Rise, Potter heads! The latest live-action adaptation of Harry Potter is back with Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. By now you should have heard of this hype giant book from JK Rowling because it is hard to ignore the generation which has followed it through the years – first through the books and now on to the silver screen.
Not only that we will see some 3D animation magic up close and more personal with the dramatics of the IMAX theatre. The movie will be up for screening today July 15, 2009 in many parts of the world. People in the Philippines, Mexico and India will get to watch the IMAX version simultaneously this July 16 while the rest of the world will have to wait until July 29 to enjoy the IMAX view.
Blame Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen for this delay. IMAX had a previous commitment.
So on to the meat of the matter and with no pun intended, expect to see lots of hormones in the latest movie. After a decade of battling evil wizards and all sort of magical monsters and obstacles, the kids have grown up right in front of our eyes.
And with that romance is in the air.
There will be a lot of snogging (Hogwarts term for kissing), flings, affairs, and heartbreaks in this latest movie. Of course, there is also the growing threat of the evil wizard Voldemort which can be lost at times.
So imagine the seriousness of the Star Wars or any deep movie you can think of and bundle that together with Sweet Valley High or 90210. That’s what people should expect in a nutshell.
But this does not mean that the movie should be judged without actually seeing it. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince is the sixth book in a collection of seven; this is why the progress of the movie is building up for the climax of the story’s entire arc.
So let’s recap the events before the Half Blood Prince. Harry Potter has just seen the demise of his godfather Sirius Black. Hated professor Severus Snape also implied that he will have to protect Draco Malfoy because he is on a very important and deadly job. We then are introduced to the concept of Horcruxes.
Of course, a Harry Potter film will never be complete without its main cast which has ushered in many children into their teens. Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley), and Emma Watson (Hermione Granger) all reprise their roles and they have really grown together their characters. They have matured considerably and this contributes to the outpour of hormones in the upcoming film.
Alan Rickman (Severus Snape), Michael Gambon (Dumbledore), Maggie Smith (Professor McGonagall) and Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid) return to round up the cast. Joining them are Helen McCrory (The Queen) who will play the mother of Draco Malfor (Narcissa).
Jim Broadbent is the most notable addition as Professor Slughorn. Other new characters are Jessie cave as Lavender Brown, Hero Fiennes Tiffin as the 11-year-old Tom Riddle and Frank Dillane as the 16-year-old Voldemort-to-be.
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince runs for two and a half hours of pure magical fun. With maturity and a darker theme at the forefront, Harry Potter fans will likely enjoy this latest installment – especially the ending which is very exciting to see how it unfolds in the silver screen.
Once you have watched the film, come in and discuss the things you’ve liked and hated. Of course, remember to warn people of spoilers in your comments ?
Leave a Reply