My experience with book six of the Harry Potter series was different than most. I read it a bit late and by that time all the surprises had been ruined for me. Therefore, the book didn’t have the same emotional impact on me as it did others. I really read it because I felt obligated to do so in order to complete the series and to prepare for the final book (which I read before anyone could ruin anything for me). This detachment from what many considered one of the best books left me a bit indifferent to said book, and I felt the same about the new movie. I was excited for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, but I wasn’t expecting anything better than the previous films. Imagine my surprise, then, when I discovered that not only is Harry Potter 6 my favorite film in the franchise, but one of my favorite films of the summer.
Maturity. That’s the word that I think best describes this movie. With this sixth cinematic outing, Harry Potter has come of age. From the performances of all the principal actors to the cinematography to the music to the script… every element of the Harry Potter world feels more mature in this film. This is no longer just some whimsical child fantasy, this is a serious, somber adventure full of touching moments, high-adventure, deep grief, and a dark sense of foreboding. It is both the darkest film of the series and the one filled with the most light. I know that seems contradictory, but as darkness gathers around these characters, their virtues shine all the brighter.
There were many things that surprised me about The Half-Blood Prince. I was surprised at how much I cared for these characters. More than any previous film, there are many special character moments here that fans will delight in. Those who aren’t as familiar with Harry and his friends may find these scenes drag on too long or don’t really accomplish anything, but for those of us who have followed these characters for all these years we are rewarded for our faithfulness as we share in some of their most special, tender moments, all of which are handled beautifully by director David Yates. These moments give this movie a unhurried richness often lacking in the previous films. In fact, I think Yates has really hit his stride with this film, and that confidence and assurance is on full display in this movie. It leaves me with high hopes for what he will accomplish with the final films.
I was also surprised by the somber dignity of this movie. Although there are plenty of light-hearted moments filled with laughter, the kind of laughter you share with dear friends and close family, underlying it all is foreboding sense of dread. Things are getting serious for our heroes, and in this adventure they finally realize just how serious things are and just how much is at stake. They finally come to terms with just how dark the darkness that’s enveloping everything truly is, and how much it will cost them to stand and shine the light in the face of that darkness.
One of the most beautiful moments of the film deals with that very issue: light standing against darkness. At perhaps the darkest moment of the film, both literally and figuratively, the staff and students of Hogwarts raise their wands. Each wand glows with a tiny point of light: insignificant on its own, but when joined with the others it produces powerful light that chases away the shadow hanging over them all. It’s a poignant and beautiful moment in the movie that illustrates a great truth: light always triumphs over darkness. In fact, darkness and shadow can only grow in the absence of light. As soon as a light is switched on, the shadows flee and the darkness evaporates. You never see light struggling to overcome darkness, you never see light being overwhelmed by shadow. Even a small light can push back the darkness. Jesus said people do not light a lamp and put it under a bowl, they put it on a stand so it can give light to the whole house. In the same way, we must shine our light in the world (Matthew 5:14-16). This world is in desperate need of some light; are you bold enough to shine it?
Finally, I was surprised how emotional this film was. From the heart-felt joy and laughter of friendship and young love to the devastating grief of loss to the dreadful fear of a seemingly overwhelming darkness, this was the first Harry Potter movie where I experienced and felt what the characters felt. Again, that may go back to the detachment I felt from reading the book, and yet, considering I already knew everything that was going to happen, I was surprisingly invested in everything that took place on the screen. I shared in the characters’ laughter, I shared in their joy, I shared in their fear, and I shared in their grief. This is all made possible by the more mature performances of the actors, and the more mature skill of the director and the cinematographer. Even the special effects have matured. Here they capably serve the story instead of merely providing a “wow” factor. Although you will be wowed in some moments, the special effects blended with the rest of movie much better than they ever have before.
This isn’t to say the movie isn’t without its flaws. As always, fans may be perturbed by what’s left out from the book. Unlike previous films, these omissions aren’t as awkward or as noticeably felt as in previous movies… with one exception: the revelation of who the Half-Blood Prince really is. This mystery is really a minor point in the movie and the reveal is so anti-climatic as to be a throwaway moment; blink and you might miss it.
Again, David Yates has done a remarkable job of focusing on the elements of the book that would make for a compelling movie while balancing what the fans want to see and yet keeping the movie a manageable length. That isn’t always easy in the Harry Potter series, but this film is one of the best at handling that tricky situation. Yes, much is cut out, but in doing so there is plenty of room for the tender moments to develop, for the dread to build, and for the richness of this world to truly be experienced.
Despite its minor flaws, the more I think about it the more I realize there is another word that describes Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: beautiful. This is truly a beautiful film. It’s beautiful to behold and beautiful to experience. For the first time I can say that this more than just another Harry Potter movie; this is quite simply a beautiful, wonderful movie that just so happens to be about a wizard named Harry Potter. The experience may be more rich and rewarding for long-time fans, but new fans may be surprised at the depth, the tenderness, the emotion, the beauty, and yes the maturity that is found in this next to last adventure of Harry Potter.
This is not a shallow, crass summer blockbuster devoid of heart and soul *cough* Transformers 2 *cough*, this is an engaging and moving film that ranks with the very best of the year, such as Up. Yes, Harry Potter has grown up. We’ve all watched him do so over the past decade or more, but nevertheless, I was surprised to see the man and the movie that he has matured into. And what a wonderful surprise it was.
