CS Weekly Archive > Weekend Read > 7/17/09

Fit for a Prince

By jenelle riley

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Screenplay by Steve Kloves
Based on the novel by J.K. Rowling

After the dreary disappointment that was Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, some were left wondering if the franchise had run out of magic. Fortunately, the sixth film in the series marks a return to form—and it's likely no coincidence that it also marks the return of screenwriter Steve Kloves, who adapted all of the previous books except for Phoenix. By now the story is known: boy wizard Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) must battle dark forces that threaten the world. This time, those forces aren't just Death Eaters—the evil followers of Lord Voldemort—but include Harry's growing attraction to Ginny Weasley (Bonnie Wright), the burgeoning sexual tension between his best friends Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson), and a secret concerning his nemesis Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton). Despite adapting a 704-page book, Prince never feels rushed. Time is given to minor subplots like a Quidditch game and Ron's relationship with the overzealous Lavender Brown (Jessie Cave). Director David Yates allows his actors room to breathe and take time with Kloves' dialogue, which honors the book's spirit without always being verbatim. There are a couple changes from the source material that don't quite work—Death Eaters storm Hogwarts school in the book to destroy it, whereas in the film they spend a lot of time trying to get in for no apparent reason other than to witness a pivotal moment. Prince is also the most humorous of the Harry Potter films, mining laughs in unexpected places and showing a sense of humor about itself. Much of the laughter is courtesy of the great Jim Broadbent, who joins the cast as Professor Slughorn, and steals every scene he's in with a twinkle in his eye.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Warner Bros.
Rated PG; 153 min.

Jenelle Riley is a journalist and playwright living in Los Angeles. She enjoys good food and bad horror movies.



Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince courtesy Warner Bros.

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