“BRIDGES THE GAP”
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman, Tom Felton, Bonnie Wright, Jim Broadbent and Jessie Cave
Directed by: David Yates
Rated PG for scary images, some violence, language and mild sensuality.
Genre: Fantasy, Drama
By John Delia
Mystical, mushy and meager is the best way to describe the movie version of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the sixth in a series of seven books by J.K. Rowling. Not your ordinary kid friendly film, but more of an updated drama filled with romance, some adventure and sinister machinations.
I liked the film for it’s continuing storyline, but I really don’t feel the bookworms will appreciate the gloomy movie that director Yates brings to the screen. That said however, I’m sure that due to Harry Potter’s high ranking among the teens of America, it will be one of the biggest box office grabbers this year.
It has been two years since the last installment so you may want to brush up on the past 5 releases as it will help in identifying the characters, the continuing plot and the age progression of the main three characters, Harry (Radcliffe), Ron (Grint) and Hermione (Watson). Over the years the three have stuck together and shared many adventures at Hogwarts during which they have banded together in an attempt to destroy Voldemort, the dark lord. It will be helpful if you know why they are trying to destroy him and the power of the dastardly wizard.
In this episode in the life of Harry Potter he’s starting his sixth year at Hogwarts School of Wizardry, but before he does, he gets whisked away by Dumbledore (Gambon) to a strange meeting where they recruit former Potions Professor, Horace Slughorn (Broadbent). Slughorn has vital information that will unlock the defenses of the dark lord Voldemort.
Harry, Ron and Hermione finally get to Hogwarts following an attack by the Death Eaters and settle in with their fellow students. But there is a devious plot afoot, presumably set up by Severus Snape (Rickman), Bellatrix Lestrange (Bonham Carter) and involving Harry’s arch student nemeses Draco Malfoy (Felton). When Harry starts to investigate the matter, he finds himself the possible target of the evil plan.
The dark, yet dashing storyline takes on new twists with love taking center stage concerning several characters including Harry, Ron, Hermione, Lavender Brown (Cave), Ginny Weasley (Wright) and others. If you didn’t know this was a Harry Potter movie, you would think we were watching a soap opera. Here, I feel Yates takes up too much film footage and dumbs down several of the characters that are the core of the series. Making Ron the buffoon for a comedy angle does soften the dark plot somewhat, but it’s too obvious a ploy.
The film also lacks the adventure that was present in all previous segments of the series. Tying up loose ends from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and setting up the next book Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, the film looses most of the luster it built over 8 years. Sure there is some great CGI embellished scenes, especially the attack in the water filled cave where Dumbledore extracts one of the major plot keys. Other high points include an attack on London by the Death Eaters and a duel between Malfoy and Harry. But beyond these scenes the excitement dies and a drama takes over most of the two and a half hour film.
The stars of the film however are two newcomers who play Tom Riddle (young Voldemort) at ages 11 and 16 that show his transition to evil. Hero Fiennes Tiffin plays the younger reminding me of Jonathan Scott Taylor in Damien: Omen II while Frank Dillane as the older character shows his wickedness in a chilling scene involving Slughorn. Brilliant casting of the Riddles here saves the dark picture from being just an ordinary film to a possible memorable one.
The film is rated PG for scary images, some violence, language and mild sensuality so take this in consideration when bringing the very young. However, the romantic romp woven into the storyline will probably put them to sleep anyway.
FINAL ANALYSIS: A good bridge to the next Harry Potter film. (4 of 5 Palm Trees)