Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Review: Dark Memories

Is Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince worth watching?

Yes. Half-Blood Prince is the most visually striking film in the Harry Potter series and its most surprising blend of moods, a teenage romantic comedy shadowed by the approaching war. David Yates balances lighter school-year material with a steadily darkening story about Voldemort’s past, and the cast is in terrific form. The reservation is that it is more atmosphere than action: the long middle stretch focuses on crushes and potions, and viewers eager for spectacle may find it slow.

What is Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince about?

Voldemort’s return is now public knowledge, and his Death Eaters are spreading terror through both the wizarding and non-magical worlds. At Hogwarts, Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) begins private lessons with Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), using memories stored in his Pensieve to explore the early life of Tom Riddle, the boy who became Voldemort, in search of a weakness.

Key to their plan is Horace Slughorn (Jim Broadbent), a vain, well-connected former teacher whom Dumbledore coaxes back to Hogwarts. Meanwhile, Harry discovers an old potions textbook annotated by a mysterious “Half-Blood Prince”, which suddenly makes him a star in class, and the students’ romantic lives, especially those of Ron (Rupert Grint), Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ginny (Bonnie Wright), take up more and more of everyone’s attention. Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton), meanwhile, seems to be up to something.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is a British-American production in English, directed by Yates from J.K. Rowling’s sixth novel, and it runs 153 minutes.

The series’ most beautiful chapter

French cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel gives the film a look unlike any other entry: soft, desaturated, full of shadows and pale, golden light, as though the castle itself were fading into memory. The opening attack on London is a striking start, but the most memorable images are quieter, from candlelit corridors to the misty castle grounds. It is a film that looks the way its themes feel.

The memory sequences exploring the young Tom Riddle are chilling, especially in their portrait of a gifted, lonely child already drawn to power. They supply the series with its deepest look at what made its villain, and they set up the final films with real dramatic weight.

Teenage comedy with a sting

The surprise of Half-Blood Prince is how funny it is. Rupert Grint and Emma Watson are especially good as Ron and Hermione’s feelings get tangled up in jealousy and misunderstandings, and a sequence involving a love potion is one of the funniest scenes in the series. Jessie Cave’s clingy Lavender Brown is a comic delight.

Jim Broadbent is a wonderful addition as Slughorn, charming, self-regarding and haunted by something he would rather forget. Tom Felton finally gets a real dramatic arc as Draco, and his haunted, isolated performance is one of the film’s quiet strengths. Michael Gambon gives his best turn as Dumbledore, warmer and more vulnerable than before.

Where the balance tips

The film’s leisurely, character-focused approach will not suit everyone. At over two and a half hours, the romantic subplots sometimes crowd out the darker main story, and the Voldemort backstory, fascinating as it is, feels abridged compared with the book. Several threads are clearly setting up the final two films rather than resolving here, which gives the whole a slightly transitional feel. The climax is powerful, but those who prefer the tighter plotting of Prisoner of Azkaban may find this entry meandering.

Who should watch Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince?

It is essential for anyone watching the series in order, and particularly rewarding for teenagers who will recognise its awkward romances. It is not a starting point: it depends heavily on earlier films and leads directly into the finale. There is some frightening imagery and a few scenes of violence and peril, and its themes grow darker toward the end, so younger children may need a parent nearby.

Before and after this chapter:

• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the previous chapter, in which Yates first took the helm.
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, the next film, in which the war begins in earnest.

For more wizards, quests and magical worlds, browse our fantasy section.

The verdict

Half-Blood Prince is a gorgeous, bittersweet sixth chapter that balances adolescent comedy with growing dread, and its look and performances are among the best in the series. Its slow pace and transitional feel keep it from the very top tier, but it is a thoughtful, affecting bridge to the finale.

Rating: 4/5