It may not surprise many of you to realize, as I sit here at the depths of three in the morning writing this up, having braved the terrors of a quite thoroughly packed 12:01 showing of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, that I had something of a crisis of conscience writing this one up.
After all, I said to my screen, balefully, and sucking back a cup of hot green and white fusion tea against whatever diseases the numerous little hellions that were in that theatre were carrying, was there anyone out there who was going to actually NEED this movie reviewed for them? Surely pretty much everybody has already made their decision–most of the people planning to see Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince had likely bought their tickets weeks prior, and those without plan to see it refuse to do so on religious grounds, convinced quite thoroughly that Harry Potter is enslaving the youth of America and pushing them down a dark path of satanic witchcraft, wicca, and voting Democrat.
Anyway, the plot: Harry’s back for yet another year at Hogwart’s, learning all about potions and wands and assorted mystical hoodoo whatnot. Meanwhile, the vague creeping evil that is Lord Voldemort still pretty much refuses to show itself except through his minions. This time, not only does Harry and company have to defend the school and its inhabitants from the advances of the dark lord, but they’ll also deal with all those typical teenage things like crushes, fending off aggressive suitors, and countering the occasional misdirected love potion. Describing the plot in much more than these vague terms would require massive spoilers, because this plot is very much dependent on its specifics.
I’m rather convinced Harry’s going for his master’s or something because he’s been there several years. Even the characters are getting a little bored of it–there’s one really great sequence where one of the teachers (I think it’s McGonagall but no one mentioned names much) gave an exasperated sigh and asked, why, whenever something horrible happens, you three (meaning Harry, Ron and Hermione) are always involved. Imagine my shock when I muttered virtually the same line that Ron gave back, saying that they’ve wondered the exact same thing.
Well, Ron, buddy–so does the audience.
I personally have several problems with this movie, especially as it relates backward through the canon (for instance, why does Harry never use that expecto petronum or whatever any more? Does it only work on Dementors? You’d figure if you’ve got this really uber spell you’d actually bust it out on occasion, especially when you’re in a fight as Harry seems to be every twenty minutes or so.). But chances are my problems simply stem from the fact that I’m going in cold on this, having never read the books.
However, the critical fact remains–this is not really a bad movie, but rather, this is a movie that preaches only to the choir. If you’re not already enamored with Harry Potter and his world, chances are you never will be. There are few fence-sitters here, and so, you’re either desperate to see it or desperate to avoid coming in contact with it.
So what does it get on the ten-scale? Easy. A seven out of ten. It’s beautiful, the environments are great, the actors are at least tolerable even if the plot, much like the lost continent of Atlantis, no longer appears on any map. For that handful of you undecided, it’s worth a shot.
Felipe said
July 15 2009 @ 1:02 pm
Sorry, but I think this is not a Harry Potter movie. It’s a romance film with a little of action. The only scene of realy action was invented and it’s very poor.
Visual effects, better acting and good soundtrack? Yes, but screenwriter and director must be changed! For the public that didn’t read the book maybe it’s a fine movie, but for the fans it isn’t.
Steve Anderson said
July 15 2009 @ 1:45 pm
Felipe–do bear in mind that I did say that I never read a Harry Potter book, so you’re actually agreeing with my assessment that it’s good if you haven’t read the books. Also, you should probably further consider that this one’s only meant to set up Deathly Hallows, so it probably will be a little slack in the action department.
Ariel said
July 15 2009 @ 11:23 pm
As a huge fan of the books I cannot honestly say that I liked this one very much. Actually i left feeling pretty angery that I was up at three in the morning trying to get out of a jam packed movie theater. I thought the movie was dry and choppy. The actors all seemed staged and they also seemed out of integrity with the characters. Harry wouldn’t go wandering around on trains when people were trying to kill him. The book was soooooo good I was really expecting the movie to be soo much better.
2 hours of time wasted said
July 16 2009 @ 4:16 am
this is the worst movie i have ever seen in my life nothing happens for the first 2 hours then dumbledore dies then the movei finishs WTF
Rex said
July 16 2009 @ 9:35 am
My first reaction was to yell at you for this review, considering you had not read the book. On the other hand, it is an outside perspective from someone who has not read the book.
In an attempt to enjoy the movie and keep my expectations low I didn’t re-read the book this time , but if it can’t grab the attention of movie fans like you, then the movie makers definately slipped up this time.
Steve Anderson said
July 16 2009 @ 4:17 pm
Rex–thanks for the restraint, brother.
Besides, if I read everything there was out there I wouldn’t have time for movies. Then you wouldn’t get to read this sort of thing and I know how badly that would dismay the planet. Now, more than ever, you need your Steve fix.
Oh, don’t look at me like that. I’m not that big an egomaniac in real life.
