Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) Review

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)

The Half-Blood Prince follows Harry Potter, who must, with the help of Dumbledore, prepare for the final battle with Voldemort, as Death Eaters begin to wreak havoc on the Muggle and Wizarding worlds. 

This sixth outing in the Harry Potter series is probably the worst of the lot, and not because it’s not entertaining, as it’s one of the more lighthearted and fun ones yet, it’s just that it tries to condense one of the longest books into a movie that is bound to leave things out, important things that leave it feeling rather drab. Much of this film needs to be both and shown and told, as if you haven’t read the book, a good portion of the events come off as confusing, lack emotional depth, and feel like they were just dropped onto a map with their eyes closed. It’s also uncharacteristically light, which again, isn’t bad at all as it makes for a fun movie but it’s a fun movie that has no endgame in sight (but to spring some last second excursion with Harry and Dumbledore). 

That in mind, you can’t deny that the back-end of the movie takes the small hints and clues placed around the movie and really gives us one hell of an ending. Seeing Snape kill Dumbledore (and in the process, protect the innocence of Draco) is a scene that burns so deep because of the context of Snape and Dumbledore’s relationship, that only stings more upon the revelation that Snape was the Half-Blood Prince all along. 

We get another pretty solid cast here, starring Jessie Cave, Helena Bonham Carter, Bonnie Wright, Jim Broadbent, Alan Rickman, Tom Felton, Michael Gambon, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, and Daniel Radcliffe. Gambon is one of true bright spots in this sequel, with his dramatically serious tone working all too well for this story’s Dumbledore. It was also nice to see Radcliffe, Grint, and Watson share some comedic and lighter moments, something we haven’t really seen since the first movie. 

Based on the novel by J.K. Rowling, Half-Blood Prince, directed by David Yates, is a tricky feeder film that tries not to step on the toes of the final movies, but in doing so, leaves it to fall a bit flat until the final act, leaving for a tonally awkward outing that doesn’t quite know what it wants to do. 

7.9/10