“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” debuted in theaters on Wednesday, breaking the midnight record set by last summer’s “The Dark Knight,” and ticket sales have remained strong through the weekend. In this sixth installment of the popular children’s book series, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) returns to Hogwarts, suspicious that his classmate Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) has become a Death Eater. In an opening scene of the movie, Professor Snape (Alan Rickman) makes an unbreakable vow to Narcissa Malfoy (Helen McCrory) that he will protect Draco, and carry out his order from series villain Voldemort– which is not explained– should the boy not be able to do it himself.
Meanwhile, upon Professor Dumbledore’s (Michael Gambon) coaxing, old-time Hogwarts professor Horace Slughorn (Jim Broadbent) returns to school to teach potions class. An old copy of the class textbook that Harry begins using, inscribed as belonging to the Half-Blood Prince, acts as almost a cheat sheet, with notes written throughout that help Harry create difficult potions. Hermoine (Emma Watson) becomes curious and begins researching who the Half-Blood Prince is, but Harry seems content to use the book without question.
Harry starts visiting with Dumbledore after school hours, reliving memories he has saved over the years about young Tom Riddle, a once-Hogwarts student who eventually transforms into Voldemort. In an attempt to find where Voldemort is now hiding, Harry intentionally forms a friendship with Professor Slughorn, who taught Riddle when he was younger.
This installment of the film franchise is lighter than more recent ones, with moments of humor sprinkled throughout and an overall focus on love relationships forming among the students. Ginny Weasley (Bonnie Wright), who was once in love with Harry, is now dating someone else, and Hermoine is pursued by Cormac McLaggen (Freddie Stroma). Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) is also pursued, by Lavender Brown (Jessie Cave), and Hermoine’s jealously over their relationship dominates many of her scenes. The film certainly shows the students as growing up, portraying them more as young adults– including scenes with underage drinking and sneaking away to bedrooms– than as little kids anymore. As the movie peaks, secrets Slughorn holds about young Tom Riddle and shady details about Snape and Draco Malfoy are revealed, and a surprise ending perhaps to some leaves the story wide open for the final installments of the tale.
Filled with big budget scenes and showdowns between good and evil characters, as well as love stories and laughter, “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” is a summer blockbuster worth a trip to the theater. Fans of the book and film series alike will appreciate the advancement of Harry lore and enjoy watching the hero and his friends grow up. Each character develops in personality and storyline as the overall tale builds closer to its climax, and the film’s 153-minute runtime flies by. Just be sure to get to the theater early though, because showtimes will be selling out regularly for days to come.
Four of the five previous installments of “Harry Potter” remain among the 50 highest grossing films of all time in the United States, earning $260 million overall or more. 2004′s “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,” the third in the series, is the only one that no longer cracks the top 50, with this summer’s “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” ”Up” and Star Trek” already all pulling in higher ticket sales and sending it down three spots to #51.
Ok. Can someone tell me why the director thought it was okay to leave out the huge fight scene at the end of the book? I realize that you can’t include everything, but I would have scrapped the quidditch (sp) match and left in the fight scene at the end. Also, I forgot that Hermione and Ron don’t finally smooch until next year or so….so big disappointment. All of their pent up anxiety is actually starting to frustrate me as a viewer….get it over with already.
I think this may have been the best in the film series so far; if not the best, then certainly one of the best. I laughed and cried genuinely enjoyed the movie and I think I would have felt the same way had I not been such a big fan of the franchise (books and films). Indeed the children are growing up, as one can see through not only their physical appearance, but their actions and responsibilities as well. I give this movie 5/5 stars and eagerly await the final installment – although I hear the last book will be broken up into two separate movies. Until then!
[...] grossing film of 2009. This is number six in the beloved HP franchise, and some even think it might be the best one yet. We’ve got one more book to go, which will be made into two films, so you have time to [...]