An awesome and ridiculous film that leaves you thrilled beyond the point of your natural endurance
2012
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Blood Brothers
Music
The British pop music industry may be eating itself but if Muse are the pick of what it can offer the world in 2010 then British music is in rude health indeed
Muse
I was smitten by both Gilberts enormous luxuriant moustache and the intelligence and nuance of this highly entertaining play
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Always been a fan but never seen them live. I was ecstatic to be part of this epic event. WOW!
London,
Nick Curtis's rating
Reader rating
Dir: David Yates.
Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman, Helena Bonham Carter, Jim Broadbent, Maggie Smith, Tom Felton
Description: Dark clouds gather as Harry and his chums Ron and Hermione return to Hogwarts for their sixth term to news that Voldemort continues to gain in strength. Professor Snape is announced as the new Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher to the delight of Slytherin. While Ron and Hermione continue with their studies, Harry spends time with Dumbledore, using a Pensieve to delve into Voldemort's past.
Country: US/UK. 2008. 153mins
Dramatic: a scene from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in which Voldemort’s Death Eaters attack London
Class of 2009: Harry Potter stars, from left, Tom Felton, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Daniel Radcliffe, Bonnie Wright and Jessie Cave
Powerful: J K Rowling is author behind the stories
For all the raging teenage hormones stirred into the usual potion of magic and adventure, the sixth instalment of the Harry Potter saga is a slickly unemotional affair. David Yates’s film, which has a Hagrid-sized premiere at the Empire and Odeon in Leicester Square tonight, sees young wizards Harry, Hermione and Ron dealing with increased maturity, not only through the onset of romantic crushes and jealousy, but also the experience of loss.
In a story that diverges slightly from JK Rowling’s novel, orphan Harry is increasingly isolated while the trio’s homes and old haunts come under attack. And there is the dramatic death of a much-loved parental substitute. Yet the movie remains curiously unmoving. The most successful franchise in cinema has become an effects-laden juggernaut, steaming unstoppably through increasingly familiar storylines, with a few extra adornments and crew members on board each time, to keep the interest up.
Prime amongst the additions this time is Jim Broadbent as Horace Slughorn, a vague, bumbling expert in potions who taught Harry’s nemesis, Voldemort, as a boy. Sir Michael Gambon’s Dumbledore lures Slughorn back to Hogwarts to unlock his memories, in the hope of finding a way for Harry to defeat the Dark Lord. Such emotional clout as Yates’s film possesses comes from these two veteran actors. Broadbent is affecting as a man thoroughly out of his depth, unaware of how his habit of picking teacher’s pets has been exploited. Gambon’s performance as Dumbledore is shot through with looming pathos.
The no-longer quite-so-young stars fare less well. Emma Watson’s Hermione yearns prettily for Rupert Grint’s Ron as he falls comically foul of love both real and chemically induced, and poison (and, as we now know, swine flu). Though reinvented as a stud-muffin, Ron is still there for light relief. His and Hermione’s romantic troubles, and Harry’s faltering affection for Ron’s sister Ginny (Bonnie Wright) feel hollow and uninvolving. As Harry, Daniel Radcliffe now has a steely maturity. It’s as if he’s stood above the character, commenting ironically on the boy wizard.
Never mind. There are lots of kinetic quidditch games and soaring panning shots around Hogwarts’ Gothic spires to distract the eye.
Cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel paints in gorgeous snowy vistas and seething cloudscapes. The plot is the usual hocus-pocus aimed at keeping Harry and Voldemort in antagonistic play, this time involving a vanishing cabinet discovered by the troubled Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) and a vial of something called “liquid luck”. The subplot concerning the identity of the half-blood prince, whose potions book Harry inherits, is a virtual red herring. There is one truly scary scene, where Harry and Dumbledore are attacked by a horde of emaciated ghouls that look like Gollums. This, and the film’s excessive length, may prove problematic for younger viewers.
Despite its 153-minute running time, Yates’s film proceeds at a cracking pace. Several leading British actors — Julie Walters, Timothy Spall, David Thewlis — cling on in tiny cameos as this instalment heads towards a two-part conclusion in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Complaints about the plot, or the disjunction between the lead characters’ adolescent attitudes and the actors’ obvious physical maturity, feel redundant. The Harry Potter films are a phenomenon, as powerful as any Hogwarts love potion. Resistance is useless.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince goes on general release on Wednesday 15 July.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
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Not read the books, but I do have a six year old. This means that I have seen each of the Harry Potters about 15 times.
So... ...Don't really care if it's as good as the book etc. If it entertains my little brat and is capable of keeping him out of trouble for a couple of hours, then I can't wait for the DVD. He's learning his times tables on the promise of a copy. What more could I want???
