[Note: This review contains small spoilers for Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Nothing major, but if you’d like a completely fresh viewing experience, please read this AFTER you’ve seen the movie!]
The Harry Potter franchise needs no introduction. By now you’re well aware of the novels – six of which have been turned into films – and the general ‘Harry mania’ which sweeps the cinema when one of the films is released. If you don’t know anything about the books or films, then this review probably isn’t for you. Not because I’m trying to exclude those who haven’t had a chance to catch up, but because the series is far too developed now to explain all of the previous installments. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince is a film which is essentially a set up for the final act of the story. It doesn’t bother too much with easing ‘newcomers’ into the universe.
In the interest of full disclosure, I have never read a single line from any of the books, but I’ve enjoyed all of the movies and I’ve got to say, I love the direction that the series is heading.
Half Blood Prince is the 6th film in the series and the second to be directed by David Yates – who previously helmed Order of the Pheonix and will go on to direct the final chapter Deathly Hallows, which will be split into two films.
The basic plot centers around Harry and Dumbledore as they attempt to uncover the true past of Voldemort – who does not appear as an adult in this film, instead he is seen only as ‘Tom Riddle’ at age 11 and 16 in a pair of brilliantly constructed – quite chilling – flashback sequences. While all of this is happening, Draco Malfoy sulks about the halls of Hogwarts, preparing for a mission which was given to him directly by the dark lord. Throw in a little humour centering around first kisses, dates, love potions and you’ve got the basic ingredients for Half Blood Prince.
So where does the title fit in? Well, Harry discovers a text book which previously belonged to the mysterious Half Blood Prince. He uses various spells/potions from this book to his advantage, until finally finding out who the previous owner was – It’s not quite as important as the other titular items in the series, at least not in the movie, with most of the other story threads having more impact overall.
As I mentioned earlier, if you haven’t seen the other films in the series then Half Blood Prince is definitely not a film you can easily jump into. Most of the story is setting the stage for the climatic final chapter…yet I don’t think this is necessarily a bad thing. It almost feels like The Two Towers or The Empire Strikes Back, there’s a dark and depressing tone to the overall narrative and without giving too much away, the ending is quite melancholy, choosing to focus on the characters rather than special effects. It’s a brave move, one which seems to be splitting fans and critics, particularly because the novel apparently ends with a large action set piece. Personally I’m glad they decided to finish on a somber note, it left me wanting more for the first time in the series.
Don’t let this dark and foreboding talk get you down though, as surprisingly, this is also the funniest of the Potter films. Yates has been able to strike the perfect balance between humour and drama, with almost all of the teen romance scenes containing both of these elements. You have the usual humour coming from Ron (“These girls are going to kill me” etc), coupled with the awkward dating talk between Harry, Hermoine, Ron and Ginny. The screening I attended was almost sold out, and the laughs seemed to be coming as loudly and frequently as the jumps and sad silences. In terms of cinematic entertainment, Half Blood Prince works very well.
Then there’s the look of the film, and boy oh boy, does it look amazing. The special effects are astounding, which is almost to be expected from the Potter films, but it’s Bruno Delbonell’s cinematography which really brings you into the world these characters inhabit. Every single scene has been shot beautifully; the film has a very dark sensibility, even sequences within the safety of Hogwarts have been under-light, with harsh shadows crisscrossing over the actors’ faces, suggesting that Voldemort’s evil presence can’t be ignored.
One sequence in particular – and the film is worth watching just for this – sees Harry and Dumbledore explore a gigantic cavern. Without giving too much away, it is by far the most haunting and awe inspiring moments in the series so far, containing a ‘jump’ scare which threw half of my audience out of their seats.
The various players in Half Blood Prince have stepped up to the plate once again to deliver very personal performances. If there’s one thing that the series has yet to get wrong, it’s casting, with the legendary Jim Broadbent appearing in this film as Professor Horace Slughorn, a character who represents the film in many ways; He’s comedic, and yet emotionally insightful.
If you’ve seen the other entries in the series, then you’re familiar with the returning cast, who seem to be improving with each film. In particular Michael Gambon and Alan Rickman – as Professor Dumbledore and Severus Snape – who showcase some of their best work so far.
There are a few problems however, as with most book adaptations, there were moments where I was left scratching my head and wondering what everyone was talking about, it felt as though there was a lot of back story I was missing. A couple of times characters would appear at locations and I wasn’t exactly sure why they were there. Fortunately, I think the pros of the film far out way the cons, as I ultimately left the theatre satisfied.
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince marks the beginning of the end in many ways. It doesn’t follow the structure of the films before it, and offers nowhere near as much action – a plus in my opinion. It focus’ a lot more on character development and takes the series in a darker direction. Some may see this as a negative, but I found myself loving this new, grittier world. As I mentioned earlier, this is the first time I’ve left a Potter film wanting more…and if the final two installments are anything like Half Blood Prince then I’m sure I won’t be disappointed.
My Rating: Three and a half stars!