"Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" - REVIEW

There is a continuous shot in "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince", the second in the series directed by David Yates, in which we see (from outside) the silhouettes of people cheering, past an empty room, and up to the top of the astronomy tower where Draco Malfoy stands glaring out into the night, that sums up the film perfectly. For while there is much to cheer and laugh about in this latest installment of the mega-franchise, there is also much to fear.

Even as love and awkward romances bloom at Hogwarts, there are reminders of the near-apocalyptic evil lurking in the near future. Such is the beauty of Yates' return to the directing chair. He has fashioned a perfect companion piece to "The Order of the Phoenix" (2007) that together make the best Potter film(s) by a mile. Where "Phoenix" showcased plenty of magic inside the halls of Hogwarts, "Prince" is stripped of almost all of it, and when the magic does show, it comes across with menace, instead of charm or wonder. And while a new cinematographer has been brought on board, the visuals and camera work are as gorgeous as ever. There are times when, quite appropriately, the screen almost looks as if it has faded to black and white, or in other cases, sepia. Though there are plenty of moments of levity, and indeed, "Prince" may just pack the most good laughs in the whole series, there are few, if any shots of bright sunny skies. The light that filters in through the arching windows of Hogwarts is pale and faded, reminding us of the ever present doom that threatens this little world. But most significantly, this is a film about the kids. "Phoenix" featured a compelling, visible adult antagonist in Professor Umbridge, but there is no such adult menace wandering the corridors of Hogwarts. The interaction with adults is limited, with only Dumbledore (Michael Gambon), Snape (Alan Rickman, perfect as always), and McGonagall (Maggie Smith). But even then, aside from Dumbledore, they never appear for lengthy amounts of time. It's almost all about the heroir trio of Harry, Ron , and Hermione as they battle not only the forces of evil, but raging hormones as well.

Now, on the issue of plot, "Half Blood Prince", much like the book, is something of the dark horse in the Potter canon. It was the only book in the series that I felt somewhat...strange as I read it, and despite the knock-out ending, as a whole it didn't leave me satisfied, because while it was NECESSARY to drive the plot to its final stage/s, it wasn't as enjoyable. Luckily, this problem is delightfully fixed by series screenwriter Steve Kloves, who has done a wonderful job of taking the exposition heavy book and turning it into something thrilling and enjoyable. Even the new Potions professor, Horace Slughorn (Jim Broadbent, perfectly cast), who I didn't care for at all in the book, makes more of an impact thanks to Broadbent's performance (however, I will have to disagree that Broadbent's work is the best in the whole series. That honor still belongs to Imelda Staunton as Umbridge in the last film).

However, unlike "Phoenix", "Prince" does have slightly more noticeable flaws, most strangely in the editing department. It's not the fault of the pacing, but merely some of the timing. The clearest example is a scene where Harry tries to get some information out of Slughorn. We see Slughorn refuse, and the next cut leads us to Slughorn looking through an opening in his office door telling Harry once again, that he won't talk to him on the matter. The timing suggests a sort of montage of Slughorn refusing to speak to Harry...but then that's it. Just those two close together cuts that mislead and then drop the train of thought. The next issue isn't as much of a flaw as it is an expectations problem. After the exciting, slick finale to "Phoenix", it's tempting to get excited for the end of "Prince", knowing what's to come. But of course, "Prince" doesn't end in such a way. It's finale is more methodical and less cinematic. The problem is that after all of the other marvelous changes, the film makes us want to believe that the tragic end will play out in a chase/duel rather than just a couple of loud flicks of a wand.

But even with its more noticeable flaws, "Prince" still soars high, even as it strips itself of magic to focus on characters. The production is stunning, the cast in fine form, and the ending, despite not reaching the power of the book, is hard to get out of your head. It's both a testament to Rowling's talent and the filmmakers'. Rowling created a wonderful, enchanting world for both kids and adults, and the cast and crew have brought it gorgeously to light. And much like the books, once "Half Blood Prince" ends, it's kind of hard to have to leave the world where you've been for the past few hours. Even in its darkest moments, Harry Potter's world, on page or on screen, is still a magical place to lose yourself in. And how lucky we are that this particular cinematic translation has done it so well.

Grade: A-