Films are usually not as good as the book. It's a different medium and has a different purpose. So it's usually very difficult to see the film after you've read the book. Better to do it the other way round.
- Tony, London, England
It seems from the comments here that the fans have spoken. I went to see the movie yesterday with my wife (a committed adult reader of Potter) and she was frustrated by the contant deviations from the novel, not to mention the moronic expositions and explanations that has been clumsily inserted into the movie and obviously tailored towards the lowest common denominator.
When screen adaptors are 'dumbing-down' a book written for children, surely we have reached an all-time low?
I found the movie to be highly anti-climactic. Here's hoping that the two final movies will follow the books a little more closely. With all due respect to Steve Kloves, It seems strange to me that a screenwriter would be second-guessing the writing of one of the most successful novelists of our time.
- Ben Coleman, Atlanta, GA
I have to say that this Potter episode was the worst film I have ever witnessed. It was torture from start to finish. To echo the words of my 14 year old daughter at the end of the viewing "Booooring". God help the film industry if that's all they can produce and JK Rowling must be hiding away cringing at what has been produced. I am returning to DVD rental as the financial ache won't be so bad either if a film is as crappy as this one; doubt it though!!
- James Wilson, London, United Kingdom
I am so disappointed with the 6th Harry Potter Movie, it could have been spectacular. The Half-Blood Prince is my favorite Harry Potter book, it is & when you really begin to understand the extreme methods Voldemort has gone through to make himself immortal.
There is so much action in the book, which portrayed in the film would have made it amazing, instead the director has decided to remove important scenes, & add in totally unnecessary ones, such as the scene at the Burrow? I personally would like to know how they are going to portray the first few chapters of the D.Hallows where the 7 Harry’s travel to the Burrow now it has been destroyed.
Furthermore, in the book lots of time is spent explaining about Horcruxes, & how Voldemort has gone for objects relating to Hogwarts, but this is not explained in the film, nor is the Half-Blood Prince’s old Potions book explained very well. There isn't enough attention to detail.
The 6th film has deviated so far from the original story that it is now likely to have a detrimental effect upon the next two films. I suspect those who have not read the Harry Potter books enjoyed this film more than those who have. However had I not read the books before hand I doubt I would have understood what was meant to have been happening during the film due to the lack of a decent plot, & the poor explanation of events.
- Amy Victoria, Hertfordshire
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince was my favourite HP book. What a complete disappointment the film was. I wondered at times what film I was watching as the film bears hardly any resemblence to the book. What happened to all the visits to Tom Riddles past in the pensive. There were only two of them, one being at the orphanage and one as a teenager at Hogwarts (they didnt even use the same actor as in The Chamber of Secrets). It was in this book that we really began to feel the evil of Voldemorts character. How can the producer have missed this out of the film. What happened to the battle at the end of the book - it didnt happen. What about the explanation of who the Half Blood Prince was - that was skimmed over in 15 seconds. I can accept a certain amount of artistic licence but including a scene that never happened at the Burrow completely lost me. My son who hadnt read the book was completely confused although he enjoyed the film for the special effects. I came out of the cinema feeling cheated and confused by what I had seen. I flicked through the book when I got home and realised that the producer must have read a different book to me - the book he based his interpretation on was obviously not
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.
- Sad Hp Fan, UK
I didn't really like the film, i was disapointed to say the least. It was badly done and as you said Terri it didn't even feel like Harry Potter. I am at least glad to see im not the only person who felt let down by it, so far id only seen positive reviews.
Oh well we've always got the wonderful books 
- Louise, Manchester, England
Having seen the 'Half Blood Prince' last night all I can say is what a shame. I absolutely adore the Harry Potter books and this film was totally disconnected from the book and the previous films. It galloped through at such a pace, missing vital elements and yet for some reason scenes were introduced that weren't even in the book, had no relevance, no follow on and no conclusion (not to spoil anything for those who haven't seen it) but the fire at the Burrow is a classic example. It didn't happen in the book and didn't need to happen in the film. The horcruxes which I felt were key to the story were barely mentioned and when they were it was not as per the book. My children and I were extremely disappointed and as we returned home we agreed we weren't even sure what we had seen - certainly not Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. I'm sure my review won't stop fans seeing the film but at least you may be prepared to be disappointed. I feel sorry that J K Rowling didn't stop this massacre of the story, she surely must be allowed some input. But then again she has made her fortune and perhaps doesn't care about it anymore. I'm genuinely glad for her success but how sad for Harry.
