Yesterday was a scorcher here in SoCal and I spent much of the afternoon running around town taking care of a few errands. It was time for my beautiful 2009 VW Tiguan, which I named Wülfgang Jürgen-Klaüs, to have its annual check-up (almost 1 year to the day that I brought my baby home from the dealership) so I spent sometime waiting for my oil change … then I had to run to the bank, the drug store and drop off a thank you gift for some dear friends of mine. I have been DYING to see Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince so I made damn sure to see the flick last night:
I made sure to see it in IMAX in 3D and TOTALLY loved it!! While purists are pissed that many things in the book were left out of the movie, I absolutely commend the filmmakers for continuing to bring the books to life in the best way they can. The movies will never do the books justice. Never. Ever. Never. Movies cannot be 8 hours long so things have to be left out. I honestly believe the Harry Potter movies just keep getting better. It’s amazing how much the cute little kids have grown into young adults. Their acting performances have gotten better with age as well. Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy was a revelation … his performance was excellent. I loved the blue tint quality that the movie had over all … it felt a lot like a black & while film. I really did love this big screen adapation … I want to see it again. The opening portion in IMAX 3D was fun … I might have to see it again ;)
Also, it’s time for me to re-read the series. When my reading pile gets a little smaller, I’m planning on re-reading all of the Harry Potter books straight thru. I need to be ready for the final, 2-part film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I think the only way to do the final book justice is over 2 movies … perhaps, at last, HP purisists will be satisfied.
Tonight, I’m planning on hanging out with my friend Tony … not sure what we’re gonna be doing but I haven’t seen him in ages. It’ll be good to hang out again :)
Yes, I’ve been waiting for your review as well, Trent. To be honest, I was disappointed. A lot. I know you can’t put every single detail from the book into a movie but they could have done a lot better. I felt like the movie was way too funny for its own good. The movie was supposed to be dark and sinister but 90% of the movie was funny when it wasn’t supposed to be. They’re funny parts in the book but not as much as the film portrayed. I thought the movie was pretty good until the ending. It lacked so much action! It was so annoying. The Death Eaters were supposed to come in with a bang and they barely even did such a thing. They just popped in, smashed a few things, and then just left. Dumbledore’s death was horrible; I almost laughed when you’re not supposed to. There was no emotion attached whatsoever. They drug out the film so much and when it came to the action it just lasted 5 minutes and the film ended… I wanted a huge battle at Hogwarts like the book. I don’t think that’s asking for the world, is it? Also, don’t the Death Eaters have to go back inside the vanishing cabinet in order to get out of Hogwarts since the spells were still intact? Or was it because Dumbledore set the spells himself and once he died that left the grounds completely? I don’t remember but I think it’s something like that. Oh, and I wish some of the other characters were in it more. It was kind of just like, “Hey, remember me? Well, I’ve been in this movie for two minutes now, time for me to go!” IDK
I loved it, and there were parts that completely disappointed me. I was put off by the “commerical” use of the teen angst and romance. I don’t recall so much overt brooding by Hermione for Ron; subtle stuff, sure, but it just forced, designed to draw in the audience. I also found a lack of magic in the film, and sorely missed the battle at the end. I feel that was a critical element and the ending was a bit flat.
I knew full well going in that many details would be left out, but LOTR ran closer to 3 hours, and audiences stayed. This could have been stretched out another 15 – 30 minutes to end it properly.
With that said, I’ll see it again!
Did anyone else notice after the kiss between Harry and Ginny how his shirt was all unbuttoned and wierd… I thought it was a subtle reference to something that may have been going on behind closed doors lol ;)
It was good just not great. I love seeing it come to life but I guess it is impossible to match the book. Maybe that is my problem. Don’t get me wrong thou, I still really enjoyed it!
i loved this book and movie!! there’s a reason a lot of things were kept b/c most of it wasn’t that important to move the story along…. in the movie sense. HBP was my fave book out of the series and the best of the movies. i saw twice on opening day. my friend is a die hard HP fan and she loved the movie, she even said the same thing i did that all the changes in the movie were made to move the movies story along. my fave part of the movie was the Harry and Ginny kiss!!
I completely agree with Chase. I was sitting in the theater for the midnight show dying of excitement, only to be let down. I understand they can’t put everything from the book in the movie…but adding a pointless scene where the burrow is attacked and catches on fire?! Get real! Doing that basically wipes out the first 1/4 of Book 7, which they’re making into two movies?!?! I have been a diehard fan for 10 years and had just reread it right before I saw it, which obvs shows glaring ommisions. My friend in the theater whispered “Oh it’s about to get so good” when the Death Eaters infiltrated Hogwarts, as we were expecting the mega battle to take place that was written in the book. Instead, Harry stands there and let’s Snape walk right by and watches as they kill Dumberldore? Harry Potter, the character from the book, would NEVER EVER have just stood around, be silenced, and watched his mentor be killed. Which is why in the book, he was in a Body Bind to prevent him from doing so. The glaring omission of a funeral for Dumbeldore is just beyond to me. That scene was SO moving in the book, and to just have Fawkes flying away at the end is just stupid. People I know who haven’t gotten to Book 6 yet are convinced Dumbeldore is not even dead. Though with the liberty they seem to be taking with these movies, perhaps they’ll be rewriting it so in the film he is alive. Just so disappointing….
