Jul 20 2009
Review: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Shows a Huge Improvement in Direction
I know, I know! I’m way behind the times here. I didn’t go see Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince at midnight the day it came out. I waited until yesterday to finally head out to the theater. Some fan right? Well, this will boggle your mind even more: I haven’t even read the book! Shocking, I know. I never managed to finish anything past Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. That being said, I am actually a rather big fan of the films and the HP universe, and I wanted to share my thoughts on the film, specifically as a fan of the movies who hasn’t finished reading the books.
I would first like to say that I thought director David Yates did a killer job directing this movie. I think it is the best directed HP film so far, and it is clear to me why he has been chosen to direct Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Parts I and II. The entire movie was breathtaking in its visuals. On top of that, the movie felt well paced. Although some of my friends felt the movie lagged a bit at parts, I found it compelling and interesting all the way through. I never once looked down at my watch, or wondered how much time was left (and that is a big deal for me, as I am quite prone to looking at my watch in movies).
Was the directing perfect? No. I understand the criticism I have read from other friends about the ending being a bit anti-climatic. It wasn’t as impactful as I had hoped and imagined. But it did still feel meaningful and sad, as it should have.
Another thing that impressed me: the quality of the acting from all of the leads, especially the kids. Emma Watson was just terrific, and has come such a long way from the first two HP films. Teenage romantic angst has never looked so good or felt so realistic. And Rupert Grint: boy does he have a great comedic future in store. His timing is fantastic, and his facial expressions were just priceless. And back to the directing for a moment, how cool did Quidditch look in the film? Remarkably, I didn’t cringe every time Tom Felton spoke! Even he has gotten ten times better over the years.
A few complaints: some explanations felt needed on the finer points of the movie. I know, I know. If I had read the books I wouldn’t need the movie to explain it to me. However, I assume the good folks behind the film do want to appeal to people who have read the books, as well as to those who haven’t. It seems to me that a bit more explanation couldn’t hurt. The movie was already long, so why not add a few more bits of dialogue for clarity? Hopefully this problem will be reduced in the final installment, since it is being split into two movies.
Overall, I found the movie incredibly enjoyable, and one of my favorites thus far. But, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is still my favorite, at least for now! What did you think of the film?
