Movie Blog: Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

So, I went to see Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince last night with my brother, affectionately known as BFG (Big Friendly Giant). He is my Hagrid of the muggle world. We went out for a few bevvies, an all you can eat Chinese to placate the boy's growing hunger so he could concentrate in the film (and also as a kind of bribe for him having to sit next to me throughout it as I squeal and cover my eyes ten minutes before 'it' happens because I already know what is going to happen.)

Now, I had heard mixed reviews about this film, and many say it misses too much out, the plot is not as exciting, it just feels like a lead up to the last films etc etc blah de blah. As my Mam pointed out to me last night, Harry Potter has been a part of my life for ten years now and I have been more than obsessed by it in my earlier years. It got me through some difficult times and therefore I think I should be the harshest critic of the films. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince for me is the best film yet. Each HP film gets better and better than the last. The stunts, special effects and CGI was terrific, incomparable to any other film preceding this. Yes, things are missed out but it is a FILM. It is impossible to have everything in. What I look at in book/film ratios is does it capture the atmosphere, does it capture the book overall and does it have the integral plot structures in place?

The answer (in the Half Blood Prince) is yes.


RELATIONSHIPS:
Dumbledore and Harry's relationship is nailed to perfection. I love the touches that the screenwriter put in (Steve Kloves). Dumbledore's memories are used and captured wonderfully, although there are some that are excluded. Understandable I suppose, but it would have been nice to have seen them. However, the film manages to progress along without them (but I do wonder how the next film will progress without them being included in this film... those memories help Harry, Ron and Hermione find the rest of the Horcruxes- hello? The House of Gaunt? Why the ring was chosen by Voldemort to be a Horcrux?)

As Dumbledore acknowledges that Harry has grown up, so do we the audience realise that they have all grown up in front of our very eyes on the big screen. I have grown up with them. It actually transcended the cinema/audience perspective and made it all the more real.

It is the relationships that really flourish in this film and really makes this film great. We see the trio (Harry, Ron and Hermione) go through some tough challenges (namely hormones and a lot of snogging) and then get closer together. Harry and Hermione have a nice purely friendship relationship and you can really believe they are just friends (although Albus questions this- I loved that bit!!). The scene when they talk about love being semi-unrequited and seeing your "love" as it were snogging someone else and the hurt... really nice touch- and I know how you feel guys!!

I saw an interview with J K Rowling about the third film way back when and she said that she had wished she had come up with some of the ideas that the screenwriter had- namely in the Prisoner of Azkaban the talking heads. I think JK would have loved the touches that were brought to life from her book. The subtleties of the book are hard to bring to life on film. The Hermione-Ron-Lavender love triangle was funny, touching and very realistic.

Harry and Ginny- well, I did have a little squirm in the cinema when they kissed. It was a bit too lovey dovey but then I am a cynic!! BUT FINALLY GINNY GETS HER MAN!! The scene where Ron first gets with Lavender was what was supposed to have happened between Ginny and Harry but there you go...


COMIC GENIUS: Now, the comedy factor must not be ignored. It was actually belly-achingly funny! Ron/Rupert Grint was the comic masterpiece in this to Draco's emotional turmoil. The contrast between the two ensured that we do get the idea that a dark threat is ever present but the comedy really does lighten up the situation verging at times to making the film seem like a great Rom-Com.
From Ron's tryouts for the Gryffindor Quidditch team to Ron swallowing the love potion and everything that entailed was used to its full potential. The entire cinema was laughing, chuckling and at times roaring with genuinely good fun comedy.

CONTRAST BETWEEN DARK AND LIGHT: As I have already mentioned the contrast to this is Draco and the dark cloud of evil always presence. The clever way the film flicked between darkness and light was really effective. Draco the poor lad (and yes you really do feel sorry for him) is falling apart in this film. Bellatrix is deliciously evil and Fenrir Greyback was truly terrifying but I think underused- I look forward to him in the next two films being used more. Small touches like the Death Eaters testing the boundaries of Hogwarts as they try to get in shows that the school is very much under threat. Larger touches such as the Weasley's house being burnt down (not in the book!!!) does show how easy the Death Eaters nearly got to Potter and how they can punish the "blood traitors" if they so wish. It was shocking but it did serve its purpose. However, what is going to happen in the next book when Fleur and Bill get married huh?? I am sure the film writers have it all worked out... well they better had!!

Just a few more points before I round off.

I loved the Vanishing Cabinets. Great design.
I loved Professor Slughorn- not quite as described in the book, but Jim Broadbent was marvellous- the complete epitome of an eccentric, academic English professor. He was charming, crazy, amusing and pathetic all at once.

The Snape-Dumbledore relationship- perfect! I shall not reveal anymore on that one though... I do not want to be a spoiler!! OH SOD IT!! You could see the conflict in Snape's face as he killed Dumbledore. It was perfect. He so didn't want to kill him, and the audience getting a peep of Snape struggling against what Dumbledore has asked him is effective- we get to know Snape on a deeper level and at the same time are still mystified about who he really is.

The ending did annoy me a bit though. I think Harry should have been made not to be able to help Dumbledore- I was angry for him for not acting, but then he did as Dumbledore said- trusted him and followed his orders to the word, but I think if he was able to he would have tried to stop Snape. AND WHERE THE HELL WAS THE FUNERAL? WHAT ARE THEY DOING HAVING THAT WAND IN DUMBLEDORE'S OFFICE??? HUH??? WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO IN THE NEXT FILM???

I also wished that the film makers could have explained briefly why Snape was the half blood Prince- I had to explain it to my brother (whoops if I spoilt it for you- sorry guys :S) It was a good ending after Dumbledore had died- Snape stopping Bellatrix from hurting Harry yet the venom he still feels towards Harry because he is James Potter's son. I also liked Ginny comforting Harry whilst kneeling at Dumbledore's body and all the students and teachers light their wands and raise them to the sky to dispel the Dark Mark. That was a really great idea. And it is here that I admit I shed a tear. (But where was the funeral??)


So what next? I think I will see it again and blog about the things I may have missed the first time round. The set from Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes shop to Borgin and Burke's shop, from Slughorn's house to Snape's house, the details of each set were as close to the book as humanly possible and at points the world of Harry Potter came to life.

Out of ten? I give this film ten :)

But then I would, wouldn't I?