Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Review | Worth It?

If you’ve been wanting character development

(Photo: TheInsider.com)

To begin with here, I must admit that I have never cracked open a Harry Potter book. I am a fan of fantasy and speculative fiction, but I’ve never gotten around to reading any of J.K. Rowling’s books. Oh wait, that isn’t quite right. I’ve read my children stories from “Tales of Beetle the Bard,” which my oldest quite enjoyed. From what I’ve seen of the size of her most recent Potter novels, I’d need a forklift to cart around Rowling’s entire Potter canon. Good thing payday loans are available for quick cash when it comes to renting heavy machinery.

But the Harry Potter movies…

I’ve enjoyed them a great deal. More than anything else, the reason for this is that the casting of the Hogwart’s school instructors has been spot on, and the movies do a good job of presenting the fantastic Potter universe to viewers, even those who haven’t read the books. As far as the casting of the three leads, I like Daniel Radcliffe as Harry, but the other two in the picture you see here I think are horrid in the films. I’m sure I’m in the minority on that, especially considering the millions of people who will take time out of their day to Google such useful things as “emma watson underwear.” I think it’s creepy, thanks. But I won’t let it stop me from looking into a “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince” review.

This movie will be different than the others

Get The Big Picture prepares viewers for a bit of a wait if it’s action that they want. The last half hour explodes off the screen, but it takes two hours of moderately paced movie to get there. Plus, while Big Picture hints that the climax is well worth it, not all critics agree with director David Yates’ handling. Good and evil will do battle, that’s for sure.

This isn’t the first foray into Potterdom for Yates, who previously directed “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.” Phoenix was comfortably commercial, but Half Blood Prince takes more risks, entering into a darker world of hopelessness that only “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” had attempted. This is not a bad thing, however. Viewers are given more room to care about the feelings and troubles of the characters, which I feel had previously been lacking. Perhaps now I’ll begin to care about Ron and Hermione.

Edgy teens, magic wands

Teenage emotions are all about light and dark, particularly the wild, impulsive shifts between the two as hormones race for control. I have appreciated those moments when Harry and friends have struggled with having to deal with both a Dark Lord and their latest crush. What’s a teenager to do, honestly?

But now the actors are around college age, so some added maturity comes. Harry is buckling down for his final conflict with Voldemort, but there’s still time for romance, as his attraction to Ron’s sister, Ginny, is growing as the books have charted out. These character emotional shifts would be a large burden in the hands of a lesser director, but Yates displays a deft hand in managing his acting crew. He has to, because Half Blood Prince doesn’t have the roller coaster ride of plot points found in the previous books. Hence, there’s much less to cover character development with an action blanket.

Beware the dragon

Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) plays a much more important role in this Potter installment than those previous. Both Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson have gone on record as saying that Felton’s performance in this movie is extraordinary. I’ll let you be the judge of that, but I will warn you to be prepared. Draco and Voldemort have a bit of a conversation, so to speak. Only through teamwork can one’s problems truly be tackled…

(Photo: IWatchStuff.com)

A friend that transcends evil

In the previous films, Harry Potter’s relationship with Dumbledore has been an anchor in the darkness. For my money, it’s also been a rewarding student-mentor connection. Now that Harry is becoming a man in the storyline, his inevitable showdown with Voldemort approaches. That will be mano a mano; this time out, however, Harry works side by side with Dumbledore against the forces of evil. It’s quite satisfying.

What do you want?

If you’re a die-hard fan who has read all of the books, the additional character development present in “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince” (another review or 10 here) should be a welcome sight. If you’re a casual fan like me, however, Yates’ sure hand at working the emotional depth of these characters should keep you interested. Hop on your broomstick and chase the golden Snitch to your local movie theater and give this movie a ride. Considering the cost of movie tickets these days, keep in mind that payday loans for quick cash may be necessary.

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