Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (PG)

RECOMMENDED 

In a word:  Lacking

Plot:  I'm assuming you have seen the other Harry Potter films.

In the sixth Harry Potter film, we find Harry learning about love, Tom Riddle and horcruxes.  The wizarding world has acknowledged that Voldemort is back, vindicating Harry and Dumbledore.  Dumbledore is re-installed as the headmaster of Hogwart's.  Snape is named Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher, while a new professor, Slughorn, takes over in Potions.  During his first Advanced Potions class, Harry finds a textbook that was previously owned by "The Half Blood Prince", who has made modifications and additions to the spells included.  With the help of this book, Harry quickly becomes top in his Potions class and a favorite of Professor Slughorn, who likes to 'collect' popular students.  This sits well with Dumbledore, who wants Harry to get on Slughorn's good side.  Dumbledore has amassed all of the memories concerning Voldemort/Tom Riddle and it seems as though one, very important, memory has been altered.  It is the memory of a crucial discussion between Riddle and Slughorn. Dumbledore wants Harry to find out what Slughorn is hiding.  Meanwhile, Ron gets a girlfriend, and it isn't Hermione (who doesn't take the news well).   Harry realizes how attractive Ginny Weasley is, much to Ron's dismay.  Draco Malfoy has been tasked by Voldemort with a very important deed - one which he isn't happy to do.

There's love potion, poisons, deadly curses and Quidditch galore.  Everything that makes Harry Potter great!

Thoughts (with Spoilers):  So, why am I not giving this a HIGH recommendation?  Well, put simply.  Where's the HALF BLOOD PRINCE?  He's in the title, but we get nothing of his story and the only mention of him (besides the potions textbook) is a throw-away line at the end of the movie.  Snape's story is cut completely.  This movie could easily have been 10 minutes longer and we could have had ONE of Snape's memories.  Something to explain why he is the Half Blood Prince.

This film also assumes you've read the book.  If not, some things are not going to make much sense - take for instance the Tonk/Lupin romance, which is reduced to one word "Sweetheart".

That being said, they did well with what they did put on the screen.  The three principle actors, in particular, are quite good in this movie.  Daniel Radcliffe is good as Harry.  Thankfully, someone told Emma Watson to stop acting with her eyebrows.  Rupert Grint steals every scene he is in (particularly the love potion scene).  I've always been a fan of Michael Gambon's Dumbledore.  I know quite a few fans loved Richard Harris, but I always thought he was too frail to be a powerful wizard.  I was happy when Gambon was chosen, and this movie shows why.  He is a great actor!  His Dumbledore will be missed.  Alan Rickman is given far to little to do as Snape (see above), but when he's on the screen, he dominates (and it's nice that they washed his wig!). Tom Felton is finally given something to do as Draco Malfoy and he doesn't dissapoint (though he looks far to old to be in high school).  Unfortunately, most of the other characters are nothing more than cameos.  Which is why I always recommend reading the books.  While the movies do well with what they put on the screen - this world is so dense with wonderful characters it's a shame they have to be cut.

If you liked this try:  The other Harry Potter films; The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe; Neverwhere