Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

November 24th, 2009

The sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry kicks off with a bang for young Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) when he inadvertently discovers a mysterious book that sheds light on the sordid life of the evil Lord Voldemort. Preparing for inevitable battle, Harry and Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) turn to professor Horace Slughorn (Jim Broadbent) for help in pinpointing the weakness in Voldemort’s forces.

I’d say IT’s THE BEST OF THE BUNCH. Up till now, I’ve thought the movies a poor representation of Rowling’s wonderful books because they reduce a brilliant story, by necessity, to simply running from one crisis to another. There’s no time to enjoy the quirks that bring Harry, Hermione, and Ron to life, or the rich and endearing details that have propelled the books to one of the most outstanding series since… I don’t know… a long dang time! This time around, Draco Malfoy becomes more than a one-note bully, the mystery surrounding Snape deepens, and there’s some secretive snogging going on. And wasn’t I pleasantly surprised to realize that I didn’t always know what was about to happen next! Perhaps that’s because it’s been too long since I’ve read the book, but I think they may finally be adding some creative touches to a film series that has dogmatically followed its source materials tighter than a wedgie on a hot day. A NOTE TO PARENTS: The Half-Blood Prince might be too scary for kids under ten. Film ratings are a mystery to me, but I’d say it’s more PG13 scary than PG. A SIDE NOTE: If you are the least bit curious as to how the books stack up next to their movie versions, do yourself a favor and run to the public library to check out Harry Potter on CD. It’s a tour de force performance and the very best way to experience Harry’s world. I listened to it in my car and on more than one occasion sat parked in my driveway reluctant to go in because I wanted to hear what would happen next. On long car trips, the time literally flies! The Half-Blood Prince IS A MOVE TOWARDS FINALLY CAPTURING SOME OF THE NUANCE THAT HAS BEEN LACKING in the other movies, something I think fans and non-fans alike will enjoy.