2 hours–oh, come on; it wasn’t THAT bad. Sure, compared to the rest it was pretty weak sauce, but it wasn’t unwatchable. You want unwatchable, you should take a run at anything by Ulli Lommel sometime.
Ariel–I’ve got to admit I caught that same feeling too. It’s like they’d all rather be out spending the fat cash they got off the previous movies rather than show up in this. This one felt really phoned in. The next one, though, might be the real winner. Or the worst disappointment ever. Who knows?
Meg said
July 17 2009 @ 2:39 am
After waiting excitedly for Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince to finally come out, I was very disappointed in the movie.. It was nothing like the book and aren’t they supposed to be based on the book?? What happened to Bill and Fleur? Dobby and Kreacher? And there was nothing on Voldemort’s history! What happened to the Gaunts? The Quidditch Cup? Harry and Ginny had the worst first kiss ever! And how did Tonks and Lupin magically get together? In the Hogwarts Express, Tonks is meant to find Harry, not Luna. Where was Dumbledore’s funeral?? I know you have said you haven’t read the books but seeing as though you are the screen writer it’s your job to! This movie is the worst.. You hardly kept anything the same.. There is a lot more stuff which I am very disappointed in and annoyed about though I am not going to mention it. The suspense in the cave was great.. And the movie also had some funny parts so I do congratulate you on that..
Rafael said
July 17 2009 @ 11:01 am
The Book was great, but the movie was stupid and boring.
What happened?? I was shock after watching such a terrible movie, they didn’t care about the people that readed the book.
I wasted my time.
In the book tonks is ver sad abou Sirius Black death and because she is inlove with Lupin and Lupin is uncover with all the werewolves, in they just go for a visit to Molly Weasley like nothing is going on. In the book Neville, Hermione, Ron, Macgonnagal, Hagrid, Luna, everyone fight to protect Hogwarts, in the movie the y were just sleeping.
Too many bad changes.
Don’t waste your time watching the movie.
Woodyplace said
July 17 2009 @ 2:32 pm
I was so disappointed. The screen play for this book stank to high heaven. There was no magic, no excitment and definitely no plot. If I were JK Rowling, I’d be cussing my head off in anger.
Sean said
July 17 2009 @ 4:03 pm
Come on guys, it wasn’t that bad of a movie. As a massive fan of the books, the movies are NEVER going to live up to my expectations even if they leave tiny things out so I’ve just come to accept these movies as they are. I actually thought this was the best ‘Potter’ movie, sure it left lots of stuff out but so did the previous three. When you look at it this way, HBP has a nice mix of comedy, action, drama, horror and fantasy. And it’s much more entertaining then the previous five. Believe me you’ll all be agreeing with when you watch this movie more, it will grow on you guys!
However, I was not that happy with the lack of plot and character detail. Ginny all of a sudden has become very prominent in the plot but in the previous few movies, she has had barely any lines of screen time at all. So Harry and Ginny’s sudden romance would have confused movie-only fans. Same goes for Lupin and Tonks’ romance!!!
I understand that many people find 2 and a half hours a long time for some people to sit through so I understand why the filmakers make it so short! But to impress fans they should release an extended edition of about 4 hours to impress those die hard HP fans!
Ami said
July 18 2009 @ 11:32 am
Pooh Pooh Pooh – Harry You Did Not Stay True!
The magic of the book is ruined by the director and screen writer’s interpretation! Producers’ of Book’s tured Movies should always try to remain true to the authors’s vision. The audience appreciate a new vision but DOES not appreciate re-writes!
This movie was terrible on so many levels that one has too wonder why they even bothered? This movie certainly did not cater to the fan base.
doz said
July 19 2009 @ 8:30 am
the worst movie i watched so far! they just wasted the good plot of HBP. i want a REMAKE!! DAMN!
Cortney. said
July 20 2009 @ 5:14 pm
I have waited an extremely long time for this film to come out. HBP was my favorite book out of all. I know that books are never really like t movie, but this was just horrible. It was not even a little like the book. I could name so many things they should have showed and didnt, but i wont bother. Any real fan will know what i mean. Btw, whoever wrote this ‘review’ needs to just stop. You cant write a review for a movie based on a book if you have not watched the movie. Personally, if you have not read the book, that movie wont make a lick of sense to you. Yes, its STUPID. I left the theatre pissed off. Oh, and the actors acted funny in this movie too, they just seemed different.
Cortney. said
July 20 2009 @ 5:18 pm
I meant to say You cant write a review for a movie based on a book if you have not read the book. Hence, your not a real critic, just someone pretending to be one. Am i the only one who caught that?
Rosister1 said
July 22 2009 @ 8:14 pm
I was very dissappointed. Anyone giving this movie a 7 or higher has not watched any of the other HP mvies. This one was as bad as the Goblet of Fire.
