By Alison R., Teen Portal Staff Writer
Considering the fifth movie’s comparatively uplifting ending, the sixth one begins in a much darker tone: A flashback to the end of the last movie, Dumbledore guiding Harry through the atrium of the Ministry of Magic headquarters, surrounded by the suddenly-worshipful press and in shock over Sirius’ death. It sets the tone of the sixth movie perfectly.
In the film version of “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” the world has both shrunk and warped. In the face of outright attacks, the wizarding world has retreated to the fear and suspicion of the pre-Harry Potter days. The Order of the Phoenix appears in a single scene, while the Ministry exists in retrospect only. The tone is, if possible, darker than it was in the previous movie while at the same time appearing to harbor even more humor.
This is accomplished by the paradox of the setting at Hogwarts: The world outside may be more dangerous, but life inside is almost more carefree than normal – until evil strikes. And when it does is most often right in the middle of the fun. It is visually comparable to the scene where Harry and friends exit the joke shop run by Fred and George and we are able to appreciate the desolation of Diagon Alley surrounding it all the more. These changes are so abrupt and extreme that the effect is comparable to watching the mind of a bipolar person in fast-forward, only that BD doesn’t change a person’s emotions from dark terror to gasping hilarity. One of the funniest scenes of the entire movie is over for only moments before it twists into one of the most heart-stopping parts of the film. The scene then skips into a girlfight right in front of the school’s head staff, highlighting another artful but slightly uncomfortable aspect of the movie, the mixing of plotlines.
Though in fact more realistic, these effects add a sense of surreality to the film. This is aided by the sheer incredulity of some events, which, if you are rusty on your Pottermania, will make you doubt their loyalty to the book. In fact, the film remains quite true to the happenings that did make it onscreen, with few major changes and well-adapted minor ones, even keeping much of the original dialogue, though the ordering is suspect. But incredulous they remain, along with some awkward moments with Dumbledore and some simply weird coincidences. Other effects, such as continuing dialogue audio from the end of one scene into the beginning of the next and using the same constant sound effects for different purposes through a scene change add a more subtle sense of the uncertainty between reality and dreams in this world shattered by Voldemort’s return to power where the general mindset has not yet moved past disbelief.
The movie has three separate story lines, the most central one being Harry’s steps toward fighting Voldemort, whether in following Malfoy, wooing Slughorn or traveling in real life or through memories with Dumbledore. It blends well into the first subplot, that of Hogwart’s social life, meaning mostly its love life, both the school’s general backdrop and the film’s main source of comic relief. The second subplot stands apart, though, and that is of Malfoy’s painfully slow descent as his struggle to complete his mission for Voldemort consumes his childhood. He is the continuous dark streak throughout the entire film, connected to all the events that remind Hogwarts of the dangers beyond its walls, and appearing at the most unexpected of moments and in great contrast to the carefree world around him.
In fact, there were many masterful characterizations in this in film; this installment comprised some of the best acting the series has seen yet. In addition to Luna being Luna, we get to see more of Bellatrix Lestrange, who always looks slightly under the influence of something but no less deadly for it, and the new Lavender Brown (played by Jessie Cave) who involves most of the love live action and does so with hilarity. Speaking of hilarity, Harry and Ron both have a scene involving temporary character change by magical inducement, Ron under the effects of love potion and Harry on Felix Felicis, which is rather like seeing both of them on drugs. Both Hermione and Harry have scenes of bittersweetness, while Ginny, for her part, spends half the movie trying to kiss Harry while not also following him into, or helping him out of, danger.
The first movie in three to share a director with another in the series, the film blends well with the fifth and continues David Yates’ style. The cinematography is excellent, or, if you disagree, at least a nice break from the rote, trite style of many films similar in theme. The music, composed by Nicholas Hooper, announces danger less often and never goes above the actual intensity of the plot (though the prolonged heartbeat simulation at the beginning is quite nerve-wracking); it also appears at poignant moments and even brings attention to scenes where other directors would have placed dark music, instead bringing forth the humanity of this soon-to-be-epic conflict. Yates is not afraid to omit information he deems unnecessary, be it events, logistics or background information. This allows him to focus on the essentials, but it’s at least slightly confusing even for the Potter film veterans, and I suggest that all newcomers at least read a plot summary of the book (or of the movie itself, if they really must). You have to keep track of things in your head as you go along, because Yates doesn’t give concessions lightly.
Then again, the film is practically overflowing with foreshadowing, setup and symbolism, goodies that Potter fans will gobble up. Many of the beautiful moments in the film involve symbolism, others foreshadowing. My favorites are Malfoy’s trials with the two birds, the parallels between Harry and the young Riddle, the burial scene followed by Harry’s conversation with Slughorn, and the school’s last service to Dumbledore. But plenty of the foreshadowing also belongs with the setup for the next two films, which readers of the seventh book will enjoy picking out, though they may be distressed by the absence of some essential events present in the book.
There are some other slight problems with the film, though most are only noticeable in conjunction with the others. The faces of several characters have changed, including those of Pansy Parkinson, Lavender Brown and the Patil twins, as well as the young Tom Riddle, who does not resemble his first teenaged representation at all, though who matches his child representation quite strikingly. There is also Ginny’s behavior, which is a bit intense for not having been as foreshadowed onscreen as on the page.
Overall, though, the glitches take away hardly anything from the film. With such superb and enjoyable acting, directing and cinematography, I consider it at least as good a film as the fifth, if not the best of the whole set.
