When looked at as a part of the series of "Harry Potter" films, "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" is probably the best one yet. The reason? Harry, Ron and Hermione are now well into their teenaged years, and all of the delightful teenaged hormones that comes with them.
As Voldemort continues to regain power throughout the magical world, inside the walls of Hogwarts, the young hearts of Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) are tossed about. The tension between Hermione and Ron, a favorite theme of fans, comes to the forefront of the film when Ron gets a girlfriend in the obsessive Lavender Brown (Jessie Cave). This, of course, is devastating to Hermione, who is being pursued by Gryffindor Quidditch player Cormac McLaggen (Freddie Stroma), whom she reviles.
It is also in "Half Blood Prince" that romance between Harry and Ginny (Bonnie Wright) blossoms. Harry begins to see her as more than just Ron's little sister and as readers of the books know, Ginny has had a thing for Harry all along. Though some of the Harry-Ginny interactions seem awkward, the jealousy, hurt feelings and love and lust, both requited and unrequited, among all of the teen witches and wizards provide for many hilarious and touching scenes.
Meanwhile, Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) has given Harry a mission: to win over Professor Slughorn (Jim Broadbent), the new Potions teacher at Hogwarts (Professor Snape has taken over Defense Against the Dark Arts), a mission made easier with the help of an old potions book, property of the Half Blood Prince, that has propelled Harry to the top of the class.
Harry isn't the only student at Hogwarts with a mission, though. Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) has been assigned some evil task by Lord Voldemort himself. Harry's suspicions of both Malfoy and Professor Snape's (Alan Rickman) involvement in Malfoy's plans become a part of the darker story line.
Though director David Yates does a fantastic job covering all of the material presented in the film through dynamic scenes and both beautiful and the necessary eerie images, "Potter" fans who have read the books can't help but notice what's missing. It is inevitable that not everything in a 650-page long book will fit into 153 minutes, but it seems that some important plot points have been left out. It would have been nice, for example, to see the fact that Harry's least favorite teacher has begun teaching his most favorite subject addressed in a scene. And the film's ending, in the book a long, intense magical battle, was both truncated and lackluster.
But despite the somewhat frustrating distance from the book, "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" is a joy to watch. If nothing else, seeing the teen romances played out on the big screen by the increasingly evolved talents of the film series' young stars is worth the trip to the likely packed theater.
Monica Burton
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
When looked at as a part of the series of "Harry Potter" films, "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" is probably the best one yet. The reason? Harry, Ron and Hermione are now well into their teenaged years, and all of the delightful teenaged hormones that comes with them.
As Voldemort continues to regain power throughout the magical world, inside the walls of Hogwarts, the young hearts of Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) are tossed about. The tension between Hermione and Ron, a favorite theme of fans, comes to the forefront of the film when Ron gets a girlfriend in the obsessive Lavender Brown (Jessie Cave). This, of course, is devastating to Hermione, who is being pursued by Gryffindor Quidditch player Cormac McLaggen (Freddie Stroma), whom she reviles.
It is also in "Half Blood Prince" that romance between Harry and Ginny (Bonnie Wright) blossoms. Harry begins to see her as more than just Ron's little sister and as readers of the books know, Ginny has had a thing for Harry all along. Though some of the Harry-Ginny interactions seem awkward, the jealousy, hurt feelings and love and lust, both requited and unrequited, among all of the teen witches and wizards provide for many hilarious and touching scenes.
Meanwhile, Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) has given Harry a mission: to win over Professor Slughorn (Jim Broadbent), the new Potions teacher at Hogwarts (Professor Snape has taken over Defense Against the Dark Arts), a mission made easier with the help of an old potions book, property of the Half Blood Prince, that has propelled Harry to the top of the class.
Harry isn't the only student at Hogwarts with a mission, though. Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) has been assigned some evil task by Lord Voldemort himself. Harry's suspicions of both Malfoy and Professor Snape's (Alan Rickman) involvement in Malfoy's plans become a part of the darker story line.
Though director David Yates does a fantastic job covering all of the material presented in the film through dynamic scenes and both beautiful and the necessary eerie images, "Potter" fans who have read the books can't help but notice what's missing. It is inevitable that not everything in a 650-page long book will fit into 153 minutes, but it seems that some important plot points have been left out. It would have been nice, for example, to see the fact that Harry's least favorite teacher has begun teaching his most favorite subject addressed in a scene. And the film's ending, in the book a long, intense magical battle, was both truncated and lackluster.
But despite the somewhat frustrating distance from the book, "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" is a joy to watch. If nothing else, seeing the teen romances played out on the big screen by the increasingly evolved talents of the film series' young stars is worth the trip to the likely packed theater.