It jumps around, makes up events that did not occur so that they can make up for the fact that they are jumping atound from one scene to the next. I would not want to sit through 2 1/2 hours of “lovy-dovy” kissing stuff, but you can not show Harry and Ginny kissing without some better setup and anticipation as was described in the book.
As for the visual effects, the begiining effects at the house and the ending effects of the cave are at the highest quality as we have seen in the other HP movies. Everything else, was dull and muddled.
On a separate issue, I agree with Cortney that a reviewer should read the books to give an honest review of the movie. A 7 out of ten for a 2 1/2 hour movie with no real action. Please. More like 4 out of 10.
Steve Anderson said
July 22 2009 @ 9:18 pm
Meg–plain and simple, they can’t include everything. That’s what happened with the Lord of the Rings series too.
Sean–generally, I agree with you. In fact, specifically I agree with you too.
Ami–you watched it, didn’t you? It caters to the fan base. I’m pretty sure no one else showed up.
Cortney–the operative term is MOVIE critic. I don’t review books, at least not here. I wrote up the movie I saw, not how it connects back to the book, not how it relates to the rest of the canon. I could have, but I didn’t. Instead, I focused on the movie. I’m sorry if you’re dissatisfied, but that’s the angle I went with. Hopefully you’re reading the other movie reviews instead.
Rosister–Granted, you’re right in saying that this is one of the worst in the series, but on a purely objective scale, that’s still pretty good. I think you’re somewhat misunderstanding the ten-scale here: a seven is only somewhat better than average across ALL MOVIES. Surely you can admit that this movie’s got better effects than, say, The Hangover. And again, I’m dealing strictly with the movie, not its relationship to the book.
sherrie said
July 24 2009 @ 9:01 pm
As a diehard fan I just wanted to list all the things they left out, then i will make a comment:
1. the beginning scene were Harry inherits the Black house and Kreature
2. the part where Dumbledore tells Harry he will be taking lessons that could help him defeat Voldermort.
3. The fact that Tonks and Remus were not a couple in the begining
4.A lot of Draco’s story was left out
5.They were supposed to take apperation lessons
6.A could have been scene when Ron hit Harry for snogging Ginny
7.Bill and Fleur’s story
8.The big battle in the castle
9. Bill getting attacked by Fenfir
10. The scene where Scrimgeour shows himself to the muggle Prime Minister
11.They left out Crabbe and Goyle being turned into girls to lookout for Draco in the room of requirement
12.All of Riddles background, with that good luck at finding the horocruxes because they never even went into how Dumbledore sowed him what some of them could be
13.The end where they found out how Snape was the half-blood prince
14. ginny and Harry actully becoming a couple
15.the biggest thing Dumbledore’s Funeral
16.Dumbledore’s memory where Riddle asks for a job at hogwarts to teach defense against the dark arts.
17.they left out the when harry finds out that Snape is the one who overheard Trelawney’s prophecy about Voldermort during her interview for the position as divination teacher with Dumbledore
18.the fact that Harry used his invisibility cloak a couple of times b/c Dumbledore told him to keep it on him at all times
19.How Harry told Ron and Hermoine that he was going with Dumbledore to get the next horucrux and gave them the rest of the Felix and maurder’s map
20. For those who dont understand what half-blood prince has to do with the move, b/c they didnt explain it at all in the movie. Snape is half muggle and half witch. His mother was a witch whose last name was…Prince. so he was proud to be half Prince. also it has to do with Voldermort, Harry and Snape because they are all half blooded. Voldemort mother was witch and father a muggle. Harry mother was muggle born and father was a wizard, and Snape,as i already explained, mother is a witch and father a muggle.
WTF!!!!! I could go on but as i wright this i get more upset at how they took a great book and flushed it down the toilet. Also they found time to put made up scenes that never happened in the move but couldn’t find the time to put actual plots from the book in there. what sense did that make. I am utterly disappointed by this move and will not go see the last 2 films.
Meghan said
July 25 2009 @ 4:35 am
alright, where to start? first..i am a huge fan of the books..and from experience learned that when it comes to watching a movie of a book that you have read you can’t expect much…that said, I enter into the theater at 12:01 with very low expectations and for most of the movie i wasn’t that disappointed..the camera shots were good, the layout of how everyone seemed to cross path without knowing was actually kind of cool..the acting (as always was regrettable..but when you pick a kid at the age of eleven..it’s kind of like shooting in the dark) what i find completely unforgivable…(so much that i left the movie very mad) is that they left out the ending battle.
