Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)

Absolutely Brilliant!

it is finally so absorbing because it plays like a lyrical road odyssey that’s also a detective story.

Blistering performances.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

The sixth installment in the incredibly popular wizard series carries on the tradition of following the books. The half-blood prince probably won't bring with it the expectations that came with the Philosopher's stone but then it is expected to be lower key as the franchise comes to a closure- there remains just one more book after this (deathly hollows). However, this film is darker in tone and should be headed for more mature territory just like the series.

It's witty, yet still dark. While it does have to leave parts of the book behind, it captures the essence that made this book great. While Order of the Phoenix has some kinda lazy VFX, I felt this movie did an excellent job utilizing the effects in new ways. Tom Felton and Michael Gambon make incredibly standout performances here. I do have a considerable bias here considering this is my favourite book in the series.

With the possible exception of the first book/movie combination in the Harry Potter series, each film adaption has done its share of cutting/editing from J.K. Rowling's original work. Luckily, this film version of "Half-Blood Prince" (other than its predecessor "Order of the Phoenix") manages to maintain its soul despite the inevitable cuts. For a basic plot summary, "Prince" sees Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) taking private lessons from Professor Dumbledore (Michael Gambon), where they examine certain memories of a young Tom Riddle in order to be better prepared for his adult Lord Voldemort identity. At the same time, the trio of Harry, Ron (Rupert Grint), and Hermoine (Emma Watson) take the next crucial steps in their wizarding education by learning more advanced potion-making (under new Professor Slughorn(Jim Broadbent)) and even taking the first steps toward apparating. Ginny Weasley (Bonnie Wright) and Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) take on larger roles in this installment, while Professor Snape (Alan Rickman) constantly lurks in the background. Like the novel, "Prince" is a great piece of fiction primarily because of all the Harry/Dumbledore interactions and their trips into the past of Voldemort. Despite one key "flashback" being completely cut out, the movie does a good job of showing those younger Riddle years. Essentially, the heart of the writing remains (unlike how it was completely cut out in "Phoenix"). The acting also continues to improve, what with Radcliffe, Grint, and Watson probably turning in their best performances to date. Felton as Malfoy also grows quite a bit in this one, and the Weasley characters are always fun to get back to. Almost completely stealing the show is a wonderful performance from Broadbent as Slughorn. Overall, "Half-Blood Prince" is a fine book-to-film adaption that will satisfy both the Potter-heads and the more casual fans of the series. Though I won't give any specific spoilers here, the end of the film very strongly hints that the action of the final movie(s) will largely take place outside of Hogwarts.

Hard-core fans of Harry Potter claim that movie franchise started well enough but it goes worse with every new movie. To me, as to someone who did not read the books, it is quite the opposite. Maybe they don't follow books as much as they should, but actors are growing up and acting improves with every movie, story is more and more interesting and directing and effects sustain same good level. Great entertainment for whole family.7,5/10.............................................