Comments on: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

By: David Steffen

David Steffen — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 13:53:37 +0000

I thought Dumbledore’s death should have more impact than Sirius’s. While Sirius’s death meant a lot to Harry, Dumbledore’s meant a lot to the entire wizarding world. It’s well known in that world that the only one who Voldemort ever feared was Dumbledore. With his removal, Voldemort has no one to fear. This event could be the beginning of the end of life as they know it.

By: Cat C.

Cat C. — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 03:02:27 +0000

I really enjoyed this movie. The movies and the books have been on increasingly divergent paths since the beginning; I think that this movie fit well in the context of the other movies. Honestly, how do you take a book like HP6 and turn it into a two-ish hour movie that still makes sense and is enjoyable to watch without making some major changes? It’s just not possible. Some of the other movies that tried to cram in everything (HP3) ended up glossing over everything and focusing on nothing.

I think that the movies’ story arc hit a crescendo in HP5 and backed off a bit on HP6 to really wind up for HP7 Parts I and II. I think this makes sense – Dumbledore was Harry’s mentor but Sirius was his family and Harry was fully expecting to live with Sirius after finishing Hogwarts. I think that Sirius’s death would have made a larger impact on Harry, and I think that the movies reflect that. I’m not saying that Dumbledore’s death doesn’t affect him, but I think that losing his last hope of a family would have affected Harry more, hence HP5 being darker than HP6.

Just my 2 cents… flame away :0D

By: David Steffen

David Steffen — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 14:22:10 +0000

I wholeheartedly agree, especially about the lack of final fight scene! Death-Eaters sneaking into Hogwart’s I can buy, but for NO ONE to notice? Not a single faculty member or student get involved? That just makes the good guys seem wholly incompetent.

Also, the thing I loved the MOST about the book was the series of memories to reveal Voldemort’s history from his childhood, to adulthood. They cut out about 3/4 of the memories which was a huge loss.

And they added so much stupid crap. Like Ron pointed out, what was the point of the destruction of the Burrow? If they’d cut that scene out they could’ve had time for something that mattered!

By: Rob Charron

Rob Charron — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 10:24:48 +0000

Hi
Yes!
I totally agree.
I almost threw my pop and popcorn at the screen.
No climactic battle at the end?
It would have been so great, like the battle at the Ministry with the students vs Death Eaters.
And having Harry just stand by twiddling his thumbs whilst Dumbledore is slain? Is that true to the character? I don’t think so. So maybe the director didn’t want him invisible, wandless and paralyzed, but Harry should have been wandless and immobilized!
Like you I wondered, what was the point?
The movie left out so much great things in favor of teen angst/comedy.
The burning of the Ginny’s home? Didn’t make sense in context of the movie. DeathEaters would make everyone leave the house then set fire to it? Really? What was the point of the useless wand waving in the corn field?
I missed the ghosts, the moving paintings, the other characters having more than 1 or 2 lines at best.
I missed Dumbledore’s funeral.
I missed the REAL Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.