HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF HEARTED DRACO MALFOY. (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (DVD))

Member Name: saramac

Product:	Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (DVD)
Date:	03/08/09 (75 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Its not all dark theres some splashes of colour and humour.

Disadvantages: Draco Malfoy fading in character.

Last night I had a date with Harry Potter and wasn't disappointed.
After hearing how "dark" it was and it's just leading up to the next two film's I wondered if Harry was going to let me down for the first time, needless to say he didn't and my son and other half enjoyed it too.

Character's~
~~~~~~~

It's the sixth year at Hogwart's and all the usual suspect's are back~

Daniel Radcliffe~ Harry Potter
Rupert Grint~ Ron Weasley
Emma Watson~ Hermione Grainger
Tom Felton~ Draco Malfoy
Bonnie Wright~ Ginny Weasley
Jessie Cave~ Lavender Brown
Michael Gambon~ Albus Dumbledore
Maggie Smith~ Minerva McGonagall
Robbie Coltrane~ Hagrid
Jim Broadbent~ Horace Slughorn
Helena Bonham Carter~ Bellatrix Lestrange
Alan Rickman~ Severus Snape

The Film~
~~~~~

Released~ 15/07/2009
Running Time~ 153 mins
Director~ David Yates.
Classification~ 12A

Here's my opinion of the film. I wouldn't class it as "dark" as such, more "dramatic" and the use of lot's of black, white and grey photography does give it a mysterious feel.


The enormous doses of "hormones" constantly flying around ligthens the atmosphere and gives a dose of reality to the teenagers.
We have Lavender Brown constantly trying to attract Ron's dopey attention with Hermione seething in the background .She in turn is pursued by an unwanted suitor.
Harry has to sit and watch with jealousy in his eye's as Ginny get's to grips with her boyfriend.


We are treated amidst the gloom to some wonderful snow covered shot's of scenery and the breath taking hills, which again keep's the darkside at bay.
The scene's in the dining hall with all the candles look fantastic and I Love the welcome feeling that we are once again invited guests to Hogwart's.


On the whole the story flows well but there were a couple of scenes where I felt we jumped from one place to another without enough explanation at least twice we were suddenly "having a memory round the font in Dumbledore's office with Harry", in the previous films everything seemed to be explained fully and we were never left wondering.....


My biggest disappointment was Draco The Drip Malfoy, what happened?
In the other film's I have alway's found him such a threat to Harry and quite often squirmed when they came up against each other, hardly daring to watch. This time he spent most of the film"lurking" in dark corridor's and rooms looking thoughtful and pained, gone had the evil sneer he so professionally used in the past, replaced by a look of discomfort almost fear
(maybe he was constipated?)


The only sign of the "Malfoy of old" (whom I disliked immensely) was on the train where he almost disposed of Harry, if it hadn't have been for the intervention of Luna Lovegood ,Harry would be gone. Maybe this drained Malfoy sooo much he failed to recover.
Even in the obligatory "wand fight scene" as always staged in the bathroom with the floor flooded with water, I hardly batted an eyelid, so confident was I that Harry would win.


Severus Snape didn't fail me he was his usual dark, brooding, sneaky, unemotional self, protecting Malfoy whenever needed and popping up to stop Harry in his tracks.


Bellatrix Lestrange took the attention I usually devote to Malfoy and I will always hold it against her for destroying the dining room and smashing the windows, she was full of wicked energy, pure evil and would stop at nothing to achieve her aim, no one would be allowed to stand in her way.


The Death Eaters I didn't fear anymore, they looked "weird" almost wolf/man like, in the previous films I found them very creepy and at times hard to watch.


Horace Slughorn the new/old potion's master was a likeable character and I found myself feeling sorry for him at times when he was wrestling with his conscience. I felt a very intelligent, but "bumbling" sort of character, easily confused and gentle natured.


Hagrid was present but didn't really play a large part.


Minerva McGonagall was her loveable self keeping an ever watchful eye on the troublesome trio. She had aged quite alot to me facially.


Dumbledore as ever had a large part to play alongside his favourite pupil Harry.


Of course a Quidditch Match featured with the usual highs and lows I particularly Love the flying scenes the sense of freedom you get on jumping aboard your broom and whizzing off skyward (must dust mine off, remember a broom's not just for Halloween). Lovely to see Ron prove himself for once and take a look at Luna Lovegoods hat its GRRRRRREAT.......


So there we have it, Im not going to retell the whole story and Im sure theres a fair few reviews for you to have a look through, this is mearly my opinion of the film as a whole.


None of the films have matched the "pure innocent magic" of the first for us especially as we knew nothing about it when we took our children to see it and both myself and my other half sat transfixed throughout the whole film not wanting it to end. My other half doesn't read books, but, he went home that night and started reading his way through the set. We have enjoyed each one in its own right.


I can only award 4 stars because I am sooo let down by Half Hearted Malfoy.

Thanks for reading my review.

Summary: Another adventure with Harry, Ron, Hermione and Friends.