Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince – 2009
For many of the seemingly endless studio franchises that often span decades are rejuvenated with reboots and then fade again, the sight of them wilting in vitality is often a depressing thing to behold. Nostalgia swells, you become bitter that the films you once loved so much have been degraded to pitiful money grabs and the novelty and excitement you once felt at the chance to see the newest instalment fades forever. For pop culture mega-phenomenon Harry Potter, a decade has already passed since the novel first met the silver screen and bucking all foreseeable odds, the series is just as vibrant and endearing as it always has been.
For this now 6th film in the franchise, famous wizard Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliff) is entering into his last years of the magical school Hogwarts. With the dark wizard Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) gaining power by the minute, Harry and the school headmaster Dumbledore, played by Micheal Gambon, seek to change their fighting odds. Luring an old teacher by the name of Horace Slughorn (Jim Broadbent) back to the school, Dumbledore asks for Harry's help to gather information on Slughorn's past pertaining to when Voldemort himself was a student at Hogwarts. But along with the danger, something else has changed for these growing teens; they have found the opposite sex.
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince aptly balances the dark malice of the war raging between good and evil, and the intimate relationships between the students. The result is a movie that is both warmer and funnier but simultaneously more menacing and foreboding the ever before. While this instalment fails to reach the levels of The Order of the Pheonix, which shattered by most optimistic expectations, is certainly a well structured, acted and adapted entry. The game of Quidditch (a wizard sport on a broomstick) makes a return after being absent in the previous film and is welcome as always. Also expanding to the foreground are a number of players who had been mere supporting roles until now, most notably Gambon as Dumbledore and Alan Rickman as Severus Snape, the school potions master.
After replacing the astounding Richard Harris after his death following the second film, Gambon had been solid but failed to capture the full essence of the character. All is forgiven however as Gambon is fantastic here, given room to grow and fully captures the light heartedness but hidden power of the wizard. Rickman's Snape has always been the most interesting character and he shows his talent here with a sinister and oily presence. Also back are the regulars; Rupert Grint and Emma Watson as Harry's best friends Ron and Hermione as is Tom Felton as Harry’s nemesis Draco Malfoy, also in an expanded role. Now with only two films left (one book to be split) all eyes will be wide to see if the series can keep its exemplary record clean, as there is just as much magic to behold in the dark dreamy visuals, wonderful score and engaging screenplay then in the world of wizards upon which the film is based.
© 2009 Simon Brookfield
