Well I gave the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince movie, a four out of five rating! I really loved it and was excited that they did so well. it was a great product for the thousands wait, millions of fans awaiting the delayed film (from last July). The humor was great and really helped to lighten the mood of the movie, and the darkness was perfectly placed.
The only reason it recieved a four instead of a five from me was because I really would have liked to see the other memories that were in the book and the final battle scene. But I understand why they had to be cut. For the memories, there were alot, so for times sake they had to pick important ones, but in doing this we didnt get to see Voldemort take Morfin's ring, or the Slytherin Locket and Hufflepuff's cup, forshadowing the upcoming Horcruxes. And the Battle because the movie makers didn't want to take away the excitement and suprise of the Final Battle of Hogwarts at the end of the second Deathly Hallows movie. (Which is why, I believe, the attack at the Burrow scene was added, to take place of that action.)
Overall great movie!!! Seeing it again soon!
Ok well now I am going to weigh in on unicornkeeper07's post and thoughts!
Quote:
1. The beginning - why the hell did it start with Harry and Dumbledore at the MoM having a photoshoot. That's so not where OotP left off, so it was the most random beginning to any movie.
Well I believe they started HBP in this way because they wanted to show how the Ministry now believes Harry about Voldemort's return and that now the entire Wizarding World now has its full attention turned towards him and his actions. (The whole Chosen One situation.)
Quote:
2. I get that they wanted to add a big dramatic scene of the muggles/wizards being caught up in the war and the bridge being torn apart. The Millennium Bridge is pretty prominent and well recognized and visually it was pretty cool, but at least do a follow up (not in the Daily Prophet), how 'bout we stick with the book and use the actual Minister!
I actually loved this part it did show the whole everyone is at risk threat from Voldemort and his followers come true in a powerfull way. The reason why they just showed headlines in the Daily Prophet (like they did throughout OotP with all the umbridge and Azkaban breakouts) was because of time purposes and as far as importance to the books, the meeting of the Muggle Prime Minister was pretty low. I would have really liked the movie to show how Fudge has been removed from office and Rufus is the new Minister of Magic though.
Quote:
3. Quidditch - I love Quidditch. It's amazing to watch and it's a neat story. But, the tryouts taken from OotP was a bit annoying. If you're going to keep Quidditch out of one of the books, then it doesn't make that much sense to make a big deal of it in this one. It took up space and took away from more important things from the story.
Ok I was a bit annoyed when they removed Quidditch from the Order of the Pheonix movie too, but you have to admit it was a large book.
But if you remember from the books the Try-out scene was in HBP (Ch.11). As whether or not it was important enough to be placed into the movie, I think it was great and definately belonged. Not only did we get to see Ron's nervousness and Cormac's attitude toward others, but we saw Hermione confund McLaggin forshadowing again to Hermione's feelings about Ron.
Quote:
4. Tom Riddle - You have got to be kidding me??? The bulk of HBP is going in depth with Voldemort and how her became so evil, even before he was even born. How could they cut out the scenes of the House of Gaunt. It's one of the most interesting of scenes and really helps establish the beginning of an evil. Also, when Voldemort asks for a job at Hogwarts has it's significance to and it's that last moment that you see Voldemort with the slightest bit of humanity. Though little orphan Voldemort, played by Hero Fiennes-Tiffin was excellent. This young talent made your skin crawl. He definitely stepped it up and you could see a bit of Uncle Ralph shine through. He definitely hard a dark quality about him. The Slughorn scene with Tom was just average. I liked the teenage Tom in Chamber of Secrets much better.
I think they did pretty well with Voldemort overall throughout the movie. I was sad to see that the Gaunt and last Voldemort Hogwarts memory cut. (As I mentioned above.) But I think again it had to be something extremly important like the Horcrux and meeting of tom Riddle memories in order to make it into the already 2 and a half hour movie.
I agree one hundred precent with you about little Tom Riddle. He did make me have chills. I think that the people casting the movie made a good choice that appealed to all those people (like me) that are freaked out by children in creepy roles.
And finally the teenage Voldemort in the Horcrux memory. I think that the actor portrayed Voldemort's slyness, flattery, and arrogance right on, but I kinda liked the Chamber of Secrets Tom better as well. But I assume there was a problem with the actors availablity.
Quote:
5. Stop changing the look of the pensieve! First Harry goes in and it's like he's part of the scene. Not he just sticks his head in for a long period of time (you'd think he'd drown!) and it's all smokey looking. Stick with one look. It gets annoying after awhile.
I didn't really notice anything like that
but I really liked the Pensieve scenes though.
Quote:
6. Was it any more obvious that Harry is a horcrux? All during DH I kept going back and forth...is he or isn't he? I liked the suspense, but deep down inside I had a feeling he was. So, when Dumbledore is talking about the ring and then Harry goes to touch it...Harry gets all these Voldie flashbacks and then did the neck twitch thing and then the ring goes all spinny. I think that totally gave away that they were connected and clearly meaning that he was connected to Voldie soulfully.
