The Harry Potter series of films is coming to a close over the next few years. Fans have watched Daniel Radcliffe grow up on screen as the “chosen one” through 6 feature films based on the novels by J.K. Rowling. In the latest movie installment to the series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, audiences are in store for an intensity jolt as Harry is forced to mature faster than even a fictional character can be expected.
Harry is conflicted about going back to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft for another year after the death of his godfather Sirius Black, not to mention all of the expectations that have been thrown upon his shoulders. His decision is made for him when Headmaster Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) tells Harry that he needs him to carry out a very special assignment. Also, Harry decides to take up potions class again since it is no longer being taught by Professor Snape (Alan Rickman), whom he does not get along with. During the first class, Harry realizes that his textbook has many helpful notes written in the margins by its previous owner, The Half-Blood Prince.
As soon as this film begins you can feel the extra weight it carries. The mood is darker, the scenes are more intense and there is an absence of innocence that was very tangible in the previous films. The story also feels grander than before as the evil Death Eaters have begun to tear apart the human world under the command of Lord Voldemort.
The central focus of the story is the evolution of the relationship between Dumbledore and Harry. The student/teacher affiliation matures into more of a friend/colleague alliance, as Dumbledore knows that the fate of the world rests with Harry’s ability to defeat Lord Voldemort. The dialogue is well written and even better executed by Radcliffe and Gambon. There is plenty of levity in this film, however it is reserved for scenes not featuring this duo.
Daniel Radcliffe does a masterful job of portraying the anger Harry has bottled up inside himself due to the death of Sirius Black. Harry does not rant and rave, but he carries the anger in his eyes and lack of patience. In order to show just how heavy the weight is on Harry’s shoulders to save the world from evil, there isn’t much room in the spotlight for his friends. It would have been nice to get more screen time for them as they are all very talented actors and interesting characters, but this film would have to be 4 hours long to do so.
Overall this film sets the stage nicely for the final chapter of the story, which will be split into two films. However it does make an undeniable folly concerning the title character. Throughout the past five films, Harry’s abilities have intensified. But in this film he not only hits a brick wall concerning his mastery as a wizard, he takes a step back. It seems like just about anyone can take Potter down, even foes that he held his own against in the previous film. Perhaps the objective was to show Harry’s lack of focus due to all of the angst he is feeling about the loss of his godfather and the trials that await him. That being said, it was still a gross oversight to not somewhat further his powers. Being weak and uncoordinated was fine in the first four films, but if he really is “the chosen one” the character needs to install some confidence in his abilities and start demanding respect from his enemies. With only one story left to tell, Potter’s magic is more reminiscent of Mickey than it is Merlin.
Story: 8.0
Acting: 7.5
Writing: 7.5
Captivation: 8.5
Replay Value: 7.0
Total = 7.7
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