Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Review-Written By Kelsey Zukowski

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Bonnie Wright, Michael Gambon, Jim Broadbent, Allan Rickman, Tom Felton
Directed By: David Yates
Written By: Steve Kloves (screenplay), J.K. Rowling (novel)
Grade: A

The last Harry Potter was noticeably darker than the 5 films that came before it. Harry has grown and with him the series has adopted much more adult themes alongside a gloomy atmosphere. It’s not quite as care free as the early ones where our main characters fought against dark forces, but everything was alright in the end. Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix even had elements of this prevail even throughout the dark weapon that Harry’s own mind proved to be against him. Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince takes on this same mature and eerie direction, but ventures in to territory that is even darker. It transforms further in to the frightening yet defining road that is ahead.

The dark lord and his followers seem to be as strong as ever. People are disappearing every day. The death eaters destruct nearly everything around them as they recruit for others to join them. Danger might be closer to Hogwarts than imagined though. Draco Malfoy (Felton) becomes a top suspicion of Harry’s (Radcliffe) and it becomes clear that there is some agreement between Draco and Harry’s least favorite teacher, Snape (Rickman). Their agreement isn’t clear, but whatever they are involved in isn’t good. It is clearly taking a toll on Draco as he seems to be weaker each day, losing his sanity. Dumbledore (Gambon) trusts Snape though and as he has promised to follow Dumbledore’s every word in their battle against Voldemort he can’t take any real action against Snape. Harry trusts Dumbledore and has faith in him, he just prays Dumbledore’s judgments are right.

In order to fight Voldemort, Dumbledore has requested that Harry befriend Professor Horace Slughorn (Jim Broadbent), who Dumbledore has brought to Hogwarts just for this purpose. Dumbledore has a very important memory of his when Tom Riddle (Voldemort) came to Slughorn asking about restricted magic. The memory had been tainted though and it is vital that Harry gets it for them so they will know what Voldemort is up to and how they can stop him. While Harry attempts this, Voldermort’s followers seem to be getting stronger and creating plenty of trouble along the way.

The acting is not surprisingly top notch just as we have come to expect from this cast. Rupert Grint as Ron is exceptionally charismatic, charming with great ease, and even fun lovingly goofy at times. Emma Watson deals with some more emotional scenes than usual as she is heartbroken over her best friend’s seeming inability to notice her. Daniel Radcliffe shows how he has grown along with Harry, nailing the suspicious, but overall trusting wizard who clearly holds some heavy stuff with him. Tom Felton surely ups the darkness factor as well. He isn’t the typical classmate rival anymore. He’s distant, bitter, and is struggling more than anyone. Bonnie Wright takes on the bigger role Ginny Weasley has in this film, putting forth the charming, classy, and kind girl of Harry’s dreams. Evanna Lynch is responsible for some of the quirkiest moments in the film as the oddly loveable Luna. Lynch has perfected everything from her tone to her mannerisms for a peculiar but delightful delivery. She’s manages to help Harry out more than once when he is in need, which makes her a symbol of purity, goodness, and power in an unexpected place.

I found this Harry Potter film to have a much stronger element of reality in it. There was a certain thrill throughout the young, but determined wizards taking on evil. We always knew that they were going to be okay, so it was really a question of what is before them and how they will be able to overcome it. With this film we don’t have that same sense of security. We believe in these wizards all the same, but there isn’t that same comfort that they won’t fail. This will surely rub some people the wrong way. Those who won’t enjoy Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince are most likely looking for the childlike happy go lucky view of the magical world, where the pure willed heroes are always victorious no matter the forces piled against them. This could only go on for so long though. The books don’t follow this nature so wishing for this hints at trying to hold on to the past. What happens in each movie shaped Harry and he isn’t that same young boy. He couldn’t be; he has seen far too much that has both damaged him and made him stronger. This should make fans out of those who weren’t too impressed with the first films and brushed off the series along with the existing fans who have liked the direction of the last film.

Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince is gut wrenching and downright depressing at times. The viewer is so much more on edge as it becomes clear no matter what happens its going to end morbidly for someone, there is no clean cut ending. There is a sense of lost hope that embodies the fear of our heroes falling. There are great themes questioning trust. It is suggested that there are so many deadly deceptions all around, but at the same time it asks if all hope is already gone if you can’t even trust those closest to you, the ones who you need to have faith in if you don’t want to succumb to the darkness.

Despite the somewhat pessimistic and evil nature of the film, Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince also has far more comedy and romance than any other Potter film. A lot of the comedy is quirky, especially anything to do with the odd Luna Lovegood. It’s subtle, but funny and sharp enough that it makes you laugh out loud during a good part of the film. Romances are ignited through love triangles between Ron (Grint), Hermione (Watson), and an obsessive admirer of Ron’s and Harry, Ginny (Wright), and Ginny’s boyfriend, Dean. The momentum is built up in the film just as the closeness in these relationships has been built up since the beginning of the series. That tension and the passion that clearly surfaces makes the romance thrilling, keeping you waiting for that highly awaited moment for everything to come together.

These lighter elements help the film still be fun rather than just being completely drowned with pessimism and overpowering evils. We have come to love the characters so much that their relationships and their happiness becomes nearly as important as the dark plot. It seems like this might seem out of place, but this is avoided by having most of this being towards the beginning and primarily in the middle of the film, while Harry is still getting close to Slughorn and the darkest secrets are still unknown. There is trouble building up, but it isn’t until the end that it is fully revealed and escalated. Once this does hit, it is given full priority. Blending the two opposing tones somewhat until the darker one finally takes over completely is what makes the film work as well as it does.

There are some great sweeping shots in the opening scene that take us in the film right away. The film really encompasses the audience and makes them feel like they are right there inside of this magical world. The colors are far more muted than usual, hinting on the dreary state of things. The somewhat faded colors also symbolize the fight between light and dark, neither side has truly won yet, but it is clearly an ongoing battle. All of darker and last films are under David Yates direction, thus showing the series is in good hands and is sure to end on a good note. This note may be dreary, dark, and unrelenting, but it will leave the series with a sense of growth, knowledge, and great contemplation. Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince is quite a revelation in the series and is the best potter film yet. I say yet because it’s clear that this is a transitioning film, letting us know that the best is yet to come.