Yes well I did catch that too. I think that they had to though something in like that for those people (unlike us who read the books, I also, like you suspected he was a Horcrux.) who without reading the books would have in no way ever suspected Harry of being a Horcrux, without the nudge in the right direction.
Quote:
7. Harry/Ginny - Um...WTF? Could there be any less chemistry. I think the actors could have pulled it off if they stuck with the book, but the writing was just bad with it. It's like this big pivotal moment that you don't really see coming, but there's this big build between the two of them. I think the flirting with the waitress at the beginning took away from it. And there were hardly any moments where it was just Harry and Ginny to establish he was starting to like her. It felt very forced, with Hermione constantly bringing it up to the point where it was annoying. Also, they really bond more over the book because she knows what it's like to be possessed by a book and how it can have power over you. Ginny never really showed concern about Harry and the potions book, like in the actual HBP book. And then to top it off Ron is okay with it, but not until the end. In the book, it creates a bit of tension, but it smooths out in the end. But, kind of sets the tone of H/G's relationship.
Um I did notice all the romance hints very early in the movie between Harry and Ginny but that's movies for you. They always mess with relationship stuff to make it more "interseting".
Quote:
8. Lavender/Ron/Hermione - I liked Lavender, I think Jessie Cave did a pretty decent job. I just think there were a lot more funnier moments and lines in the book between those two. I just didn't like how they didn't set it up for why Ron was really doing it. Hermione had Viktor, Harry had Cho, it was time for Ron to get a little snogging. I liked the reference to Viktor in HBP as well. It creates more jealousy. I think Emma Watson pulled off the jealousy well for the most part, but again it felt a bit to forced and at times over the top. Plus, when she took Cormac to Slug's party, how the hell would it make Ron jealous. I think there should have been a moment where Ron saw them leaving the common room together or something to show a bit of jealousy with Ron.
Ok well I LOVED Jessie Cave as Lavender. I personally thought that all the moments and jokes where Lavender was present were hilarious. (i.e. the train and the mist heart
) And i thought Emma did very well too. She got to show us that Hermione is human too and the scene where she is crying and upset after the Ron and Lavender kiss was heartbreaking. I aplauded her for both that and the Cormac parts.
Quote:
9. Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes - well this scene was practically ruined since GoF. The fact that it never established that Harry was their benefactor... it just fell short. It was a bit of a calm before the storm moment, but again it was a useless scene that took away from the bulk of the story. There could have been a lot more funny moments like "Why Are You Worrying About You-Know-Who?You SHOULD Be Worrying About U-NO-POO -- the Constipation Sensation That's Gripping the Nation!" Everything I loved about that scene in the book was completely stripped down.
I think that the reason that Harry wasn't ever mentioned having helped the twins start their shop in GoF was because the Climax of Voldemort's return wouldn't have been recived as well by movie goers with a business transaction happinging shortly after. Books are different Jo could do it but movies can't.
Quote:
10. Tom Felton = Best Performance in the Entire Movie. I felt like he really took Malfoy to a defeated state. You could see that he was torn throughout the movie, but I think the writing fell flat between him and Dumbledore. He showed some great emotion, I just felt like if they stuck closer to the book it would have been loads better. It was just annoying that Harry wasn't more upset with what Draco was doing, to the point where he was obsessed and that took away from him getting the memory from Slughorn.
Tom did do very well! I think they could have built more on how scared he was at the end before trying to carry through on his job of finishing off Dumbledore. I liked in the book when Dumbledore wasn't angry or scared with Draco but offerd to help him and his family.
Quote:
11. Bellatrix/Death Eaters/Narcissa - So, for people who didn't read the book they're going to be like, "Who's that hairy guy hanging with the Death Eaters?" Well that would be Fenrir Greyback, the most dreaded werewolf, who bit Lupin, but they never really established who he was, just a hairy guy. And just cause you play a werewolf doesn't mean you transform to kind of look like one in human form! I mean look at Lupin! What the hell was with Narcissa's hair?!? The blonde/black look was a no go in my book. She looked hideous! She's a bleach blonde, and the Malfoys are this bleach blonde little family. I can just say thank goodness Helen McCrory didn't play Bellatrix. Helena Bonham-Carter can hardly do no wrong, but I felt like she could have been a bit more crazy like in OotP. I like how she took on the role as Draco's mentor, but that was about it. Also, at the end of the book, there's this big fight scene between Aurors and Death Eaters and that was not there at all. The Death Eaters just walked freely about doing there thing and nothing seemed to happen. I kind of figured from the moment Harry drank all the Liquid Luck that it wasn't going to happen, but I guess they left it out so a battle at Hogwarts will seem more dramatic in DH. And why the hell did they need to burn down Hagrid's Hut? More randomness!
Ok I also agree that they needed to confirm who Greyback was to non-Potter readers. But on the issue of him looking like a werewolf while not being transformed that is pretty accurate I think. I mean he was not like Lupin is. He has started killing while not transformed and is evil enough to want to harm people, children mostly and positions himself around others before turning. So maybe these acts has mutated him slightly.
On the issue about Narcissa’s hair, that would be the least important thing about her in my book.
