Certification. 12A
Running Time. 2 hours 33 mins
Director. David Yates
Cast. Jim Broadbent, Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Rupert Grint, Daniel Radcliffe, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, Emma Watson, Bonnie Wright.
Rating. 76%
I believe one of the reasons the Harry Potter franchise has endured [aside from J.K. Rowling's wonderful source material, and the legions of adoring, ardent zealots inspired by the books] is that each film both feels at once unique and distinct, while also a piece of a whole.
In Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince, the audience see the main characters transition from wide-eyed schoolchildren into young adults. Young adults who must save the world from an ominous, unspeakable evil. Yet Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince still finds time to linger in moments of love, of heartache, and friendship. This film is about the year in which Harry, Hermione and Ron discover romance as something to be embraced rather than embarrassed by.
We are thrust into a world that has finally accepted the return of Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes). The danger, as it does from film to film, has increased exponentially, and the secret to defeating Lord Voldemort and his ever-growing army of Death Eaters in the impending and inevitable final confrontation may just exist in a forgotten memory.
Once again, the film turns down its colour palette to match the tone of the storyline, looking rather gloomy and sombre throughout. And at times, the final third of the film feels like it has been shot in monochrome. In particular, the adaptation of the cave scene is genuinely thrilling. When silence falls in the cave, after Professor Dumbledore consumes the last mouthful of the potion that houses the Horcrux, the audience ready themselves for the inevitable jump scare.
It is no surprise that Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince received an Academy Award nomination for cinematography - the only film in the series to do so. Acclaimed French cinematographer, Bruno Delbonnel brings a uniquely soft and almost dream-like touch to the aesthetic, and it's a testament to his work that six films in, you've never seen Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry look quite like this before.
Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince is the year in which each character finally comes into their own and in a welcome change of pace from the dynamic set pieces of the previous two films, we're offered a surprisingly intimate film. Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince is largely character-driven and a significant portion of the film is devoted to the development of characters we've grown to love.
In a sense, Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince is the inevitable quiet before the storm, setting up the audience for the epic confrontation still to come.
Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince is a gorgeous, brooding film unlike any other in the franchise. It walks a tonal tightrope between comedy, romance, and tragedy, and despite its somewhat under-the-radar status, is undoubtedly one of the best in the series.
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