As the seventh month dies, I will write a review of the “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” movie.
Yay for self-fulfilling prophecies. Even though you’re reading this in August, I’m writing it on Harry’s (and J.K. Rowling’s) birthday.
I went to a midnight premiere of the movie while I was on vacation in Houston. It was awesome — the film, the atmosphere, all of it.
Before I get into why it is the best film of the series so far, here’s a little bit about me. Harry Potter is my fandom. No matter where else I venture, I always come back to Harry Potter.
I own all seven books and all the movies that have been released. So, I watched the movie with the eye of someone who has read and enjoyed the entire series.
I’m not a book purist, but I have been annoyed with some past changes, for example, the hour-long, time-wasting dragon chase in “Goblet of Fire.”
Anyway, back to “Half-Blood Prince,” the book was about the characters’ struggles to balance the normal issues of growing up with the threat and fear of Voldemort’s rising power. Meanwhile, the adults try to shelter the teens as much as possible, except for Dumbledore teaching Harry about Voldemort’s past in preparation for the eventual showdown.
The movie did that too. To me, the movie did a good job keeping the integrity of the story line.
Looking at the movie as a continuation of the previous movies and an adaptation of the book, it does both really well.
Jim Broadbent was an excellent addition to the cast as Horace Slughorn, the new potions professor with a secret.
Out of the returning cast, Tom Felton delivers a great performance as Draco Malfoy, the spoiled brat now Junior Death Eater on a mission from the Dark Lord.
Rupert Grint, who has always been my favorite actor of the Trio, adds the needed comic relief while not sliding into annoying territory.
Bonnie Wright was finally given the screen time she deserves. I mean, she’s only the protagonist’s love interest and I’m a canon shipper. It’s about time she plays a role in Harry’s life other than the eleven-year-old damsel in distress from “The Chamber of Secrets.”
Ginny and Harry’s relationship development is beautiful and awkward and I loved it. There are just enough cute moments to satisfy shippers, but not enough to go into gag-inducing territory.
However, I had some issues with Lavender. Jessie Cave did an excellent job with how the part was written, but it could have been written better. Lavender is portrayed as a ditsy, clingy, dumb blonde.
I know she is annoying in her relationship with Ron, but was there no way to show her outside of that? Throughout the books, she battled Hagrid’s creatures and was a member of Dumbledore’s Army. Where was her Gryffindor-ness in the movie?
In other news, this is the first movie since Michael Gambon took over the role of Dumbledore that I truly enjoyed his performance.
Overall, the cinematography was also well done. Even if the scene in the cave was a bit “Lord of the Rings,” “You shall not pass”-like, the wizarding world is brought to life in “Half-Blood Prince.”
Now, as a devoted reader, I was looking for certain things in the movie. They don’t necessarily need to be word-for-word, but the plot’s point needs to be there.
(Spoiler Warning for “Half-Blood Prince” book and movie)
My checklist of “must-include” items:
Harry realizes his love for Ginny — check.
Ron and Hermione awkwardly date other people to avoid their feelings for each other — check.
Harry learns about horcruxes — check.
Voldemort’s power grows — check.
The confusion continues over Snape’s true allegiances — check.
The plot for the next book is set up — check.
Bonus — Quidditch returns to the screen better than ever.
Even if it slightly disrupts movie continuity, I really enjoyed the new look of the quidditch matches. The sport finally reflected the roughness and danger that should accompany a sport played high in the air on broomsticks.
However, there were some major changes to the book that should be noted. While some of this may be considered fandom heresy, I remind everyone it is just my humble opinion.
I have heard some complaints about the funeral being cut. But the movie manages to provide a fitting tribute of it’s own and keep in the important conversations that took place at the funeral in the book. While watching the movie, people at the theater mimicked the scene by waving their cell phones. It might not have been a funeral, but it hit the right emotional buttons without going over the top.
There is also no big battle at the end. It’s a real hit job — the Death Eaters assassinate and run, which really drives home Harry’s accusation of Snape being a coward. Word is the writers thought a battle now would detract from the one in the finale. While I don’t agree, the writers do make it work within the plot of the movie.
Other changes, however, didn’t hurt the film in and of itself, but I am left wondering about what the writers might do for the last two installments. (“Deathly Hallows” book spoilers ahead.)
A battle scene was added during Christmas at the Burrow and the house is burned to the ground. It showed the growing threat without the narration of feelings and newspaper reports that we saw throughout the book. But destroying the Burrow? The Burrow could be attacked without the fire. Where will everyone’s favorite redheads live now? Don’t they face enough without being homeless?
Speaking of the Weasleys, where’s Bill? For those who haven’t read the books, Ron has five older brothers — Bill and Charlie who are grown and out of the house and Percy, Fred and George who we’ve seen. Even when the family visits Egypt in “The Prisoner of Azkaban” (the third one), the movie leaves out that they were there visiting Bill. While I can see leaving out the wedding, visiting his home of Shell Cottage is pretty necessary to the seventh book.
I know they are turning “Deathly Hallows” into two movies. I’m curious how they will fill in the holes they’ve left, but if it is anything like “Half-Blood Prince,” it will be good and worth the wait.
I’m almost ready to start counting down to November 2010 when “Deathly Hallows, Part I” is scheduled to be released.
However, until then, I leave you with a message from our radio host, Lee Jordan: “Keep each other safe. Keep faith. Good night.”
Jennifer Lindsey, 221-6526
