Review: Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

OPENING: 07/15/2009

STUDIO: Warner Bros.

ACCOMPLICES:
Trailer, Official Site

SOUNDTRACK:

The Charge
“Once again I must ask too much of you, Harry.”

Opening Statement
Screenwriter Steve Kloves returns to the franchise, and his pairing with director David Yates makes for an efficient yet arresting adaptation of JK Rowling’s novel, firing the opening salvo in an increasingly dark three-part tale.

Facts of the Case
Following the disturbing revelations in Order of the Phoenix, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and Professor Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) have been exonerated, but it’s little consolation, as the wizarding world is now on high alert for dark magic terrorism. This is less a war of brute strength, and more a cunning chess match between the forces of good and evil on a board where not all the pieces are shown. As the Dark Lord retreats into the shadows, plotting a way to actualize the prophecy — "Either must die at the hand of the other, for neither can live while the other survives." — his Death Eaters carry out their orders with remorseless precision. At the same time, Dumbledore has collected key memories from those touched by the life of Tom Riddle, revealing secrets which could provide Harry with the power he needs to destroy Voldemort once and for all. With any war, there are casualties and, as the stakes rise, no one is safe. Yet, even in the face of grave danger, this is a tale of teenagers, so Quidditch is played, Butterbeer is consumed, hormones rage, and relationships flourish.

The Evidence
More dark mystery-thriller than magical-fantasy, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince avoids the pitfalls of its predecessor, by abandoning the singular narrative focus and allowing more of Rowling’s nuanced storytelling to seep onto the screen. For that we can thank writer Steve Kloves, who passed on the last film, but returns for the final three. Kloves — who’s been there from the beginning — understands Rowling and possesses a unique gift for boiling down a 652 page novel, weaving together its key elements into a smaller but no less compelling tapestry. While we lose The Dursleys, Bill and Fleur, Moaning Myrtle, the house elves, much of the mystery surrounding "The Half-Blood Prince," and other rich touches (including a high impact finale), he makes up for it by bringing forth the deep emotions which underly this tale. Harry, Ron, and Hermione are no longer kids. They’ve seen and experienced real darkness, their innocence stripped away. The presence and protection of parents, teachers, and friends is not a certainty. All they have is each other and a resolve to see this through to the bitter end.

So as not to give you the impression Half-Blood Prince is all gloom and doom, there is a fair amount of humor to balance the scales, laughing in the face of danger so as to keep fear and despair at bay. Unfortunately, that doesn’t work for everyone. One of the darkest journeys belongs to Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton), and while the film only gives us the Cliffs Notes version, you still fully comprehend the fine line many people walk between light and darkness, a line Harry is all too familiar with. Hope still springs eternal (albeit tempered) in the presence of Hermione (Emma Watson), Ron (Rupert Grint), Luna (Evanna Lynch), Neville (Matthew Lewis), and Ginny (Bonnie Wright) whom Harry now views through very different eyes. Dumbledore’s Army doesn’t have much fight in them this time around, but the battle is far from over.

Nowhere is that more effectively felt than in the bottled terror of the adults. Working hard to keep it just below the surface, both sides of this war are suffering and there’s no hiding it. Draco’s mother Narcissa (Helen McCrory), lacking the unbalanced psyche of her sister Bellatrix (Helena Bonham Carter), has already lost her husband to prison and now risks losing her son to death. Arthur and Molly Weasley (Mark Williams and Julie Walters) put up a good front, but the ability to protect their family from harm (never mind themselves) is rapidly dissipating. Even the ever steely Albus Dumbledore knows his time on this earthly plane is drawing to an end.

Kloves provides the narrative, but the performances give these characters life. Daniel, Emma, and Rupert continue their growth as fine actors, often avoiding safe choices and letting the complexities of their characters relationships shine through. Rupert still trails a bit in authenticity, but never fails to exhibit Ron’s true heart. While this should have been Tom Felton’s chance to prove his chops, limited screen time cuts into that opportunity. The blossoming relationship between Harry and Ginny also gets short shrift, leaving Bonnie Wright only three or four key scenes to convey the real impact of this development, one which plays a huge role in the final two films. In the end, it comes across more rushed than organic.

The Half-Blood Prince spotlight is stolen (deservedly so) by Michael Gambon and Jim Broadbent, who leaps into the Potterverse as the deliciously self-focused Professor Slughorn. Once again, the deeper subtleties of a wonderful character are sacrificed for time, but Broadbent doesn’t let that stop him from turning in yet another brilliant performance. What’s there to say about Gambon? The untimely passing of Sir Richard Harris left some large shoes to fill, but Gambon has taken Dumbledore further than the potential that lay on the page. The relationship between Harry and Albus is one of my favorite aspects of the series, and the performances turned in by Radcliffe and Gambon only serve to further cement that magic. I would be remiss in not mentioning my ever growing admiration for Alan Rickman’s portrayal of Severus Snape (talk about taking a character and running with it), but I felt somewhat cheated by a critical storyline which should have held more impact than it did.

The remaining key players are left with very little to do but interject brief bits of information and provide window dressing for the primary tale. Fred and George get a few minutes to show off the mania of their new business venture. Lupin and Tonks show up to a rather unnerving Christmas dinner at The Burrow and are barely mentioned by name, let alone given the chance to share the growth of their own relationship or Fenrir Greyback’s involvement with the Dark Lord. Meanwhile, Hogwarts’ stalwarts such as Neville, Luna, Dean, Seamus, and newcomers Cormac McLaggen (Freddie Stroma) and Lavender Brown (Jessie Cave) are offered smaller portions of their literary counterparts. You can only do so much with 153 minutes.

What I didn’t fully appreciate in Order of the Phoenix was David Yates’ flair for composition. Half-Blood Prince is a visually arresting film, from the black contrails of the Death Eaters apparations and Harry’s journeys through the pensieve, to the magnificent color correction and striking shot frames, Yates’ work comes close to eclipsing the universe defining look of Alfonso Cuarón’s Prisoner of Azkaban. I also love his ability to use silence and facial expressions to great advantage, offering quiet touches such as Harry experimenting with the power of non-magic adolescent flirting, and the ever-in-control Hermione’s inability to contain her feelings for the still oblivious Ron. More importantly, the more adult tone of the picture provides Yates the chance to cut loose with some truly dark, expertly paced suspense sequences. If you thought the Order of the Phoenix final battle in the Department of Mysteries was intense, just wait until you spend Christmas with the Weasleys or start hunting for horcruxes.

I was a bit concerned early on, as Yates and editor Mark Day took a choppy, vignette approach to reuniting our heroes. But once they’re back at Hogwarts and the main story take root, Day does a beautiful job connecting visual and emotional threads from one scene to next. Composer Nicholas Hooper, who many feel dropped the ball with the last film, steps up his game with a more cohesive performance. While still well short of the mark left by John Williams on the first three films, Hooper effectively enhances Yates’ vision of increasing dread and momentary relief. While I only call out a few key above the line people, appreciation must be paid to the entire production team for their efforts. It’s a cinematic landmark to nurture an immersive universe over the course of six films, and their work is above reproach.

Closing Statement
With two more adventures to go and the production team remaining in tact, you can’t help but anticipate this franchise going out in a Fawkes-ian blaze of glory. Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince is a respected addition to the cinematic canon, deserving of repeat viewing.

The Verdict
9/10

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