By [Losing My Virginity articles are reviews written by someone who still hasn’t seen an incredibly popular movie after all these years. LMV reviews are interesting in that they can offer the perspective of a person who’s untainted by the cloud of commonness that surrounded a famous film of the past, and also show how well it has stood the test of time.]
There were three things I knew about the Harry Potter series before I started all this:
1. Harry goes to a school that sounds like an STD.
2. I must grasp my mandrake FIRMLY.
3. Somebody named ***** kills somebody named **********.
I couldn’t help it; the fact that ********** dies was huge news even for non-Potter fans. I remember when Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince came out, my good friend Jeff (R.I.P. brother) used to scream “Page 606, ***** kills **********†at random people while in a moving vehicle, making at least one poor boy throw down his book in frustration. It was funny then, but now I realize that my bastard dead friend ruined it for me. God bless him though.
Still, being fully aware of the ending, could I still enjoy Harry Potter and…
[Losing My Virginity articles are reviews written by someone who still hasn't seen an incredibly popular movie after all these years. LMV reviews are interesting in that they can offer the perspective of a person who's untainted by the cloud of commonness that surrounded a famous film of the past, and also show how well it has stood the test of time.]
There were three things I knew about the Harry Potter series before I started all this:
1. Harry goes to a school that sounds like an STD.
2. I must grasp my mandrake FIRMLY.
3. Somebody named ***** kills somebody named **********.
I couldn’t help it; the fact that ********** dies was huge news even for non-Potter fans. I remember when Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince came out, my good friend Jeff (R.I.P. brother) used to scream “Page 606, ***** kills **********” at random people while in a moving vehicle, making at least one poor boy throw down his book in frustration. It was funny then, but now I realize that my bastard dead friend ruined it for me. God bless him though.
Still, being fully aware of the ending, could I still enjoy Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince?
{{page_break}}
*DISCLAIMER: Spoiler Alert! I will not be inserting anymore stars. If you don't know by now that Snape kills Dumbledore, you do now.*
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince goes into a darker direction that I had hoped the series would take all along. While it does a good job fleshing out Voldemort’s story as well as the budding relationships between the students, it’s so disjointed that it’s difficult to keep up. Cho Chang disappears out of nowhere and a new relationship between Harry and Ginny comes out of left field. I am glad, however, that Ron and Hermione’s relationship is finally coming along, as every jealous spat between them proved to be entertaining.
Because I knew that Dumbledore dies, I stayed in the movie waiting to find out when and how he dies. If I hadn’t known, all the events prior to his death would have seemed circumstantial as there’s no real mystery or conflict driving the story. I thought that the whole thing with the Half-Blood Prince would play itself out, but in the end it really had nothing to do with the story other than it was Snape and Snape killed Dumbledore (page 606!). It’s all very displaced, affecting the pace and even the story. There’s no real confrontation with Voldemort, but his henchman (namely Helena Bonham Carter) prove to by quite villainous and suffice the villain(s) role.
Though David Yates hasn’t really done anything of merit before the Harry Potter series, I believe these films have given him clout in this industry. He provides a beautiful picture of this universe, one that mixes reality (of the muggle world, whatever) with the world of magic, providing dark set pieces and crafting moods throughout the film. Dumbledore’s death as well as the confrontation between Snape and Harry proves to be powerful scenes, one that were handled with such emotion and conflict.
Surprisingly though, this film provides a bit of humor with all the love/drug themes going on. Seeing girls swoon over Potter as well as Ron and Hermione’s issues with relationships proved to be entertaining and charming. Segments with the love/luck potions were hilarious, as it provided an idea of what the children of Hogwarts act like when they’re stoned. Each actor handled this with great glee and without overplaying it. I only hope that in the next film they all get Butterbeer wasted.
All in all, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was a good entry, but not a great entry. Problems with the pacing and the plot put me off, but everything else was well handled and entertaining. While it gets the bronze as far as favorite Potter films (thus far), it still could have been so much better had it been a tighter package.
Overall Score: 7.85 – Good. 7s are good, but not great. These films often have a stereotypical plot or are great movies that have a few minor flaws. Fans of this movie’s genre might love it, but others will still enjoy seeing it in theaters.
Butter Beer drunken thoughts:
- Is there a recipe for Butterbeer? I want to try this NOW.
- There’s this odd scene where Ginny ties Harry’s shoes. Way to lay it on thick, ho.
- It took me six movies to realize it, but I just figured out that the guy who plays Filius Flitwick in the Harry Potter movies also played Willow in "Willow". YEA, I KNOW, CRAZY RIGHT!?
- Hogwarts can throw quite the rager, case in point Ron’s little victory party.
- Love potion = Rohypnol (roofie).
