Reviewed by

Les Scott

As I am about to tear into this film let me first start by saying, as for the movie, I thought it was pretty good, the best one so far in my opinion; but only in and of itself.  If you compare it with the books however, it really sucks!

There I was, standing in line with approximately 3000 other idiots waiting for the chance to see history. Finally after pissing off the fans last year with the last minute postponement of the 6th movie; WB finally released the film. This postponement did not sit well for most of the fans as it was not done to re-shoot part of the film or to tweak certain scenes to make it a better product, NO! It was done strictly for money! And no this is not my tainted opinion but a fact which Warner Brothers freely admitted.

So when I was approached by FCU seeking a real Harry Potter fan to review the flick, they asked… Now that you've seen it, what did you think? I was eager to voice my opinion.

So here goes…The movie is fairly good, but the adaptation sucks!

Did I say that out loud? Many fans will want to see me hang for that, but as a rabid, and ferocious fan of the books; I am uniquely qualified to say this. My credentials: having read or listened to all of the books a minimum of 20 times each with the exception of the last one, "Deathly Hallows" which I’ve probably only gone thru 12 or 13 times so far, give me a unique if dogmatic perspective.

Now unless you’ve been living in a cave for the past decade you know the basic story; Harry Potter is a boy wizard who attends Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. But for non-readers or first time movie goers, the films are now borderline

incomprehensible, because so much prior knowledge is assumed. So like Screenwriter- Steve Kloves, Director- David Yates and Money Grubbing Studio- Warner Brothers, I’m going to assume you know what has gone on up to this point as well and get right down to the current mess…

Here is my watered down and personally slanted Synopsis: Death Eaters are wreaking havoc in both the Muggle (non-magic) and wizarding worlds as hormones are wreaking havoc inside Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and his most trusted friends, Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermoine (Emma Watson), are at the center of the film as usual. Right from the beginning of the movie Harry senses dangers may lay within the walls of the castle in the form of Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton), whom he suspects of being a budding "Death Eater" (ok if you don’t know, that is a Voldemort supporter). Draco, who is secretly working for Lord Voldemort (Ralph *pronounced Rafe* Fiennes), is attempting to kill Professor Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) (we find out all this at the end of the movie). But Dumbledore is more intent upon preparing Harry (the Chosen One- nope not going to explain that to ya sorry) to face Voldemort one day, and his friends are too preoccupied with hormones to take him seriously. Dumbledore needs Harry to help him uncover a vital key to unlocking Voldemort's defenses, critical information known only to Hogwarts' former Potions Master Professor Horace Slughorn (Jim Broadbent). With that in mind, Dumbledore manipulates his old colleague into returning to his previous post, and convinces Harry to get close to him so he can be "collected" by Slughorn into his "Slug Club" in order to obtain the knowledge he seeks. When Harry finally gets Slughorn to reveal some his memories of Voldemort's past when he was a student at the school we indeed find out exactly how evil Voldemort really is.

While all of this is going on however Ron has started dating somebody, Lavender Brown (Jessie Cave) leaving Hermione emotionally faltering and yet determined not to show her true feelings toward Ron. At the same time however, Harry's long friendship with Ginny Weasley (Bonnie Wright), is growing into something deeper, but he cannot say anything because, Ginny has a boyfriend, not to mention her older brother Ron, who is Harry’s best mate and a bit on the bossy/protective older brotherly side.

As romance blossoms, one student keeps his resolve with far more important matters on his mind. He is determined to make his mark, (a dark mark as it turns out). While Harry is convinced Draco is now a Death Eater, his friends believe he is mad on this subject. In the end, he is right…

Of the several young newcomers who are making their feature film debuts in "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince": a couple stand out as noteworthy: The afore mentioned Jessie Cave who plays the role of Lavender Brown, and who only has eyes for Ron…Unfortunately could use a few more acting lessons to not come off as such a dolt; Hero Fiennes Tiffin on the other hand (yes he is I believe the nephew of Ralph Fiennes) who is seen in the role of Tom Riddle at age 11(gives a truly disturbing and chilling performance. (Can you say Damien?)

Hogwarts itself is less of the fairy-tale it used to be, with security checks at its front gates, and layers of protective spells on the outside. And on the inside, the pupils have suddenly grown up into lanky, hormonal young adults who drink ale, and are eager to snog members of the opposite sex.

