Review Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince

So the sixth Harry Potter flick is already breaking box office records around the globe , and some critics say that it may end up being nominated for a couple of important Oscars , next year . When we last saw Harry , he was witnessing the death of his godfather , Sirius Black , killed by Helena Bonham´s Carter , Bellatrix LeStrange , and an amazing fight between Professor Dumbledore and his arch nemesis, Lord Voldermort. After realizing that unlike Voldermort , Harry and his friends from Hogwarts actually have something worth fighting for , it being the bonds that keep them together , we now find the entire gang dealing with their hormones , in this last installment. Ron is stalked by leechy Lavender Brown , whilst Hermione tries to avoid the moves and swagger of a fellow colleague. But as cute and heart warming as all this may sound , there are bigger things happening outside Hogwart´s walls. Lord Voldermort´s minions , the Death Eaters , are wrecking havoc throughout London , killing innocent Mugles and destroying important landscapes while they´re at it. Harry must now come to terms with the fact that his biggest enemy has not only returned but is interested in dominating not only the magical world , but the real/normal world as well.

Unlike the previous movie , Order of The Phoenix , that sort of rushed everything a little bit , although it was the adaptation of the biggest book in the series , Half Blood Prince drags itself a little bit too much . Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire was also quite long , but the movie also showed us larger than life action sequences that lead to the return of The Dark Lord. This one spends far too much time on all the dramas that are taking place inside Hogwarts , something that can be quite funny at times, but does become a bit boring , if not slightly tedious for some ( including myself ) . In a way , the producers made the right decision , exploring the books lighteer moments , since this is after all , the darkest Harry Potter yet ( I have been hearing the same thing since the release of Prisoner of Azkaban ) , and some moments , although light years from those that we see in much darker films , may be seen , by some , as disturbing if not heartbreaking. The performances are quite good , especially those of the "dinamic trio" for Watson, Grint and Radcliffe really do feel more comfortable in their roles. Watson delivers her second best perfomance in this franchise , the first being in Prisoner of Azkaban. Grint sort of has the chance to showcase his comedic skills , and Radcliffe manages to capture Harry´s internal turmoil , for by the end of the movie we feel that life has changed since we first met him and that he knows now what he must do. Alan Rickman is always brilliant as Professor Snape and Helena Bonham Carter is also quite good as the crazy Death Eater, Bellatrix. There are some new characters in this one : a new death eater , who isn´t given a lot of screen time and Draco Malfoy´s mother , Narcissa, played by Helen McCrory. Tom Felton , the actor who plays who Draco , also has the chance to show us that Draco isn´t just a bully but a rather intriguing character. But is Michael Gambon the one who takes the biggest slice of the cake in this one : some say that he looks like Gandalf ( a fatter version , that is ) , others say that he should have his own film. I say that Professor Dumbledore , aware of what is at stake , in case his mission fails , tries his best to norture Harry and prepare him for the final battle that will decide of our world. Dumbledore is funny, sad , engaging , precise and paternal and Gambon plays him to perfection - if anyone should get an Oscar for this film , that person should be him.

The special effects are an improvement when compared to those of the previous film , since we witness images that are both beautifully shot - Quidditch tournament, Dumbledore and Harry standing on a rock, looking at a cave , and amazingly scary ( for a PG film ) such as the destruction of the Millenium Bridge in London , and the final moments of the film that feature the appearance of some very mysterious creatures called "inferi" . The soundtrack could be better but perhaps Nicholas Hooper , the new composer, is preparing himself for a bigger challenge - the final movie , Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows , that shall be divided into two films , and that are going to be released in 2010 and 2011. All in all , a good movie , that delivers what it promises and prepares everything for the climatic battle that is approaching .

0 to 10 : 6