Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

World famous wizard Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), now in the throes of tabloid fame, must once again return to Hogwarts for his sixth term. His mission: to befriend an eccentric professor (Jim Broadbent) an extract from him a long lost memory that the ailing Professor Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) feels might finally uncover the secrets to Lord Voldemort’s true plans. In its sixth outing, the Harry Potter franchise remains very respectably in dark territory, terrain grisly enough that one imagines only such a built-in audience behemoth could possibly get away with it on such a large platform. The story grows graver, more intense and rightfully so, as the series ripens into a mature epic fantasy from the early seeds of middling kid fluff. In the summer of Transformers, Potter stands as a remarkably rich, human, and briefly warm and funny alternative to the passing crowd pleasers whose hold will no doubt wan and whose legacy will likely be nil.

It’s that respect for the endeavor itself and its creators which makes it so disappointing for me to note that Half-Blood Prince, though successfully in line with preceding films in terms of mood and tone, is something of a minor blip on the Potter radar. It sets up so much and covers so much ground that at film’s end you wonder if you’ve really just watched a preface to a subsequent feature. It’s not entirely the film’s fault. The sixth book of the J.K. Rowling series has several truly powerful moments but under close inspection is an awful lot like a big tease for what is to come, a masterful setup that works best with the understanding that better things will follow.

The talented cast, most particularly the core trio of Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint, keep the integrity of the characters at the forefront even when the plot feels forced or strangely adapted. A wash of contrived 90210-ish romances (adapted from the novel with only the silliest and most superficial bits left standing) and a general sense of listless plot churning causes Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince to be a tremendous step down from its predecessor Order of the Phoenix with its epic scope and strong linear focus. The film is an often dissatisfying mix of moments that hew too closely to the text (very ploddingly so, and with very little cinematic spark) and invented scenes so useless or misleading you wonder why they even bothered. It’s a lackluster viewing experience but the film is undoubtedly watchable, well-acted, and exceedingly stylish.

What cannot be denied here is the visual magic created by director David Yates. He is the most grounded of the Potter directors thus far (or at least neck and neck with series-changing Alfonso Cuarón). He makes special effects feel grand, yet incorporated, and along with cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel he composes action sequences of startling beauty and terror. Harry’s near under-water grave in the final act, for example, is a multi-dimensional set piece that combines effects, acting, and subtle uses of light and dark to bring Rowling’s prose to life with stunning power.

In the long run, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is no great atrocity. It stands as a so-so lull in franchise history that bridges the explosive fifth installment and the sure to be fantastic final chapter. It’s near impossible to judge it as its own film, as Potter has uniquely set out to create a distinct 8 film arc (as opposed to producing endless standalone sequels). The film does no harm to the franchise’s legacy but will undoubtedly not be the segment for which it is best remembered.

Grade: C+