

But far and away the standouts are Alan Rickman and the newly-added Jim Broadbent. The way Rickman plays Snape in this film makes it seem like he was holding back all these years. It makes me excited to wonder what he’ll be able to do in the upcoming films. He’s been more than fantastic in each film, but with even more to do, he proves again why he’s one of the best actors in the business.

 

And then there’s Jim Broadbent who deserves his own paragraph. In a pitch-perfect bit of casting, Broadbent is the breath of fresh air that this film needed. Without him, it would have felt far more cumbersome. He brings a fascinating lightness to a role that seems tailor-made for his brand of brilliance. His Slughorn is cranky, self-centric, shallow and hateful – but he’s also incredibly endearing, lonely, compassionate and even loving. Broadbent takes all of that complexity and keeps it just below the surface, becoming the gravitational pull of each scene he’s in. In so many words, Jim Broadbent is perfect.

 

If Broadbent is the cornerstone performance, Radcliffe’s is the pinnacle. Make no mistake – this is Daniel Radcliffe’s movie. His serious dramatic work is still shaky, but the greatest addition to the character of Harry is a solid sense of humor that he seems to have gained sometime when the audience wasn’t looking. Radcliffe’s laugh lines land squarely, making it obvious that the actor has a future in comedic roles if he wants them.

 

That humor is important not only for character, but also important to create a sense of worth and meaning for the entire world. It’s the moments between Ron, Hermione, Harry and Ginny that give a sense of what the crew are fighting for. At the end of the last film, Harry intimates that the group’s advantage over the dark forces is that they have true friendships to defend. It’s clear that those friendships are growing, becoming deeper, and in turn becoming more important as the focus of what these characters have to lose. As the relationships become richer, they also become more fragile and raise the stakes should they be lost.

 

Sure, there are a few misteps in the story telling even if it’s laudable that Yates and company would tackle such a dynamic and varied story. Hopefully, they will be able to strike a little cleaner balance with the last films, but over all I left the screening of Half-Blood Prince with a sense of urgency. It was a sense that something huge is happening and unraveling before an international audience of movie goers. We’ve seen the evolution of the series from children’s films to what they are now – beautiful pieces of cinematic art. If you were among the ones that felt Yates had elevated the series with his last film, you’re in for an even higher level of artistic merit from the man who will (by the end) have directed more Potter film than anyone else. With that revolving door of directorial visions, it seemed odd that Yates would be chosen again for the last two, but his work on Half-Blood Prince made me realize why, and I have every confidence that he and the rest of the cast and crew will deliver something spectacular for the final chapters.

 

Grade: B+

I found that incredibly refreshing, and the movie certainly stands on its own, but as with any universe as complex and alien as any fantasy, even I found myself wishing that I had watched Order of the Phoenix as a refresher course.

 

From Filmschoolrejects.com

 

 

[Krakalakachkn]

going to see the midnight showing.  pretty excited. re-reading the book for some pre-gaming

[Phariah]

personally i didnt like the last movie ( more fluff an filler than story )and hope this movie is better and from what the trailers show of it,it seems to be covering the book well

 

 

[mnwhiterose]

I refuse to see it in a theatre with a bunch of teenagers (no offense to teenagers here). So, if it at the drive in this weekend, I'm going to the drive in and watch it in the comfort of my SUV with my own popcorn and soda.

[Silver]

I still can't stand the new Dumbledore. Still, like the darker feel of the movie.

[SinisterDeath]

I still can't stand the new Dumbledore. Still, like the darker feel of the movie.

Wait, they replaced the actor? Is THAT why he looks like gandalf?!

[Toy and Minion]

Richard Harris MADE the part.  He's who I envisioned when I read the books, even after he died and the new guy stepped up.  Still, he's okay.

[Zashara]

My brother said it was a mistake to re-read the book right before watching the movie and made the movie more of a dissapointment. He liked the Ron-Hermoine romance, but has insisted that I watch it with him so that he can hear my comments.

