Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Movie Review: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince


July 15, 2009: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince released in theaters at 12:01 a.m.
July 15, 2009: Tif attends Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince at 5:00 p.m.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince has been one of my most anticipated movies of the year! I am a huge fan of the series and simply cannot get enough of it! In fact, I have started re-reading the books (AGAIN!). It is a series that I have been able to pick up again and again and again. And, I will probably continue to do so for many, many more years. So, over the past few weeks, I have been attempting to arrange childcare for my kids in a new city in order for my hubby and I to go. Finally, this last weekend, I did it! I found someone (thankfully to an old connection!) and we were able to pull it off. Yippee!!!!

Overall, I really enjoyed the film. During the past releases, I found myself critiquing the films the whole way thru, often commentating to my hubby sitting next to me . . . "Oh no, they left THAT out." OR "That's not really how it is in the book." OR "They left out poor Dobby again!" However, this time, I felt that I enjoyed the movie more as a whole and left much of the critique for later (i.e., on the car ride home and well, here!). Maybe that's because I have not read the books since the release of the fifth movie and it is simply just not as fresh in my mind!

A lot of the reviews that I've read so far complain of the lack of action, the anti-climatic peak towards the end, and of the PG rating. For me, none of this mattered! Everything presented in this movie is setting up for a GREAT final two movies! It is NOT as action-packed as the earlier films, but it does clear up some confusion and build up relationships for the finale. The "peak" that many of the reviewers are referring to is not as detailed and exciting as in the book, but still just fine. As for the PG rating, I do find it odd that a film late in a series has a lower rating than the ones before it. Afterall, if it is recommended that a 10 year old NOT watch Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, but can watch this latest one, won't s/he be missing out on a few details? Of course, that is if s/he has not read the books already! Just makes sense to me to have a bit of consistency or at least a gradual increase in ratings with a series!

I don't have the complaints of those published critics, but I do have some of my own! I was disappointed in some of the details or whole scenes left out of this one. Without giving away too many details, I will only mention a few key words to hint to those that have already seen it and hopefully not ruin it for others who have not . . . ring, funeral, Minister of Magic. Some of the details I think are pretty significant, others are not. I wonder if some of these details left out in this movie as well as the previous ones will be included in the final two movies. I guess I will just have to wait and see . . .

Ultimately, would I recommend it? YES! However, if you were to ask my husband who is not a huge HP fan like myself, he would probably say NO! After leaving the theater, he informed me that he almost fell asleep TWICE! Ridiculous in my opinion!! :)

Have you seen the movie yet? What do you think? (Please note spoilers before sharing specific details though!)

6 comments:

  1. I haven't seen it yet (the sitter issue) but I'm hoping to not have to wait too incredibly long! This is one of the few series that I totally forgive deviations from the books because I think they kind of have their own life.

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  2. I agree - I went to the midnight showing (still recovering from that I think...LOL) and I really enjoyed the movie.

    I have refrained from writing a review yet because I was really hoping to get a chance to read the book again to refresh me. So far I just have not had the time to do that.

    Great movie!

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  3. In my opinion over worked interns don't count. I mean, my husband goes to bed at 9:30 for crying out loud. I was surprised when he sat in a dark theater for several hours to see Transformers without bobbing his head once.

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  4. Kristen . . . totally agree about the deviations. At first, I feel a bit of disappointment, but it does not last long! I can watch the movies over and over and over again . . . and do!!

    Sheila . . . I need a good refresher too! I currently picked up the books again and am on the second one right now. It's my first re-read of the entire series from beginning to end since the release of Deathly Hallows! I'm thinking that there will be lots of little details that I will pick up on this time around knowing how it all ends!

    christine . . . VERY true about the interns!! I suppose I should give him some slack this time!! :)

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  5. SPOILERS!!!












    I really liked this film. I think if I went to see it a second time, I would love it. I knew some things would be added/taken out, so I was keeping an eye out for those. I felt like if you hadn't read the book, you would be confused about several things, like the blackened hand and why Snape was the Half-Blood Prince. I also missed the action at the end, even though I know they were "saving" it for the last movie. It made it weird for Malfoy to bring in all of the death eaters with them just waltzing in and out, with no fight. I missed Fleur too. I thought that was a pretty big story line for the next book. I missed some of Riddle's past, it didn't bring out the true evil he had, even at 16(although I wanted the youngest one to say "Red Rum" with his finger...would have fit!) I did think they nailed the cave/horcrux scene...awesome! I loved the actors in this. They ALL did a fabulous job and I couldn't have casted better. I read the book this past week before seeing it, so I could obviously spot the changes. I am sure the next movies will tie it up nicely (I hope!) and it will make this one even better.
    -Lacey Guy

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  6. Lacey, I completely agree with all the stuff that was missing! I'm curious to see what pieces will be added into the final movies that were missed from past ones or if they will just continue on without them. There are definitely things that those who may not be as familiar with the books just will not completely understand!

    And, I cracked up when I read your Redrum comment!! Seriously fits!!!

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