- Anita, south wales
I really enjoed the books so I read them over again for about the 100th time before going to see Half Blood Prince at midnight last night. The movie was fair, but I found that in contrast to the book, most of the movie was lacking. The movie was missing so much information or the information was given incorectly that it was incredibly vague. If I hadn't read the books I'm sure I would've enjoyed it more, but then, if I hadn't read the books, I would be terribly confused due to the vagueness. I truly wish that Chris Columbus (the director of the first twoHarry Potter movies) had stayed to finish out the movie series. In my opinion, he stayed closest to the original plots from the books and payed the best attention to detail. I won't say the Half Blood Prince was bad, it just could have been much better.
- Brooke, N/A
I have read all the Harry Potter books over 7 times, and I am a dedicated fan.However, I Definitely agree with everyone who rates the book better than the movie. If you have read the books then you will probably not have anything to complain about. But even for audiences who haven't read the book, bits in the 6th movie are not explained for them. The 6th film was not even like the book at all, it completely lost it's harry potter/magical aspect. I went to see it this afternoon, and was thoroughly let down. I am really shocked at how badly it was potrayed. Firstly, the comedy was dreadful and the comedy in it took over the storyline. And secondly, what even was the story line!! It was terrible, the effects were amazing but I would not see it again. It did not make sense, and was not related to the book. Some parts in the film were completely irrelevant, and I am shocked and upset with the result. I would never imagine myself saying this, the die-hard Harry Potter fan I am, but it was in my opinion the worst Harry Potter film out of all of them. Not due to effects, or props etc, but due to the plot and story line. They missed many key factors out. And this now will have and effect on the last two movies(D.Hallows part One and Two) as the information included in the 6th film, will have to make sense for the last movie. Which,again is not relevant to the book. It was, rubbish. I am ashamed and shocked. I feel sorry for all Harry Potter fans, and also myself.
- Terri Parkinson, Hertfordshire
I have read every one of the Harry Potter books twice, except for the latest, and I have the complete boxed set, which my wife surprised me with at Christmas. Plus I have seen all the movies at least twice, both on the tube and at home. Never once have I thought these stories were aimed at 10 year old kids, it just happens they are written so 10 year olds will also enjoy reading them.
I am looking forward to seeing Half-Blood Prince, though it will probably be after one of my children buys the dvd, when it comes out. As to the movie being rather long, it should be as any one who has read the books will realize they have all been getting longer because the story has gotten more involved. In many ways the Half-blood Prince could be said to be the most important book in the series, with the exception of Death Hallows, because it tells the story about why things are the way they are.
Btw, I am 64 years old, with a very high IQ, and do not read stories written for 10 year olds, or watch movies for the same age group; which is probably why I watch very little television.
- Morris, Hazelwood, Missouri, USA
I'm surprised that most of the reviews on rottentomatoes show fresh, but the review itself pretty much says that the movie is crap.
There is a certain appeal to the Harry Potter series, for all that the characters are unimpressive. As heroes go, or even as respectable people in hard times, Harry has often struck me as a brat... but that seems a somewhat more common theme now. Unlike heroes of the past, the heroes of today's children don't really need to be great heroes. Children with power are fine... Like idolizing Paris Hilton
- Kars, Austin, TX
Sounds like your just entirely agaisnt the Harry Potter saga.
- Holly Winters, S/A
Eric- You don't seem to have read the books. If you had, then you would know that the books are not written for 10 year olds; they have mature themes that interest children as well as adults. If you're going to bash the movie, fine then; get on with it. But please don't insult the books. And what can't you believe? You can't believe Harry Potter? I don't think that's the intent of the books; I'm quite sure children are aware that magic isn't real. Or you can't believe how children find it entertaining? Well then, I think your heart is made of stone.
- Margot, USA
Nicely written comment, but I cannot seem to shake the idea that it is all a bunch of hot air.
I understand you do not like to books/movies, however this is not an article discussing the pros and cons of the Harry Potter series and their influence on children.
It is discussing the sixth Harry Potter movie in relation to the book to movie adaptation as well as in regards to the previous movies.
I enjoy the books, I am going to see the movies and buy the box sets when they come out, and I am not ten. They feed my imagination and allow me to return to a world where anything can happen, even if only for the length of a 2 1/2 hour movie. So thank you for this illuminating and honest review. I cannot wait to see the film.
- Alurie Waters, N/A
I have tried watching some of the Potter movies on TV, but they are so contrived and uninventive, rehashing magical events that have been used ad nauseam elsewhere in movies and books, that I soon take my viewing elsewhere.
It beats me how even depleted modern children can find this kind of contrived, unreality movie entertaining. I can't believe any of it for a second and doubt very much if I could have fared any better as a child aged about 10, which is the age that the books are written for.
- Eric Legge, Ongar, England
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