Yay!!!! I am so happy that you finally post your review of this movie and that it was a positive one! This book was my fave in the series so I was excited to see that movie did a great job of adapting the book onto screen. Although I am a big Harry Potter fanatic, I understand how the books’ storyline must be altered into a sensible movie.
My sister, who knows nothing of HP, saw the movie with me and enjoyed it too. She understood everything and only had one or two questions.
Alan Rickman stole every scene he was in. I am happy that Snape finally gets some major time in the HP movies!
I’ve always been a fan of the movies and allowed the major editing but after seeing this last night I felt cheated. I’d been really looking forward to it and key scenes that should have made it ‘Wow’ didn’t happen! The battle at Hogwarts and Dumbledore’s funeral being the two glaring omissions (like they didn’t have the budget for it or something?!). I just feel they didn’t tackle it properly. The relationship between Harry & Dumbledore was really meant to grow and when he dies you’re meant to feel horrible for Harry (which I didn’t). Probably shouldn’t have re-read the book before the movie…
Mr. Green Is Good let out audible *GASP* when Severus revealed he was the Half Blood Prince. Alan Rickman is such a brilliant actor. I couldn’t take my eyes off him in any scene he was in.
Tom Felton was really good. About time he got some juicy bits.
I’m not a purist, I completely understand that movies are not books, but I was a little disapointed :( To me, HBP is the most emotional book yet (I cried like a baby when Dumbledore died) but I didn’t feel an ounce of emotion watching the scene. And no funeral?! WTH?! I’m at a complete loss as to why the Burrow on Fire scene was added? And they didn’t really explain about the Horcruxes, what they are- anything! As far as looks go, I think the film was BEAUTIFUL. There were funny parts, acting was pretty good, I was just underwhelmed is all. Hopefully the last two movies will have all these things I just complained about added into them :)
spoiler ahead:
you cant blame us. i was dissapointed that the very important parts were ommitted. parts that were relevant in order for the non readers to understand:
1.why is snape the half blood prince? what is snape’s role in lily evan’s life?
2.voldemort’s beginnings, his childhood
3.the gaunts.. they were never shown. on the book it was very, very sad how dumbledore showed harry the gaunts. how merope fell madly in love with tom riddle sr
4. voldie’s first kill=first horcrux..
now this things are important too! esp. on the last book. how he got the hufflepuff cup, the gaunt ring…
since dumbledore is dead, how will harry found out about it right? if he will just look at the memory w/o someone telling him a story about it, how will he understand?
plus the non readers, ive heard how they question,
why is he called half blood prince?
and most of the non reader viewers of hp wont read it immediately,since they always say they are too lazy to read it.
I agree…an extra 10 or 15 minutes with an added battle scene would have made it better. Or, sigh, 10 or 15 more minutes of Snape…Alan Rickman rocks!
I agree that a lot of very pertinent info was left out. However, I went and saw it a second time and felt much better about it. Not nearly as disappointed as when I saw it the first time at midnight (a little tipsy, I might add! :)
My suggestion is to go see it again and then see how you feel. The second viewing really cleared things up and helped me think a little more of the film.
Yay Potter!!!
I’m not sure how I feel about the last movie being two parts. When I finished reading The Deathly Hallows, I thought “Finally, here’s a book they can do justice to in a movie!” It felt like the first half dragged on and on with them hiding in the woods and nothing happening, and then the ending was over so quickly. I was really disappointed in it, so I’m not sure how two movies will be a good thing. I suppose a BILLION dollars a film is hard to re$i$t.
@ Kristy, i was thinking the same – about it being 2 movies – and the only thing i can think of..was maybe they werent going to cut so much out…but after seeing the half blood prince…i have a feeling they had a lot of rewriting to do, to fit some things in.
@ Nicole, maybe they’ll fill in some of the gaps they left out in this movie over the course of the next two. I suppose it doesn’t really matter in which film all the backstories occur. I’m always curious how people who haven’t read the books feel like after watching the movies. I think I’d be very confused if I wasn’t able to fill in all the missing bits from the books.
@ Justin… that was my biggest beef with the movie too. Harry, in book OR movie, would never just stand by and watch.
I’m glad you enjoyed it Trent, cos I did too! I loved the way they filmed, the director did a fantastic job.
And I think they left out the battle scene at the end to make the Battle of Hogwarts in the final movie more epic.
Also, they added in the Burning of the Burrow to show how the Death Eaters torment their victims, and for Harry to experience it first hand. All a bit confusing, but I hope they wrap things up neatly in the end. All in all, I loved it!
I totally love it too!