Fans have been clamoring for the latest trip to Hogwarts since the film release date was moved from a November 2008 release to July of this year. Warner Brothers felt if the date was postponed, there would be a greater opportunity to cash in on the monstrous fan base without going head to head with last year’s blockbuster, “The Dark Knight,” or the hugely popular “Twilight.”
The wait is over, and not only is “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince” here, but there will be two more movies following this one to give the final book its proper treatment. This is the strongest film franchise from top to bottom because as these movies come out they get better and that is a rare thing.
In this installment, the students are 16 years old and starting their sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The school is no longer a place of safety for Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) as he still is struggling after his battle with Lord Voldemort.
Professor Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) enlists his friend and former college Professor Slughorn (Jim Broadbent) who holds one of the keys in his memory to battling the Dark Lord.
The ever eerie presence of Voldemort looms over the school as he assembles a group of evil cohorts to carry out his evil intentions. This includes the always jealous and sneaky Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) who becomes a participant in a sinister mission he must carry out for Lord Voldemort.
“The Half Blood Prince” is the best so far in this exceptional film franchise that gets better as it goes along. This is due to the great subject matter they have to work off of the amazing book series by J.K. Rowling.
I believe one of the things taken for granted is the chemistry and talents of Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson who have grown into these characters beautifully and have developed into really good actors. The fact that these young actors have stayed together for all six films, and that they will be in the forthcoming seventh and eighth installments, has been critical to the franchise’s success.
The great Alan Rickman slices and dices his way through all of his scenes as Professor Snape with amazing skill and timing leaving the audience captivated whenever he is on screen. By playing the role of Snape and the unforgettable Hans Gruber in the first “Die Hard” flick, Rickman has helped to create two of the greatest villains in movie history.
As for the rest of the cast, Michael Gambon (Albus Dumbledore), Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Professor Slughorn (Jim Broadbent), Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid) and Maggie Smith (Professor McGonagall) are all excellent as usual. Gambon who took over for the late Richard Harris has really come into his own playing Dumbledore, a character who in this installment is a much bigger part of the story.
Director David Yates fully realizes the world of Harry Potter and has made the two best films in the series with this installment and “Order of the Phoenix.” This film is satisfying as you see the way these kids have grown up and going through not only the pains of growing up, but falling in love as well. There is comedy, sadness, love, anger, teen angst, sadness and uncertainty. The movie, much like the book itself, lures the audience into making an emotional investment because you care about these characters.
The sets and the overall look of this movie, along with the special effects, are all fantastic. All of the Potter films are great to look at, but this one is the best so far. It is a beautiful, stunning feast for the eyes. The opening bridge scene is scary, realistic and brilliantly orchestrated, kicking off the movie in memorable fashion.
The first 10 minutes of this new Potter movie’s opening scene were filmed in IMAX 3-D, but because of the horrible “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” having been contracted until the end of July, fans will have to wait a little longer to see the 3D version.
One of the cool things about the Potter films is how they bring generations of fans together like no other movie franchise ever has. The films are a great mixture of magical storytelling, memorable characters, and state-of-the-art special effects.
“Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince” is one of only a few memorable films in an otherwise stagnant summer movie season and what a breath of fresh air it is.
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