Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Is it worth $10? Yes
Hudak grades it a 'B'

By Dan Hudak // hudakonhollywood.com

For a movie based on the penultimate book in perhaps the most famous literary series ever written, “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” is a fine effort that is funny, smart, dramatic and fun. But the density of the source material often leaves cinematic holes and motivations unexplained, meaning the film fails to fully appeal to those not familiar with the novel.

With Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) by his side, Harry learns about Voldemort’s early years via the memories of Professor Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) and new Potions Master Horace Slughorn (Jim Broadbent). Slughorn also gives Harry a book that once belonged to the “Half-Blood Prince,” but Harry is too consumed with Voldemort’s Death Eaters, who are wreaking havoc on the wizardry world, to worry about the book’s origin. Teenager Harry also has his mind on girls, namely Ron’s little sister Ginny (Bonnie Wright), and he wants to know why Professor Snape (Alan Rickman) has made an unbreakable vow to help Draco Malfoy (Tom Shelton).

Arguably, the most admirable thing about J.K. Rowling’s books is how deftly she handles teen awkwardness, crushes and first kisses in a story about a boy wizard in an unthinkable situation. Accordingly, the best parts of the movie come in the stolen glimpses and jealous glares of Radcliffe, Wright, Watson and Grint, all of whom are old enough to know why these glances are offered. Better, the generation of kids Rowling is credited to have inspired to read are now old enough to understand these tortured looks as well.

The visual effects are the best the franchise has presented. The long-awaited return of Quidditch is nicely rendered, as is the opening sequence with the Death Eaters flying through London. In fact, this is director David Yates’ (who directed the previous Potter film, the gloomy “Order of the Phoenix”) most visually accomplished work to date, highlighted by some ingenious framing when Ginny looks up the stairs prior to Harry’s arrival at the Weasley’s. 

Screenwriter Steve Kloves faced a number of challenges in adapting the 652-page book, and has kept the key elements intact. But the movie is long at 153 minutes, and it feels long. The fault for this goes to Yates, who doesn’t keep things moving swiftly; the movie could easily be 10-15 minutes shorter, or at least it could have had 10-15 better minutes of plot/character development. What’s more, youngsters will likely grow restless due to the length and themes that are too mature for a pre-teen to understand.

In the end, “Half-Blood Prince” is not much better or worse than the other five films. Hopefully Yates will continue to evolve as a filmmaker and take the series to the next level. Rowling’s work certainly deserves it, as do the fans that have made the franchise a worldwide phenomenon.

Did you know? Filming has already started on the seventh and final book, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.” The finale will be split into two movies, with part one set for release in November 2010 and part two due out July 2011.

comments@theleadmiamibeach.com