TK reviews Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

TK reviews Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Finally, and I mean finally the magical world of Hogwarts and company has made its way back into our lives. It's been since summer of 2007 since we've last seen Harry, Ron and Hermione and things at Hogwarts and with them have changed. We now flash forward to year 6 at Hogwarts and the dark forces are starting to take control.

This movie interestingly was given a PG rating while the previous installments were given PG-13 ratings, but lets get on with the show.

Dumbledore and Harry are shown at the beginning of the film being photographed after an epic battle with Lord Voldemort at the Ministry of Magic and Dumbledore's hand is now black after being weakened partially due to the battle. Together Harry and Dumbledore set out to find an old friend by the name of Horace Slughorn, an old potions teacher, who Dumbledore needs for more then just his teachings!

They find him and we discover that the dark lord and other death eaters have been trying to recruit his services but has refused to take such part. We discover that Slughorn is very envious of collecting his best students and adding him to his shelf. So as Dumbledore essentially dangles Harry in front of Slughorn to tempt him to come back, Slughorn can't resist and ultimately comes back to Hogwarts with them.

Back to the Weasley house we go and the gang is all waiting for Harry to arrive. Ron and Hermione of course are anxious to see their best friend but it is the all grown up and quite stunning Ginny Weasley who is most anxious for Harry to arrive. Harry arrives at the Weasley's house and together they all catch up.

But things in their world aren't always what they seem. Bellatrix and Narcissa (Draco Malfoy's mother) have shown up on Snape's door in order to seek his help. We are informed that Draco has become a death eater and that Voldemort has given him a task to accomplish this year at Hogwarts. Bellatrix isn't convinced that Snape is loyal to the Dark Lord and requests that he and Narcissa make the unbreakable vow. So Snape is sworn into keeping Draco safe from harm, helping him fulfill his task and if necessary carrying the task out himself.

Back at school, love/lust is in the hallways at Hogwarts as romances are starting to take shape everywhere and often. Ginny is in a relationship that ultimately upsets Ron and Harry but in a much more settle way. Ron who becomes Gryffindor's new keeper has found a new fame in popularity and attracts a girl named Lavender Brown, who becomes infatuated with Ron. Well of course Hermione doesn't take well to this and is visibly shaken up because of her true feelings for Ron.

This film excels at diving deeper into relationships that our main characters have, most notably to me the relationship between Hermione and Harry. They are best friends and the talks they have in this movie and the things they share with one another are quite moving and touching and they really do become better friends during the movie.

Harry who has now taken up the potions class that Slughorn teaches, due to Dumbledore's order to get closer to Slughorn comes across an old potions book that once belonged to the Half-Blood prince. In the book are tips and secrets that allow Harry to thrive in the class and easily become Slughorn's most prized student. So as the year moves on Harry and Slughorn begin to start to form a tight bond and it is because Harry seeks a memory that Slughorn has in his mind.
After an attack on Draco that left him hurt, Harry is forced to hide the book and is taken by Ginny to hide it. She tells him to close his eyes and she hides the book so that he is not tempted and it is there where we get our first kiss between Ginny and Harry and the start of a let's say long life together, perhaps?

Harry and Dumbledore after uncovering a secret memory from Professor Slughorn must now set out to discover the Horcrux's that Voldemort left behind. These 7 Horcrux's contain pieces of his soul and if they are all destroyed would lead to the destruction of Voldemort himself. So the two of them come across one but it is guarded by a mysterious liquid that Dumbledore is forced to drink but ultimately poisons him at the same time. They recover the Horcrux but not before Dumbledore is greatly weakened.

Upon returning to Hogwarts, Draco is waiting for Dumbledore and we learn that Draco is to kill the headmaster. Draco who throughout the movies has proven to be nothing more then a coward holds true to form and can't do it. It is then when Snape and Bellatrix along with some other death eaters show up and it is there where Dumbledore speaks, 'Severus please!' SPOILER ALERT!!!

Snape with Harry watching below speaks the killing curse and kills Dumbledore. Harry immediately chases after them and tries to attack Snape but he just bats away Harry's attacks and when Harry tries to use a spell from his potions book, we discover that it is Snape who is the Half-Blood prince.

The movie ends with Harry, Ron and Hermione talking about what is next for them and we find out that the three of them won't be coming back to Hogwarts next year but instead going after the remaining Horcrux's and to finish what Dumbledore started, no matter what it takes.

TK side note:

This movie for me has it all. I love how the film works around the budding romances the characters are finding themselves in and at the same time the evil they are forced to now confront and take on. This film is so laugh out loud funny as well you just get lost in the film and that is what I did, I got lost in it. It is an excellent film that is full of charm, love and sadness and with Harry Potter that is quite alright with me.

TK's rating- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood prince gets a 5/5 rating!

Best Harry Potter yet! Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 opens November 2010.