[Toy and Minion]

The movies are ALWAYS worse than the books.  It's Hollywood. 

[Liathiana]

For sure. And I agree, I started rereading the book while I was in line so I was disappointed when whole scenes were removed and/or changed. I did like the darker feel to the film. The graphics were fantastic! And I liked how the romance was incorporated. In that I might even say I liked it better in the film then in the book though it's been awhile since I read it. I seem to remember the whole book being my least favorite and full of fluffy stupid teenage love. >.> And I was sad Tonks didn't change her hair :(

 

But! It was really cool! Our theater had 4 showings at midnight, each being a House! I was Gryffindor! ;D

[Almearafan]

I'm happy to announce that I have just purchased my tickets for a showing on Sunday at 12 Noon.  I can't WAIT!!!

 

Unfortunately we couldn't do Saturday because we're having guests over.  And we couldn't do the midnight opening because we learned during Order of the Pheonix that we're just too old to go to a midnight showing of a 3 hour movie and then get up for work in the morning.  Getting older sucks sometimes.  So we're weekend warrior-ing it. 

 

To add to the earlier comments about Dumbledore.  I agree that the original Dumbledore (Richard Harris) absolutely played the part brilliantly.  I was saddened and dismayed when we died, and when they put Michael Gambon into the role it was never the same.  I think that Michael Gambon does an OK job, but I would have LOVED it if Richard Harris could have made it through the entire series (especially given his role in this particular installment of the movies).

 

I also have to say that I think it's awesome that they put in the fluffy teenage love...it was all part of JK Rowling's way of bringing about the maturation of her characters and she did it in quite a funny way at times.  Just one man's opinion though ;)

[Luckers]

Firstly, fair warning, there are spoilers in this comment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I found this movie disturbing. Not bad--I genuinely liked it, though there were some incredibly cheesy moment complete with over-the-top music this was one of the best potter movies so far. What I found problematic was the feel that whoever wrote the script was trying to re-write it--to either put their mark on it, or to fix what they felt to be Rowling's mistakes.

 

Don't get me wrong, I understand very well that the story of a book must be changed to fit the medium of cinema--but this felt strange. They did not just cut things, or alter them to better fit the big screen, they replaced whole scenes with new scenes, and as far as I can tell there was no logical reason to do so.

 

Take for instance the beginning. Instead of having Dumbledore come to the Dursley's they had Harry in a cafe flirting with a girl and Dumbledore interupting him there... why? The scenes could have been made to take similar amounts of time. What was the purpose of this change? To allow for Dumbledore's vaguely fatherly, vaguely creepy 'she's real pretty harry' moment?

 

Or what of the completely new attack on the burrow? That ain't adapting anything. Indeed if they wanted a fight why did they cut the fight at the end and insert this bulldiddy? I mean that decission seems to have made the movie, if anything, anti-climatic.

 

The whole thing left a bad taste in my mouth. Was the screenwriter attempting to outdo Rowling? Was this arrogance? Whoever wrote the screenplay for this script should have stuck to adapting it. If they wished to create something they never should have got involved with movie being made from a book.

[Almearafan]

Or what of the completely new attack on the burrow? That ain't adapting anything. Indeed if they wanted a fight why did they cut the fight at the end and insert this bulldiddy? I mean that decission seems to have made the movie, if anything, anti-climatic.

 

This is the only thing I know anything about...I was reading an article with an interview with the director and he said that it was a matter of cadence basically.  Without this scene written in he said that most of the rest of the movie was too light-hearted and he felt the audience needed a reminder of how dangerous everything the trio was up against really was.  DISCLAIMER: I haven't seen this yet, so I don't know how I truly feel about this addition, nor any omissions that might have taken place...I'll find out Sunday. ;D

[Toy and Minion]

So, Luckers, they basically did what they did to the Bourne novels?