I think that other than that, she did a very good job. She could have seemed a little more desperate in the attept to insure Severus’ help for Draco but other than that.
I thought Bellatrix was just as crazy as ever in HBP.
Like when Snape sent Harry flying through the air as he chased Snape and the other Death Eaters, she raised her wand to attack but Severus said no and she had this crazy disappointed look that practically said. “Aw poo! I wanted to torture him.”
Ok I said above what I felt about the cut of the Battle at Hogwarts between Death Eaters and Order members. But the fire of Hagrid’s hut isn’t random. It happened in the book. As Harry chases away the Death Eaters the big blond one keeps firing hexes and one hit Hagrid’s hut and it is set on fire.
Quote:
12. Snape - He is one of the most important characters in this book, hence the title "Half-Blood Prince." First of all, they didn't really go into all the research of who the HBP was. It was annoying, I mean it is in the title and it's kind of a big deal. Also, that little hush hush moment between Harry and Snape, before he goes off and kills Dumbledore was just so incredibly awkward. No one is supposed to know Harry is there. It took away from the shock that he was the one to kill Dumbledore. Also, Dumbledore should have been begging a bit more. When I read it I was like OMG, Dumbledore is begging for his life and it shows. Maybe it was Michael Gambon's fault on this, but it's really important in DH! Also, when Harry goes after Snape and the whole "Fight back, you coward!" It should be followed by one of the greatest lines in the book, "DON'T CALL ME A COWARD!" But no, let's just cast a spell that knocks him off his feet and leave. And the fact that Snape revealed that he was the HBP, just didn't have a dramatic effect like it should have.
They really could have shown Hermione, at least in passing, searching the library, searching the for the Prince’s name, and the History of it.
The hush hush scene. Yeah that was unexpected for me. But I saw it as a bigger betrayel to Harry. I saw it as Snape telling Harry to be quiet and that he was going up there to handle it and then he kills Dumbledore which Harry was not expecting. But it would have been as easy or easier for them to just go ahead with the books and have Dumbledore hide Harry like he really did.
Well if you remember in the book, Dumbledore only begged for his life in the Cave while under the spell of the potion that was causing him harm. But when it came to the Astronomy tower, he offered to help Draco get away and tried to calm him. And even with Snape he says, “Severus, please.” But that was in pleading that he follow through with the promise to kill him that Snape had been reluctant to do before. So he wanted Snape to kill him, he was certainly not begging for his life. (We learned that after DH)
The “I, am the Half-Blood Prince” line should have been more dramatic. I expected to get chills from the moment but it was ok though.
Quote:
13. Why did they add the scene where the Death Eaters attacked the Weasleys over the holidays? It was completely pointless. It made no sense. What were they trying to achieve with that scene? It also felt weird that Arthur told Harry about the cabinet...hello, wink, wink, nudge, nudge, shouldn't that have confiscated it! It was just a bit to obvious to what was about to come. The only thing that was somewhat significant they kind of/sort of established Tonks and Lupin had a relationship...which brings be to:
I said my reasoning as to why I think they added the Burrow scene in, at the top first paragraph. It was a bit weird that Arthur told Harry about the Cabinet but he couldn’t have confiscated it because he didn’t know the other one was in Hogwarts. And it was kinda pointless to have Tonks and Remus already together. The only purpose for that, I think, was time. They didn’t feel like showing Tonks all sad and stuff.
Quote:
14. Lupin/Tonks, my favorite couple, but not in the movie! It was never firm they had a relationship. And it felt really weird that Tonks calls Lupin "sweetheart." In the book, Tonks' hair isn't a vibrant shade of pink and you know something is going on, but you think it's because she was morning Sirius. It's not until the end (in one of the BEST scenes of HBP, the Hospital scene), where you realize that they are in love and despite what has happened love can prevail in the most difficult of times. They have this chemistry and fire between one another and it just wasn't there. I am incredibly disappointed. And it's not until Dumbledore's funeral that you know if fact that they are going to be together.
Yes I agree.
Quote:
15. Dumbledore's Funeral - WHY?!?!? WHY?!?!? It's such a vital scene and would have made such a greater impact on the ending. It was weird enough with the all wands in the sky moment, but why didn't they add it. It shows what a great man he was and what he meant to the wizarding community. Also, he's the first Headmaster to ever have been buried there and with his wand! It doesn't just sit in his office. Not only doesn't it show what a tremendous wizard he was, but there were other elements to that chapter as well. I was expected to get maybe a little teary-eyes, but no. It was just not as dramatic that was necessary. It showed Tonks and Lupin were definitely a couple and led to their relationship would go further in DH. Also, the scene with Harry and Ginny was really really important. I guess it wouldn't be that relevant cause they didn't really go in depth with relationship in the movie, but it's just so moving that Harry says he has to leave her to protect her. It just would have been such a greater ending to the movie, rather than have the trio have their (now tradtional ending) moment alone.
I am hoping that maybe they will start with all these things in the first DH movie. Kinda like they did with the photo shoot stuff in the beginning of HBP. I missed all of these scenes too!