So last night I went to the 12:01am showing of “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.” It’s been a long time since I read the book, and I did not re-read it prior to the film. Therefore I can’t really make too many comparisons. I know I’ll be seeing it again with John, so I might re-read before that (but I doubt it, I’ll probably just watch “Order” again).
First up, a very good movie of course. I don’t think I haven’t liked any of the Potter movies. Of course with these longer books, the problem comes with what they have to cut out to fit everything in. In comparison to “Order,” I think this one was much truer to the book (again from what I remember). Not that “Order” wasn’t, but a lot had to be cut, and a lot of what was cut was actually important. There are, from what I recall, some major omissions in this book to movie as well. For example the importance of Voldermort’s mother’s ring and Dumbledore’s hand/health is only just mentioned. Again I can’t remember how much this book went into what the ring did, I think that was a memory in the final book. Snape and Dumbledore’s “conversations” were severely cut short as well. Probably the major omission, which is kinda stupid given the title, is the importance of the potions book and the Half-Blood Prince. There is no build up or mystery as to who he is as there was in the book. In fact watching the movie you basically forget it’s important until the crummy reveal at the end. Speaking of the end, Dumbledore doesn’t get a funeral in the movie. What what what! Though come to think of it, they’ve screwed up the ends for a lot of the films lately.
After seeing this film though, it’s clear WHY they had to split the final book into 2 movies. One clearly will deal with finding the Horcruxes, the 2nd with the major and final battle. For example the pendant at the end of the movie that Dumbledore and Harry fought for, that RAB already got . . . well the clues to where it is and who has it was not even in “Order,” so when they have to find it in the next movie . . . well if you didn’t read the books . . . The same goes for the back story between Snape and Potter’s parents, which was cut out of “Order” and is very important in the final installment.
The one thing that the movie unfortunately did horrendously was the love story between Harry and Ginnie. Oh lord, I’m not going to give anything away, but what seemed sweet and innocent in the book seems to be made dirty by little sexual innuendos in the film. We were groaning because of them, and we weren’t alone. Don’t be shocked either if you see various conservative and family groups panning this film because of that (instead of the usual witchcraft crapola).
Nice posting buddy…. yes you are right in the last paragraph about harry and ginnie’s sexual innuendos in the film. most of the fans of harry potter’s books are kids so they should not include this kinda stuff in movie! i dont even liked that kissing scene in harry potter and order of the phoenix! but all n all harry potter is one of the best book and movie i ever had.
thanks for your post buddy…
Going to see it at sewven tonight along with best friend’s 8 year old grandson who knows the books by heart!!! Thanks for the info on the sexual innuendos—I’ll be prepared for his comments. He’ll aks me not Grandma!
Sounds as if some important background information has been cast aside. The IMAX isn’t showing the movie until the end of the month, so I think I’ll re-read the book after tonight’s viewing.
Thanks for your opinion!
I just got back from watching the movie and I think it was a horrible let down. They managed to mess up the beginning to the end. Omitting chapters at a time and adding a scene with the Weasley’s home that wasn’t even in the book? Excuse me but the last time I checked this was supposed to be BASED on the book, not just share the same title. The “romance” in the movie between Harry and Ginny was absolutely nothing like it was in the book, like the original poster on this blog stated the importance of the mystery behind the Half Blood Prince was underplayed to the point of disgust for me. What should have been the highlight of the movie with lots of action ended up being rather drab and boring with no action at all, ahem, the ending battle between the death eaters and Harry’s crew which was, for some reason, not included in the movie.
And then there’s Dumbledore’s funeral? No funeral? What?!?!!? That was the end of the movie, Harry’s realization of what must happen now. In my opinion this movie is a complete disaster. Damn near nothing like the book, my advice, don’t go see the movie with your friends, instead, stay home and read the book. You’ll get more entertainment than seeing the movie >:(((
I too just got back from the show and also believe it was a horrible let down just not at all what I expected some one needs to go smack the director make the movies three hours long. lord of the rings was. Can you say re-do?
i just saw the movie. there were definitely more cons than pros.
pros: lavender and ron’s relationship was well done, whoever played lavender did a great job. also, slughorn’s party was quite funny, and not too suggestive, unlike the dinner.