while i understand that the movie could not place everything in the book i find it is almost insulting to JK Rollings that they added stuff that wasn’t in the book(the burning burrow) and left out important stuff…like actually showing all the memories that Harry goes to.. (do the producers not read the books..every single memory is VERY important in the 7th book)
plus more of Draco story and the fact that Harry now owns Keatcher(sorry about spelling) is important too…
and on other note..having the movie as a sappy romance thing where every single relationship is awkward..really doesn’t fit…they are heading into war..even the last two movies understood that the latter books (therefore the movies) are dark. there for the set up of voldemolt’s past..the war now becoming personal (hence the fight that they left out) should have been their main goal..not lets make Harry and Ginny act all awkward together because there in high school..
however i can see how if one has not read the books, nor knows anything about what the books hold, the movie could be good even despite the bad acting…
and with if possible even lower standards you will find me at opening night for the next two movies (can’t get much worse, can it?)
Louise said
July 26 2009 @ 3:27 am
The problem with the movie is not that we just want EVERYTHING included from the book. The problem is that the book is all about set up for the last book and this movie failed to set up the big finale. Important information that helps Harry to figure out where the horcruxes are has been omitted.The romance is not particularly important when you are trying to save the wizarding world. Characters that play a vital role in the next book were omitted from this movie. Essentially the director has shot himself in the foot by taking these important elements out. If all you are looking for is a good movie, sure, it’s passable. But if you are looking for a good depiction of the Harry Potter saga, it stinks. People who read the books are angry because the director is ignoring key set up elements that make the final book the amazing, better than all the rest story that this saga deserves. We’ve waited a long time for it and we can see that he’s already screwed up.
Ellen said
July 26 2009 @ 11:29 am
Like some i was VERY disappointed in Half Blood Prince! I have to ask myself what was Ms. Rowling thinking when she approved teh screenplay for this movie? Not putting in plots from the book that are essential to the last movie, writing in scenes that NEVER happened. If you don’t read the books you have no idea why in the world Snape called himself the half blood prince, you have no idea where the cave scene comes into play. And how in the @#$% does David Yates plan to start the next movie seeing as he and the screenwriters blew up Rons house? where is the scene where the new minster of magic shows himself to the prime minsiter of England, Where is the scene when Dumbledore tells Harry that he will be giving him private lessons, and to take his clodk EVERYWHERE with him, where is Fleur and Bill’s story, where is the big fight scene at Hogwarts between the death eaters and the staff and students, where are the memories of Tom Riddle’s past and the explanation about Dumbledore trying to destroy the horcrux in the ring? How in the world are you gonna know whats going on if David Yates and the screenwriters, proceed as if it is assumed that you’re familiar with the story or if not then it doesn’t matter? For other fans who read the books and are disappointed I am in total agreement…for the others who did not read the books I am sorry you have no idea what you are missing in this movie.
pallavi said
July 27 2009 @ 4:53 am
movie not good not a full story
Furqan said
July 31 2009 @ 8:23 am
Jst saw the movie.. Not exactly wht I was hoping for!!!
JJ said
July 31 2009 @ 2:08 pm
I almost fell asleep during the movie! That’s how boring it was! It was nothing like the book…. What a disappointment! Remake please!
Jhovaleene said
August 8 2009 @ 7:41 am
In this movie…
Actully i can not understand what is happining to this movie!!!
I was expected that this movie was so good!!
But I was very dissappointed when i whatched it!! DAMMN!!!
This is the worst movie i watched so far! they just wasted the good plot of HBP. plzZ REMAKE it!!!
Sammy said
October 6 2009 @ 4:58 pm
OMG. I want to see the movie really bad but I heard its not as good as the book!! Is this true?!
bong said
November 16 2009 @ 12:33 pm
If and only if they have included the hogwarts battle and cut down some of the frivolous scenes it might have saved the movie and satisfied everyone even those who did not read the book.
This was what was lacking to complete the movie.
It sounds exactly like that, an incomplete movie.
I was waiting for some action and my suspicions were confirmed when i read the book after the movie
I only read the book AFTER the movie and was my first time to read any Harry Potter book.
Still i felt that this movie was the most dragging of all the HP movies
(inspite of the comedy) and lacked the proper send-off for Dumbledore’s demise.
There was no setup for his death, no sense of dread, no build up of suspense for the character’s premise which should have made this movie controversial but in the end, just made this beloved character’s exit almost unmemorable.
After reading the book i realized if they included the Hogwarts battle and kept the rest of the movie the same those two hours i spent watching wouldnt make me feel i was missing something important somehow in the story telling coz
SInce that was hogwarts and they were attacked by the death-eaters there shoud’ve been an all out battle.
tsk tsk they could have had something like the Lord of the Rings battle what with the dark and dreary atmosphere pervading the movie yety im pretty dissapointed even if i havent read the book that time.
Its lacking fire.