The Fresh Films Review: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)

Harry Potter and the
Half-Blood Prince (2009)

Preceded by: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
Succeeded by: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I (2010)

Directed by:
David Yates

COUNTRY
UK/USA

GENRE
Fantasy/Adventure

NORWEGIAN TITLE
Harry Potter og halvblodsprinsen

RUNNING TIME
153 minutes

Produced by:
David Barron
David Heyman

Written by (based on the novel by J. K. Rowling):
Steve Kloves

Cast includes:
CHARACTER	ACTOR/ACTRESS	RATING
Harry Potter	Daniel Radcliffe	½
Hermione Granger	Emma Watson	½
Ron Weasley	Rupert Grint
Professor Horace Slughorn	Jim Broadbent
Rubeus Hagrid	Robbie Coltrane
Albus Dumbledore	Michael Gambon	½
Minerva McGonagall	Maggie Smith
Severus Snape	Alan Rickman	½
Ginny Weasley	Bonnie Wright	½
Bellatrix Lestrange	Helena Bonham Carter
Remus Lupin	David Thewlis

Review

The Harry Potter saga continues with another pleasant but unremarkable entry in this custom-made film series. This time, chances are that fans of the books will be more disappointed than those who approach The Half-Blood Prince unknowing of the plot (for reasons I will not discuss further here), but all viewers will leave the cinema with too many unanswered questions concerning the film’s ending. Up until then, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint give charming, insightful performances centered around teenage life, and the film is at its best when farthest from the action. Not for the first time in the series, the enigmas and character relations (i.e. Rowling’s comprehensive universe) are more interesting than the tricks and magic. I wanted to know more about Harry Potter while watching The Half-Blood Prince, but I realize now that it's better to just pick up the books. The performances are solid all over, with Alan Rickman and Jim Broadbent standing out.