Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince reviewed
Much like the James Bond franchise, every time a new Harry Potter film comes out it is instantly proclaimed the Best Film in the Series Ever. I’m in advertising so please excuse me if I don’t buy this marketing bullshit, and actually reserve my opinion until after watching the film.
As it turns out, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is NOT the best of the Potter films. As far as I’m concerned that honour still belongs to Order of the Phoenix, the film released prior to this one. Half-Blood Prince is a hit-and-miss affair, and, criminally, it’s the first Harry Potter film that actually drags. Half-Blood Prince feels its full two-and-a-half hours running time.
In terms of what does work in Half-Blood Prince, the simmering romantic tensions among the film’s young cast have been well handled by director David Yates. Some viewers may in fact grumble that the film focuses too much on teenage relationships, and should have been retitled Harry Potter and the Case of Raging Hormones. However, these scenes demonstrate heart, a realistically bitter-sweet take on teenage longing, and they introduce a hefty chunk of humour to the film - which otherwise would be completely absent. One of the film’s highlights is a sequence, lifted straight from JK Rowling’s novel, where an emotionally distraught Hermione Granger sets a flock of conjured birds on Ron Weasley.
Another thing in Half-Blood Prince’s favour is its uniformly good to excellent performances – from both the celebrated adult cast and the teenage actors who have grown up making these movies. In terms of new additions to the franchise, Jim Broadbent is just fine as cowardly Professor Slughorn. Although it could be argued Broadbent’s portrayal is appropriately realistic for a film adaptation, his Slughorn is bland and doesn’t leave as much of an impression as his blubbery, over-the-top literary counterpart. Jessie Cave, however, as Ron’s insufferably clingy girlfriend Lavender Brown, is a great deal of fun, and provides many laughs.
Still though, in terms of all the performances in Half-Blood Prince, special mention must go to Evanna Lynch, returning as loveable weirdo Luna Lovegood. Lynch steals every scene she’s in, and her Luna remains a strong contender for the title of Best Character in the Entire Potter Film Series.
Given all these positives, and a couple of fantastically brutal quidditch sequences, it’s a pity then that Half-Blood Prince falls down in so many other areas. As with his script for Goblet of Fire (Michael Goldenberg adapted Order of the Phoenix), Steve Kloves has again stripped out the mystery at the heart of the story. Draco Malfoy’s secret mission is crystal clear to the audience from the film’s outset, and the revelation of the Half-Blood Prince’s identity arrives abruptly and without much needed explanation. Perhaps the clarification will be provided in the next film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I, but it, and several other omissions from the book detract from Half-Blood Prince’s ultimate enjoyability.
Without giving too much away, these missing scenes include a fascinating look at Voldemort’s family background – which helps to explain the damaged mentality of the world’s greatest dark wizard – and a heart wrenching, but appropriately grand final scene, which once again has presumably been saved for the next Harry Potter film.
As it stands the ending of Half-Blood Prince is disappointingly flat and unengaging. And the same applies to all action scenes in the film, including an attack on the Weasley family home, which was “invented” specially for Half-Blood Prince, but which adds nothing to the film except for confusion (Oh look, Lupin and Tonks are a couple! When did that happen?).
Order of the Phoenix at least featured a major confrontation at the Ministry of Magic, between Order members and Voldemort’s supporters, the Death Eaters; not to mention the final fire vs. water duel between Voldemort and Hogwarts headmaster Dumbledore. In Half-Blood Prince, the Death Eaters, headed by Helena Bonham Carter’s deranged Bellatrix Lestrange, come across less like a fraternity of powerful spell-casters, and more like a gang of vindictive football team supporters. They taunt, they vandalise (frequently setting things on fire), and that’s about it. Even their attack on London’s Millennium Bridge, while impressively animated, isn’t especially horrific. Although casualties are mentioned, the audience isn’t exposed to a single shot of human anguish to add emotional power to the scene.
I am honestly quite disappointed in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I had high hopes for the film, which was my second most highly anticipated movie of 2009. Although Half-Blood Prince has its moments, the final result is an unsatisfying mix of missed opportunities. And this is coming from someone who has read the book. If you are coming to the film “fresh,” without any knowledge of the franchise and its characters, I would also like to wish you the best of luck simply working out what is going on.
As it turns out, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is NOT the best of the Potter films. As far as I’m concerned that honour still belongs to Order of the Phoenix, the film released prior to this one. Half-Blood Prince is a hit-and-miss affair, and, criminally, it’s the first Harry Potter film that actually drags. Half-Blood Prince feels its full two-and-a-half hours running time.
