Review: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
I'm the guy who you typically see walking out of Harry Potter movies with his nose in the air, spouting off about how "the book was way better" and never getting hit with a spear like you usually wish he would. So it's no surprise that I was totally ready for Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince to conjure up a whole new level of suck that I had never even seen before. But as it turns out, I didn't have much to worry about.
Not only did I like HP6... I loved it. This movie is orgasmic; by far the best one since number three, no question. It's a near perfect rendering of the novel onscreen, and I attribute much of that to the return of writer Steve Kloves (who penned numbers one through four before taking a much-needed pass on number five). That being said, as in any other film, there were things that worked and things that didn't, so let me outline some of the ones that stood out the most:
What Worked: The performances. This is the first time that I've actually watched a Harry Potter movie and thought, "Wow... these kids can really act." (Coincidentally, it's also the first time I've watched one and thought, "Hermoine Granger gives me a boner.") Seriously, each one of these kids has grown into a fantastic actor; Daniel Radcliffe is in tip top form as the titular Harry, even getting to show off his comedic chops every once in a while (which is a huge relief... in the last one he was about as funny as a Dane Cook movie). Other great performances come from Rupert Grint as the scene-stealing Ron, Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy, Hero Fiennes-Tiffin as the young Tom Riddle (aka Lord Voldemort), and Emma Watson as the hot chick who talks for some reason.
What Didn't Work: The love scenes between Harry and Ginny Weasley. The two of them have chemistry, don't get me wrong - but I simply can't keep a straight face when they're forced to whisper sugary shit to each other. "Take my hand..." should only be said when helping elderly women cross the street. Which I do regularly, by the way.
What Worked: The plot. Though this movie does feel more like a transition between chapters than a story all on its own, it's nonetheless an absolute blast to simply spend time with these characters and watch them grow up. There's something relatable and nostalgic about this film that separates it from the atrocity that was Order of the Phoenix, and in the end we don't need a particularly thrilling climax to realize that we're having a really, really good time.
On The Fence: The score. Composer Nicholas Hooper, who penned the last film's soundtrack to frustrating results, picks up where he left off with some interesting (and somewhat improved) new themes, as well as a number of much-appreciated references to those previously established by John Williams and Patrick Doyle. This one is way darker than Order of the Phoenix, which is certainly a welcome change, but for some reason it lacks the stylistic connections between songs that the original three were so deftly able to create. I'm up in the air on this one; if you know any other soundtrack geeks, be sure to ask them what they think.
What Worked: Luna Lovegood!!! This girl (played by Evanna Lynch) is absolutely brilliant, stealing every moment onscreen by injecting well-delivered moments of comic relief into a story that's already quite amusing on its own. As far as this one goes, she definitely wins my vote for best supporting character (although Sirius Black takes it for the totality of the series).
What Didn't Work: People letting their babies throw up in the goddamn movie theater. I mean seriously, what the hell. The fucking thing's been crying for the last twelve minutes; what could possibly make you think it's acceptable for it to still be in the building? (And yes, I'm calling the baby "it." Trust me - you didn't see the shit that came out of this creature's mouth.)
All In All: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is a fantastic ride. Director David Yates has crafted an extremely well balanced film, juggling elements of drama and humor to create an audience-pleasing summer flick driven almost entirely by its character performances and beautiful imagery.
Overall Rating: 8/10
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