Thoughts on HP & the Half-Blood Prince

Since midnight on July 15 it has been clear that people around that world have been eagerly awaiting an update in the Harry Potter saga. The fact that nearly everyone in the theatre already knows what is about to happen doesn’t seem to matter much. The movie pulled in the largest ever midnight showing box-office revenues and smashed through the opening weekend coming out, unsurprisingly, on top. Little if any of this was unsuspected. What was unsuspected was the vast difference between critical reviews and Potter fan reviews. The critics loved the film and Rowling book lovers, in large part, were not impressed. The problem, I think, lies in the fact that avid Potter readers walk into the theater and expect to see every plot point covered in the 652 page book portrayed on screen—in less than two and a half hours. It’s simply not possible.

Adapting a novel for the screen is about choosing what has to be left in, what has to be taken out, and what the story needs to fill the holes. I say this as someone who has never thought about adapting a novel for any reason let alone to add movie to the most successful movie franchise in Hollywood history. The point is however, The Half-Blood Prince is the most…internal, if you will, of the books in the saga. Large parts of the action in the book happen inside Harry’s Head. Harry struggling with his emotions towards Ginny, Harry’s curiosity about the actions of Malfoy, and Harry’s struggle to put the pieces of Dumbledore (or more accurately Voldemort’s) tale together. It’s difficult to portray all of these things without a drastic departure from the rest of the movie series. All that to say that I think Steve Kloves did a decent job considering the type of story with which he was working. But most of all, Potter fans should know by now that the films and books are two very different species and expectations from one should not be carried over to the other—it’s simply unfair.

Stepping away from the book, this movie is the best in the Potter series by far. In fact, I’d even go so far as to say that this movie, without it’s potter support, is stand alone a well crafted and entertaining movie. The series has grown and the actors have certainly matured from the days when Christopher Columbus was at the helm, but that’s to be expected as they are some 10 years older. Excellent portrayals are to be seen from all sides and Rupert Grint and Tom Felton turn in their best performances to date showing that they have been drastically underused in previous installments.

In past movies, Grint has done little more than whimper at appropriate times (when confronted with spiders, crashing a car, the idea of Sirius Black, the mention of You-Know-Who’s proper name, Vampires, Bad Dress Robes, and so on). In this movie, Grint is finally given the chance to act. One of the most comic scenes in any of the seven books was brought to life beautifully—and hilariously—by Grint. On the Quiddich field, drugged by love potion, and suffering from an over attached girlfriend, Grint shows that he has comedy chops that could lead to a career outside of Hogwarts.

For the past two movies, Felton has shown up only to remind the viewers that life at Hogwarts comes with a few warts. In this movie, through clever script manipulation, Felton as Malfoy plays the chosen one opposite Harry Potter. Draco Malfoy struggles with the task he has been chosen for by the dark side. Felton gives more than his usual sneers in this film, he is allowed to stretch, allowed to grow and due to this shows that he has range as an actor. Felton’s portrayal of the struggling adolescent makes the viewer both despise Malfoy and pity him for the role he is struggling to fulfill.

Then there are Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson who turn in their usual high-quality performances. Watson is heartbreaking to watch as she portrays heartbreak and Radcliffe takes comedic scenes and shows that it is no mistake that he is at the center of this mega hit.

There are also the usual stellar British actors that provide sterling support for the young cast. Most of note in this film are Jim Broadbent who brings Professor Slughorn hilariously to life and Alan Rickman who makes it clear that there is no one else worthy enough to play Harry’s chief Hogwart’s foe.

All in all, taking the film for what it is—a movie dependent on literary fans for success—the film is very good. It may never make the ranks of the best films of all time but it is what it is: a blockbuster—and a very worthy one at that.