In terms of what does work in Half-Blood Prince, the simmering romantic tensions among the film’s young cast have been well handled by director David Yates. Some viewers may in fact grumble that the film focuses too much on teenage relationships, and should have been retitled Harry Potter and the Case of Raging Hormones. However, these scenes demonstrate heart, a realistically bitter-sweet take on teenage longing, and they introduce a hefty chunk of humour to the film - which otherwise would be completely absent. One of the film’s highlights is a sequence, lifted straight from JK Rowling’s novel, where an emotionally distraught Hermione Granger sets a flock of conjured birds on Ron Weasley.
Another thing in Half-Blood Prince’s favour is its uniformly good to excellent performances – from both the celebrated adult cast and the teenage actors who have grown up making these movies. In terms of new additions to the franchise, Jim Broadbent is just fine as cowardly Professor Slughorn. Although it could be argued Broadbent’s portrayal is appropriately realistic for a film adaptation, his Slughorn is bland and doesn’t leave as much of an impression as his blubbery, over-the-top literary counterpart. Jessie Cave, however, as Ron’s insufferably clingy girlfriend Lavender Brown, is a great deal of fun, and provides many laughs.
Still though, in terms of all the performances in Half-Blood Prince, special mention must go to Evanna Lynch, returning as loveable weirdo Luna Lovegood. Lynch steals every scene she’s in, and her Luna remains a strong contender for the title of Best Character in the Entire Potter Film Series.
Given all these positives, and a couple of fantastically brutal quidditch sequences, it’s a pity then that Half-Blood Prince falls down in so many other areas. As with his script for Goblet of Fire (Michael Goldenberg adapted Order of the Phoenix), Steve Kloves has again stripped out the mystery at the heart of the story. Draco Malfoy’s secret mission is crystal clear to the audience from the film’s outset, and the revelation of the Half-Blood Prince’s identity arrives abruptly and without much needed explanation. Perhaps the clarification will be provided in the next film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I, but it, and several other omissions from the book detract from Half-Blood Prince’s ultimate enjoyability.
Without giving too much away, these missing scenes include a fascinating look at Voldemort’s family background – which helps to explain the damaged mentality of the world’s greatest dark wizard – and a heart wrenching, but appropriately grand final scene, which once again has presumably been saved for the next Harry Potter film.
As it stands the ending of Half-Blood Prince is disappointingly flat and unengaging. And the same applies to all action scenes in the film, including an attack on the Weasley family home, which was “invented” specially for Half-Blood Prince, but which adds nothing to the film except for confusion (Oh look, Lupin and Tonks are a couple! When did that happen?).
Order of the Phoenix at least featured a major confrontation at the Ministry of Magic, between Order members and Voldemort’s supporters, the Death Eaters; not to mention the final fire vs. water duel between Voldemort and Hogwarts headmaster Dumbledore. In Half-Blood Prince, the Death Eaters, headed by Helena Bonham Carter’s deranged Bellatrix Lestrange, come across less like a fraternity of powerful spell-casters, and more like a gang of vindictive football team supporters. They taunt, they vandalise (frequently setting things on fire), and that’s about it. Even their attack on London’s Millennium Bridge, while impressively animated, isn’t especially horrific. Although casualties are mentioned, the audience isn’t exposed to a single shot of human anguish to add emotional power to the scene.
I am honestly quite disappointed in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I had high hopes for the film, which was my second most highly anticipated movie of 2009. Although Half-Blood Prince has its moments, the final result is an unsatisfying mix of missed opportunities. And this is coming from someone who has read the book. If you are coming to the film “fresh,” without any knowledge of the franchise and its characters, I would also like to wish you the best of luck simply working out what is going on.
Comments
Shame. Half-Blood Prince was my favorite of the books (probably because it left so much possibility for the ending which was disappointingly never achieved) and I was hoping the movie would be the same.
Oh, and Draco's secret task was evident from the beginning of the book. It shouldn't be much of a change for the movie (also, the Half-Blood Prince's identity was evident from the moment Slughorn showed up at Hogwarts).
its really fantastic.
I didn't have a problem with the PG-13 nature of the film - it's kind of expected of the franchise by now - but they could easily have ratcheted up the intensity of the action scenes without going "graphic".
Out of interest, have you got around to watching the film yet?
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Avenir, thanks for taking the time to comment:)
I'm fine with the PG-13 rating, as well, since this is a kids' series. But, a little realism doesn't hurt, I'd say.