This movie is far funnier than it predecessors but it’s actually the less elaborate and more workaday scenes in which the teenagers of Hogwarts flirt and pout, like normal teenagers that are the most amusing and endearing. (If there is one positive thing I can say about the adaptation, it’s the daily life fill-in and the background happenings which you cannot see in the book). But I am disappointed the ultimate reveal of the Half-Blood Prince's identity was, as someone said, a "tossed-off" moment for something referenced in the title of the movie.

As I think I’ve made clear, I freely admit I didn’t like the adaptation. From the first movie I saw I said they need to get a "true" fan of the books to write the screenplays (me for example). While I fully understand why A LOT of things have to be culled due to time constraints etc., and other things changed or even added such as in the case of the attack on the Burrow (Weasley home), it’s just done poorly without much flow, although I admit this movie is not quite as disjointed as the last.

To me it’s as if there are two separate stories going on: the books and the movies; related yes, but different enough to force the movies to stand on their own which frankly they have had a difficult time in doing. If I try to compare the two together it ruins it for me, the movies just don’t measure up to the written word, sorry but it’s true.

I don’t want to upset or offend Mr. Steve Kloves in case I ever find myself working with him but I have to say I just don’t like your adaptation. As well I am summarily unimpressed with the direction of David Yates (someone will stone me for that one).

The overall acting is so-so as usual . Radcliffe is ok but getting much better (good enough to get the lead in the theater production of "Equis" (yes, in which he has full frontal nude scenes). Watson too is getting better I believe as well (unfortunately no nude scenes anywhere), but Grint whom (thankfully hasn’t any nude scenes I know of) I believe could do better, is stuck playing the comic relief. Now I have to say his character is on the funny side even in the books but there is a more serious and deep side of Ron that you get a glimpse of every so often but it just does not flow through to the films.

Regardless I’m not sure Mr. Grint could actually pull it off. I do not know if it is his "acting" ability or if it is the direction he is pushed but he always comes off as goofy.

Further; while Jim Broadbents acting skills are outstanding, I feel his character came up short in this film, due again I believe to the treatment and direction. Tom Felton however, who plays Harry's young nemesis Draco, is really coming into his own, and he pulls off his character very well.

Rumor has it that Warner Brothers asked Yates to lighten up the action. As it is, Helena Bonham Carter as demented Bellatrix Lestrange Is one of the most if not the most engaging (and one of my favorite) characters in the movie. But I have to say I feel sorry for anyone who is in a scene with her, as she completely steals every scene she is in; what an extremely talented and gifted actor she is. Alan Rickman’s Severus Snape who enunciates every syllable of every word is equally a master of every scene he is in (it’s tough when they are in a scene together), and once again proves he is indeed a master in the art of acting.

So in conclusion I agree with many fans that this movie did a better job of holding to the story than its predecessors. But there were many not so subtle differences; and I’m terribly sorry to say I’m not sure about the direction.  Yates I feel just isn’t pulling the best out of the younger actors. Much of their dialogue still seems a bit "forced", and after six films now we should be past that. I’ve read some fans are upset with the kiss in the room of requirement between Harry and Ginny, versus after the quiddich game in the book, but even though I preferred the books romantic build up to the apex, it still came off pretty well I thought. I have to say the end of the movie was very lame where Ron was kind of sulking and not taking part in the conversation between Harry and Hermione, and Hermione says "Ron’s ok with it you know, you and Ginny.  I would just keep the snogging to a minimum".

This was at the end of the book where the funeral scene was SUPPOSED TO BE when Harry breaks up with Ginny, and talks to the minister of magic which was never introduced in the movie and Ron and Hermione pledge their allegiance to fight with him and stay by his side.  This was one of the most powerful scenes in the book and crucial to setting up the next one; yet Kloves, Yates and WB didn’t see fit to include any of it. This to me is anathema!

This movie is sure to be loved by all die-hard Harry Potter "movie" fans and posers however, (misguided as they are). The "assumed" confident direction, fine cinematography (yes it was breathtaking), and excellent score and the ok to excellent performances by an all star cast will make this a movie triumph, which I am sure will be one of the biggest hits of the summer. I guess I just have to shake my head, and stay out of the way of this juggernaut, lest it crush me in it’s wake.

Ah well that’s my 2 cents, F&#* em if they can’t take a joke and joke em if the can’t take a F&#*