Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) ***

  • warning: realpath() [function.realpath]: SAFE MODE Restriction in effect. The script whose uid/gid is 656/656 is not allowed to access /tmp owned by uid/gid 0/0 in /home/bootleg1/public_html/includes/file.inc on line 190.
  • warning: realpath() [function.realpath]: SAFE MODE Restriction in effect. The script whose uid/gid is 656/656 is not allowed to access /tmp owned by uid/gid 0/0 in /home/bootleg1/public_html/includes/file.inc on line 190.
Submitted by Managing Editor on Tue, 21/07/2009 - 11:51pm
in
harry potter.jpg

Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, Jim Broadbent, Tom Felton, Robbie Coltrane, Helena Bonham Carter
Writing Credits: Steven Kloves. Based on the novel by JK Rowling
Classification: Australia M | US PG | UK PG
Run time: 153 minutes
Director: David Yates




For avid book to screen movie fans, it’s always interesting to see what’s been left out of the book’s story line when the film finally makes it to the big screen. We all know the Harry Potter books are big and that not all of the sub-plots can make it into the film. Though what’s interesting about this adaptation is the seeing the story lines that have been left out and looking at the ones that have been focused on.

Our three protagonists, Harry, Ron and Hermione are back for another year of magical education, despite the fact the wizarding world now knows for sure that Lord Voldemort has returned. Harry and Dumbledore are out to solve the mystery of how Lord Voldemort has survived as long as he has and Draco Malfoy is up to no good. We are presented again with a new teaching addition to Hogwarts, Horace Slughorn (Broadbent), whose bumbling brings a light, comic edition to the film.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is a much darker film than it’s predecessors, both figuratively and literally. The mission against evil has moved from the background to the foreground now the world is aware of Lord Voldemort’s reappearance and the film visuals match the darkness of the plot. Harry is, of course, still embedded at the centre of the ultimate battle between good an evil, though notably in this film there is no big battle between Harry and Voldemort at the climax of the film.

And while there may not be the grand battle between Harry and Lord Voldemort waiting for viewers, there is still the good versus evil standoff. The two and a half hour marathon film is just that - two and a half hours in a dark cinema hoping the pace will pick up soon.

Overall, this well acted, well written addition to the Potter franchise is certain to satisfy the fans.

Official site