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- DVD: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2-Disc Special Edition)
- Rating: PG
- Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman
- Written By: Steven Kloves
- Directed By: David Yates
- Distributor: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment
- Original Year of Release: 2009
- Extras: See Below
- Series:
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Two-Disc Special Edition DVD Review
Harry and Dumbledore Unlock the Clues to Voldemort By
Tim Janson
December 24, 2009
Michael Gambon in Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince(2009).
© Warner Bros. Home Entertainment
The Harry Potter film series continues to evolve and grow with each new entry. What began as a whimsical, modern day Wizard of Oz, has definitely taken a turn for the dark and moody in the last couple of films. This is evident not only in the plot and tone of the film, but in every aspect imaginable. The cinematography dispenses with the lush, vibrant colors of the early films in favor of washed out shades of gray and blue. This tone casts a pall over the students at Hogwarts as the new year begins with the school under tight security at the existence of Voldemort has finally been acknowledged by the wizard community has a whole. The magic-filled corridors of Hogwarts are now gloomy and near empty, like a dilapidated gothic cathedral.
Dumbledore recruits old friend Horace Slughorn (Jim Broadbent) to return to Hogwarts to teach the potions class but he has an ulterior motive. He wants harry to get close to Slughorn in order to unlock a secret memory that he has hidden away that could reveal a way to thwart Voldemort’s plans. Harry becomes the top student in class, aided by the text book belonging to the mysterious “Half-Blood Prince” whose notes allow Harry to create perfect potions and endear himself to Slughorn, the same way Tom Riddle, AKA Voldemort, did many years earlier.
While not having the action of some of the earlier films, “Half-Blood” does provide a fair deal of exposition. Through flashbacks we see Deumbledore’s first meeting with Tom Riddle as a child, very gifted but also showing some disturbing signs. We also see Riddle as a teen, already falling under the influence of dark magic and it is this memory that Slughorn has hidden away.
Director David Yates scales back the cast significantly. Characters like Hagrid, the older Weasley brothers, Neville, and Professor McGonagall essentially have cameo roles and the film largely concentrates on the core characters of Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Dumbledore. While Ron has a new, and obnoxiously possessive new girlfriend, he’s oblivious to Hermione’s affections. Harry and Ginny continue to grow closer although Harry is concerned with putting her in harm’s way. Snape is back with a larger role and he is more ominous and mysterious than ever. It was great to see Michael Gambon get so much screen time as Dumbledore. Dumbledore isn’t here this time to just offer Harry some sage advice. He takes a very major role in the pursuit of Voldemort’s plans.
Draco is another character who sees significant development. Harry knows he’s up to no good and has allied himself with the Death Eaters. and yet Draco does not seem fully invested in his role as Voldemort’s ally and the haughtiness of his character gives way to insecurity in the film’s climactic scene.
The one weakness of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is that it comes off as one long prequel to the two-part Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows that will conclude the series. There isn’t a sense of finality in this chapter although it certainly whets the viewer’s appetites for the next film.
Extras
The two-disc Special Edition DVD comes with a host of extra:
Close-Up with the Cast and Crew of Harry Potter (28:30): Hosts Matthew Lewis (“Neville Longbottom”) and Alfred Enoch (“Dean Thomas”) provide a look at various aspects of the film’s production, each featuring a member of the cast including Daniel Radcliffe on editing, Rupert Grint on Stunts, and Emma Watson on Makeup
J.K. Rowling: A Year in the Life(49:32): A fascinating and intimate look into the life of J.K. Rowling over the last year of writing “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.”
One Minute Drills (6:43): The main cast members are asked to describe their character’s personality, history, relationships over the course of all six films in 60 seconds.
What's On Your Mind (6:41): Hosted by Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy, the cast is put on the spot when asked a series of rapid-fire questions on their likes and dislikes such as favorite foods, sports, celebrity they’d like to meet, etc…
Universal's The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Sneak Peek (11:38): Get an “inside look” at the amazing world of magic and excitement being created at Universal Orlando Resort in Florida
Additional Scenes (6:31)
First Look at Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (1:30)
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As always, the book is better than the movie, but this adaptation was pretty darn good. The extras are satisfying, including a look at the next movie. I caught the first movie on cable the other week and it's funny to see how much they've grown.