When it comes to theHarry Potterfranchise, everyone has his or her personal favorite movie. Perhaps it’s the international flavor ofGoblet of Fire, or the pitch-perfect time travel ofPrisoner of Azkaban. Rarely, though, does anyone single outHarry Potter and the Half-Blood Princeas top tierPotter, despite the fact that the sixth film in the eight-movie franchise is tremendously impressive for a number of reasons. It’s visually stunning, walks a tonal tightrope between comedy, romance, and tragedy, and perfectly transitions the franchise out of the Hogwarts-centric adventures and into the endgame stakes ofDeathly Hallows. Indeed,Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Princeis the most underratedHarry Pottermovie.
The structure ofJ.K. Rowling’s book series is such that we watch our main characters grow up in front of our eyes (both physically and emotionally), and that’s one of many aspects of the books that was translated perfectly to the big screen. The first two films are, in many ways, children’s movies, whileAlfonso Cuarón’sPrisoner of Azkaban(the best of thePotterfilms, all told) explores a world of raging hormones and changes afoot as the characters enter puberty.Goblet of Fireforces the characters to consider the larger world around them, andOrder of the Phoenixfinds Hogwarts students banding together to learn how to physically fight evil.
Half-Blood Prince, however, is in a tricky spot. The story still takes place at Hogwarts, but with Voldemort’s (Ralph Fiennes) return now publicly confirmed, it’s a much darker, much more dangerous school year than before. The final two films in the franchise, theDeathly Hallowstwo-parter, largely take place away from Hogwarts as the characters search for Voldemort’s horcruxes before one final, epic battle in and around the iconic school. WithHalf-Blood Prince, then, directorDavid Yatesoffers fans a number of “classic” Hogwarts scenes—Ron (Rupert Grint) trying out for the quidditch team, Slughorn’s (Jim Broadbent) potions class, various conversational scenes set in the Great Hall—while also confronting some of the dark, real-world consequences to come head on.
Indeed, it’s no coincidence thatHalf-Blood Princeopens with Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) on his own in London, flirting with a pretty waitress and setting up a date. His plans are upended by Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) because of course they are, but it’s striking to see Harry living life like a young adult, driving home the idea that these characters are being forced to grow up much faster than normal. Growing up and the loss of innocence are significant themes ofHalf-Blood Prince, and Yates captures them tremendously, from Draco’s (Tom Felton) tragic arc as he’s tasked with killing Dumbledore to the stirring scenes featuring young Tom Riddle.
To that end, another aspect of growing up is beginning to realize that your adult mentors aren’t infallible. The Harry/Dumbledore relationship grows far more complex this time around, with the two almost serving as equals in the visually stunning but emotionally wrenching cave sequence. These seeds—Dumbledore growing somehow more mysterious, Harry and Ginny’s relationship, Draco joining Team Voldemort—are essential for the franchise’sDeathly Hallowsfinale, but there’s an elegance to the way they’re handled and teased in this film that’s wildly impressive and refreshing.Iron Man 2this is not.
But beyond the thematic intrigue,Half-Blood Princeis also a marvel from a craft standpoint. It’s the only film in thePotterfranchise to be nominated for a Best Cinematography Oscar, with the legendaryBruno Delbonnelbringing a uniquely soft and almost dreamlike touch to the aesthetic. Delbonnel’s work is stunning, which is ironic considering he had alreadytwice turned down the opportunityto shoot aPottermovie, and even initially said “no” toHalf-Blood Princebefore a first-hand look atStuart Craig’s immaculate sets changed his mind. It’s a testament to Delbonnel’s work that six films in, you’ve never seen Hogwarts look quite like this. ComposerNicholas Hooper’s score, too, is tremendous, vascillating with grace between light romantic comedy and emotionally devastating tragedy (those chorals during Dumbledore’s death scene destroy me).
One of the reasons theHarry Potterfranchise has endured so strongly (aside from Rowling’s source material, obviously) is that each film feels at once unique and distinct while also a piece of a whole.Half-Blood Princefollows the same characters we’ve grown to love over the previous films, but takes them to new and challenging heights—a challenge to which the actors eagerly rise. And while the film transitions the characters from schoolchildren to young adults who must save the world from unspeakable evil (a transition that some fans may find unpleasant), it still finds time to beautifully linger in moments of love, of heartache, and friendship.Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Princeis a gorgeous, haunting film unlike any other in the franchise, and despite its somewhat under-the-radar status, it’s undoubtedly one of the series’ best.