cons: there was inconsistency not only from the books, but from the other movies. the burrow looked different and had a new location, the pensive looked entirely different. the actor who plays dumbledore (forgot his name) is usually pretty awful and channeling dumbledores attitude, but this time he was atrocious. there were also unnecessary scenes put in the place of scenes that were vital. for example, the scene with the waitress made me cringe, and it was pointless except to point out that harry’s growing up, which we could have figured out ourselves, thanks. i would have preferred to see dumbledore’s funeral. the director of this film said that he didnt want to do the battle scene because he didnt want it to be repetetive in the 7th book when there was yet another battle at hogwarts. in spite of this i should think they would have the brains to put dumbledores funeral in-it would be a monumental ending to the book. and, as someone stated before me, harry and ginny’s relationship was represented awfully. there were too many “intense” scenes that just seemed awkward, and the kiss was awful. just awful. i would have liked to see them actually become a couple in the books, seeing as she does become his wife, you know. thats kind of important. i think the relationship could have been cute rather than embarrassing if they had been a couple, because they could have had some funny scenes with her harry and ron. overall, i was dissappointed in the lack of action. i am a 14 year old girl, and even i thought there was WAY too much romance and “comedy”, a lot of which didn’t work, and not enough action. the scene at the burrow was ok, it was good to have some action i suppose, but getting ron into the fight would have been good, and burning down the burrow was, again, pointless. there should have been less romance, more action, and they should have been more evenly spread out among the movie. after four scenes in a row of “romantic comedy”, i have to admit, i was begging for some relief.
whoops! i said “monumental ending to the book”. i meant movie!
I agree i was really dissapointed with the movie! there was deffinatly not enough action and it was kind of boring. and the guy who played the teenage voldemort looked totally different than the one in the chamber of secrets, (he looked ugly). overall the movie was horrible
I saw the movie yesterday and it was HORRIBLE!!! I havent read the book but I can tell that there were alot of unanswered questions…This movie was more focused on the love between Hermoine and Ronald and Harry and Ginnie than the actual Half blooded prince. In the very begining of the movie you learn that Snake is the bad guy and not till the very end with one line do you learn he is the half blooded prince. The real action didnt come till the last 20 minutes of the movie. I was stoked to see this movie but IT SUCKED. But I do have to say that Helena Bonham Carter was great in the movie
I took my son to see this movie the other day and we loved it, My son is only 8 so he came into the HP a little late but he has loved them all so much he has started reading all the books.
July 26 – very early am.
I saw HP this evening (Saturday) and I was surprised at how much time they gave Bellatrix Lestrange throughout the movie. She does not appear in the text very much at all. And why did they have that entire sequence at the Burrow – with the wand fight and the destruction of the Burrow – WHEN – the Burrow plays a pivotal role in the beginning of the next book? Do they rebuild it now like it was?
I was disappointed with the film entirely. I will write it up tomorrow on my blog. They did leave out a good deal of text and I think they placed emphasis on things that were no so important in the book to the story line. Like they say, you can’t put everything from a book into a 2 hour block of time. I hope they don’t add scenes that weren’t in the final book like they did on this one.
They have already too much story to tell – and they better get the last film right – or it will have been a waste of effort.
Jeremy
HP6 3D. What a rip-off. I don’t know about the rest of you, but if you paid money to see the half-blood prince in 3D, then you probably felt cheated as well. They let you see all the previews in 3D and then the first 20 minutes are awesome. once Harry arrives at the Burrow, that’s it. no more 3D for the rest of the entire movie. WHAT THE @#$^. I paid money to see the movie in 3D, not just 20 minutes. At least during some of the action scenes, let us put the glasses back on. the movie was ok, but it sucked when i was expecting to see the movie in 3D from start to finish. if they are going to advertise a movie in 3D, I say DO THE WHOLE STICKIN’ THING!!!
THE FILM WAS LAME AND LEFT A LOT TO BE DESIRED. I READ THE BOOKS AND HAVE PURCHASED ALL PREVIOUS DVD’S. I WILL NOT BUY THIS ONE. THE MOVIE LACKS ACTION, AND I FELT IT WAS PLAYED DOWN FOR A BETTER PG RATING. THIS LEFT ME EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED.
YATES FAILED US BIG TIME.