One criticism levelled at the Potter films is the generic nature of their structure: Harry goes to Hogwarts, a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher turns up, some schoolyard japes ensue, a mystery is uncovered, Harry solves it and then defeats Lord Voldemort, the end. Half-Blood Prince eschews this formula by throwing you straight into the action from the off. Harry is soon reunited with his chief cohorts Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) and the plot proper begins – which leads directly on from the last Potter outing, Order Of The Phoenix. It should be advised at this point, that, if for any reason, you’ve not seen any of the previous films, Half-Blood Prince won’t make a jot of sense. Seriously, get with the programme here. A key theme of Half-Blood Prince is the characters’ transition from childhood to young adulthood. Radcliffe, Grint and Watson have matured considerably as actors since the wide-eyed, ‘ooh, look…magic’ enthusiasm of the early films, and director David Yates gives his three leads the licence to express this. The constant references to teenage sexual awakening do get a tad tiresome in places – even some rudimentary establishing shots depict the nooks and crannies of Hogwarts’ gothic corridors as the perfect place for a snog rather than revealing a trademark throwaway fantastical flourish – and, with a few cracks in the plot, perhaps too much screen time is devoted to this. But at least it makes Half-Blood Prince a warmer film after Phoenix‘s mistaken attempt to darken the tone of the franchise. Story-wise, Half-Blood Prince follows the Potter recipe for success pretty closely. Author J.K. Rowling was never too subtle with the introduction of her plot devices, but here the obligatory new magical object – in this case a brilliant potions book – is given a backseat/sidelined in favour of uncovering the truth behind the new Potions Master (Snape finally gets the Dark Arts job after six years of trying) Professor Slughorn’s relationship with the young Voldemort. Malfoy also spends a lot of time lurking around, but this time around, his petty rivalry with Harry could be getting serious. Special mentions should also be given to both Alan Rickman as the sinister Professor Snape and Helena Bonham Carter, who is absolutely sensational as wicked witch Bellatrix Lestrange – one of the best castings in modern memory. Rickman had really made the role his own, while Bonham Carter’s performance is a perfect mix of fiendish kook, simmering mania and barely restrained violence. Some of the old gripes remain, like Harry’s inability to do any really impressive magic. While the older wizards fly around causing havoc, Potter is restricted to pointing his wand and shouting the odd spell, leading us to ask what they actually learn at Hogwarts. And the need to truncate a several hundred-page book into a two-and-a-half hour film means subplots tend to get glossed over. But Half-Blood Prince aces it where it matters, and even the most die-hard of Potter purists will be happy with the end result. In a summer season that has been patchy at best, Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince proves that old-fashioned techniques like character development and storytelling are still more important than a barrage of bombastic special effects and eye-watering set pieces. It probably won’t convert any of the haters, but for those who matter most – the fans – Half-Blood Prince proves that the most beloved tale of modern times is close to fulfilling its mighty potential. Finally, after eight years, the longest prelude in cinematic history is over. The scene is set, the players poised, and with Deathly Hallows, Potter may just hit the magical paydirt. Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince is released in the UK on 15th July.
