Originally Posted by unicornkeeper07

If you haven't seen the movie, then perhaps you should stop reading at this point--

However, if you have given up on the movies, like I should have after Prisoner of Azkaban, then by all means keep on reading. Here's my rant on why I didn't like the movie so much--

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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:

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.

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.

This is just a few of the many problems wrong with the movie, but I thought I would share. I'm sure I will think of more the more I dwell on it. I was incredibly disappointed, but I guess that should have been expected. I'm going to go and read all the books to redeem Harry Potter and truly remind me of why I love it so much! I hope you enjoyed my little rant, whether you agree with it or not. I just had to get a few things off my chest!

Final rating: 2 out of 5. It was slightly better than OotP. And that says something.

1) I'll start it off with this - Draco's increased role/Tom Felton's acting. He was brilliant, honestly. He was always a good Draco, but this movie/book gives us as an audience to really see him as more than just an arrogant bully. Tom portrayed Draco's struggle beautifully, not so much in words, just in his facial expressions and body language, which is always essential to be a good actor/actress, imo.
2) Quidditch! Oh, how I loved seeing Quidditch again! I understand why it was cut from some of the other films of course, and perhaps that's why I enjoyed these scenes so much. Loved how clumsy Ron was compared to Cormac McLaggen and how he was acting during the game when he thought he drank Felix Felicis. Very funny Which brings me to my next point...
3) The entire part where Harry drinks Felix Felicis. Dan's acting just cracked me up in some places (like his super happy "Hi!" to the people coming in the portrait hole), and when he was talking Slughorn into giving him the memory, it was very solemn and serious, which I liked. Also, I don't remember if it was in the book, I loved the story of Lily's gift to Slughorn, the lily petal that transformed into a fish, and how the fish disappeared when she died. I thought that was very touching and sad.
4) The horcrux cave scene. The first and second times I watched this, I thought the scene was okay. I liked it well enough, but there was nothing super exceptional about it (save for the part where Dumbledore's controlling all that fire, that's pretty epic there), and while Michael Gambon's acting was excellent, I had been hoping for more of the pleas of "No, leave them alone, hurt me," referring to his memory of the fight with Grindelwald, Aberforth, and then Ariana getting in the way. I think this last time, though, I caught a few sentences along these lines, so I like it a bit more now. Not my favorite scene but good enough to get on my good list.
5) Dumbledore's death scene. Again, fantastic acting by Tom Felton, as well as the others in the scene. Just really, really brilliant and I still sometimes find my jaw dropping when Snape suddenly kills Dumbledore
6) The scene at the foot of the Astronomy Tower where the students and professors raised their wands to destroy the Dark Mark. I didn't like this scene the first time I watched it, but now, I think it's just beautiful. I teared up a bit last night, looking at all the anguish and grief on the students' and professors' faces when they found their Headmaster dead. And the lovely music that plays...gosh. Just a really moving, heart-breaking scene.
7) The end scene with the trio. I dunno why I like it so much, I just do. I guess it's just a nice way to end the movie if we can't have Dumbledore's funeral.
8) The brief scene between Snape and Dumbledore where Snape is suggesting that he doesn't want to do it [i.e. kill Dumbledore]. No one would know that was what he was referring to if they haven't read the seventh book, and I can't remember if this was included in HBP, but I quite liked it. It was a nice little treat for someone like me who loves The Prince's Tale chapter, and it gives me lots of hope that they'll do justice to that part in DH.

1) The memories that we did get to see in the movie, I thought they were really well done. The young Tom was brilliant, and even though the sixteen-year-old Tom wasn't the same as the one in CoS, I really liked him.
2) Some of the writing wasn't so good, imo. Most of it was alright honestly, but some lines I just cringed at (many of them belonged to Ginny, and because of this I found her even more annoying in the movie than in the books, which is pretty bad).
3) The rather unnoticeable inclusion of Dumbledore's blackened hand and Marvolo Gaunt's ring. I honestly did not notice either of these (even though Dumbledore says something about his hand at the beginning) until my second viewing, which isn't good considering how important those things are, and I was furious after I watched it the first time because I thought they weren't included. I'm glad they were, now that I've noticed them, but they could've done something to give them a little more prominence (mainly Dumbledore's hand, it wasn't as black/dead-looking as I imagined it).

1) The beginning. I didn't so much mind the opening with all those reporters taking photos of Harry and Dumbledore. I don't even mind showing the bridge collapsing. What I did not like, however, was the really weird scene with Harry flirting with that waitress, no Dursleys, and the lack of showing Rufus Scrimgeour as the new Minister of Magic. I know he's there in the seventh movie, but I would've liked introducing him as the new Minister to the audience, mainly for those who don't read the books. These aren't really horrible changes, but they do annoy me slightly - mainly the flirting scene. It just...seems weird to me.
2) The overemphasis on romance - mainly H/G and Ginny herself. Honestly, I've never been a fan of H/G as a ship, nor of Ginny herself, in the books. But the movie romance compared to the book romance made the book one suddenly appear to have an actual, fantastic build-up. It doesn't, imo, but that's the way it seemed when compared to the movie. Most of this, I think, has to do with the lines Ginny was given, but in general it was just really awkward, especially the Room of Requirement scene (which will be my next point). Also, though I think it was the point in both the book and movie, Lavender really, really annoyed me And in general I think the movie was focused too much on the romance aspect of the book, where that time could've been used to show more important scenes like showing the Gaunts and Tom Riddle Sr.
3) The entire Room of Requirement scene. I don't simply dislike this scene because of the H/G kiss. I dislike it because since Harry didn't hide the book himself (which I think they should've stuck to, with Snape giving him detention and wanting to see the book because he knows Harry has his old Potions book), how on earth is he supposed to know/realize that the diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw is in there? Oi.
4) The Burrow being attacked/set on fire by Death Eaters. I've never liked this scene and I don't think I ever will. What was the point of it? I really want to know. The only potentially redeeming factor is that Lupin and Tonks are finally shown, but they have so few lines and still lack a true recognition of the tension in their relationship that even they can't redeem this scene for me.