HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE REVIEW

Director: David Yates
Cast: Daniel Radcliffe ,Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Tom Felton, Michael Gambon, Jim Broadbent, Helena Bonham-Carter and Alan Rickman
Release Date: 2009-07-16 08:00:00
Quick Take: Full-blooded fantasy



IN THE Half-Blood Prince, the kids have all grown up and one could think of calling the franchise Horny Potter instead after watching puberty set firmly in these hot-blooded magicians. They’re making out in the corridors of Hogwarts and snogging over a pint of Butter Beer at the local inn now. Gives the term ‘raise your wand’ a whole different meaning.

The darkness that pervaded The Order Of The Phoenix continues in this one, though the fear factor has been scaled down a bit. Hogwarts and Dumbledore have barricaded themselves up as protection against an attack from Lord Voldermort’s evil Death Eaters. Draco Malfoy skulks around Hogwarts presumably in a plot to assist the dark side. Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) are… well… busy sorting out some mixed up love triangles and all this leads to some fun rom-com moments.

The acting has improved and so have the special effects and direction. It isn’t for kiddies anymore. It’s serious, adult and extremely dark. Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix Lestrange doesn’t have much to do but Alan Rickman’s Severus Snape’s scathing wit has been given a chance to sizzle a bit more, thankfully. Fans of the series will also shed a tear for the death of a dear character in this movie.

The Half-Blood Prince is sufficiently entertaining but it does give you the feeling that we’re biding time here before the final battle between good and evil erupts in the next two films (the last book by JK Rowling, The Deathly Hallows, will be split into two for the big screen).