[Luckers]

This is the only thing I know anything about...I was reading an article with an interview with the director and he said that it was a matter of cadence basically.  Without this scene written in he said that most of the rest of the movie was too light-hearted and he felt the audience needed a reminder of how dangerous everything the trio was up against really was.  DISCLAIMER: I haven't seen this yet, so I don't know how I truly feel about this addition, nor any omissions that might have taken place...I'll find out Sunday.

 

Too light hearted? This entire movie was dark from the very start, and the reviews support that--they don't say 'thanks to the attack on the barrow...' they say 'from the outset this movie shows it was unafraid to show the real threat to the world'. Besides, why wouldn't the scene at the end--you know, the scene that was actually in the books--have done the same, and have done it better? That fight was epic, this one amounted to a fire and harry and ginny being monumentally stupid.

 

The director is talking himself up. He tried to get fancy with a story-line that was already written--and thats fine, except the new stuff he wrote in wasn't as good as the original stuff. That's not 'I'm a fan of the books how dare you change them', it's a genuine 'what you came up with was less dramatic and exciting than what you removed'.

 

So, Luckers, they basically did what they did to the Bourne novels?

 

I've not read the Bourne novels, and was indifferent to the movies--though i would add that there is an extra element of this when the books are the harry potter books--no one equals them in fame. To take creative liscence in this way with their movie adaptions is dangerous--to re-write the story based on nothing but your own whim is deadly.

[Almearafan]

Saw it...Love it for the most part...can't wait for Deathly Hallows Parts 1 and 2 to come out and complete the series. 

 

I agree with Luckers now, there wasn't a true need for the added 'attack on the burrow' scene to darken things up a bit. 

 

There were also part of it that felt a bit disjointed for me, but maybe that's because I'm such a huge fan of the books. 

 

Visually...it was absolutely stunning.  Can't wait for it to come out on Blu-Ray so I can see what it looks like on the big screen at home. ;D

[mnwhiterose]

*Caution - spoilers ahead*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Very, very disappointed in the movie. It had few bright spots (Alan Rickman & Tom Felton) but those did not make up for the complete disrespect of the book. Where was Harry's mourning of his godfather? Where was the whole story of finding out who the Half Blood Prince was (come on, one line?) I think this should have had more of a piece of the film considering it is called "Half Blood Prince". While the tribute scene to Dumbledore was poetic (the light of everyone's wands dissipating the Dark One's Mark), I would have rather seen the funeral. The destruction of the Weasley's house - sorry, not good enough. Had no place in the movie.

 

Tom Felton's interpretation of Draco's role was beautifully done, but did they have to practically give everything away in watching him prepare the cabinet? And then, there was no battle at Hogwarts? Tom is beautiful and I am seriously falling in love with his abilities as an actor. Alan Rickman, as always, was beautiful.

[Toy and Minion]

My only question is, why 2 parts of DH?  I saw no probable place for a break anywhere near the halfway point.  Unless they completely disregard the book, which seems like a recurring theme in today's Hollywood.

[mnwhiterose]

Yeah - I wouldn't be surprised if they did that.

 

Should I boycott the last 2 movies since I have been so thoroughly disappointed in every single HP movie that has come out. Why do I torture myself like this?

[Toy and Minion]

Hey, the first one was good.  It at least kept all the more important stuff. They HAVE to cut some things.  But they kept to the original as best as could be expected, IMHO.  Second one was a little worse in that regard.  But the third one was where they really stopped using the shaver and took out the chainsaw.

 

It really isn't a big surprise that they didn't focus on Harry dealing with the death of Sirius.  I mean, in the movies, they didn't really shed any light on Sirius and Harry's relationship.  To be honest, I didn't really feel anything when Sirius died in the movie.

[Haxorsist]

I dunno, the third one's my favourite. Way better than the other ones, imo. I didn't really like the first two. I thought the Half Blood Prince was okay, but not really great.