Harry Potter: Just waiting for the next chapter
I saw Harry Potter Wednesday night in a packed theater, and before I let you know what I thought, I'd just like to share a nice, human connection that I made with a (gasp!) fellow Kindle user!
I know, I know. After Dave's various tirades, you'd think such a thing to be impossible. But in fact, the nice woman next to me was reading from her Kindle while waiting for Potter to begin. I was actually reading from my iPhone's Kindle application, since the clutch I brought was a bit too tiny to carry the actual device.
We soon go to talking about the various Kindles, the reading experience and how great it was to travel with books no matter where you are, and how little space you need to carry them. It was a beautiful thing.
And then the movie started. And if you haven't seen it, or read the book, I'd say just enjoy the pretty picture there and ignore the rest of this post.
First, it must be acknowledged that I took my boyfriend, and he's never read the books or really even seen any of the movies straight through. While he was a bit apprehensive, we both agreed we liked the movie. It wasn't fantastic: My mind wasn't blown, and he didn't immediately rush out to buy the entire series. But we enjoyed the nearly three-hour film, and the teen angst and young love was played pitch-perfect by the entire cast, especially Emma Watson.
There weren't many newcomers for this film, and the focus remained on the core characters: Harry, his best friends Ron and Hermione, the wise old Dumbledore, and the ever-looming presence of Voldemort (who doesn't actually appear in this movie, but is name-dropped all over the place).
So while I'd describe this installment as more of a "talkie" than an action-adventure, it was like seeing old friends; and as always the movie was remarkably true to its source material.
But in saying that, I have to point out the biggest flaw of the movie, and the one time the books really should have been followed more strictly. The problem with Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is that the over-arching mystery of the book -- who is the Half-Blood Prince, and why is he important -- is effectively lost in the movie. While Snape is identified as such, the name is never explained, nor is his role in the film as well-rounded as in the book.
After a bunch of scenes in which Snape acts like, well, Snape, and Dumbledore inexplicably trusts him anyway, you're left feeling that Dumbledore was a fool and Harry should be a whole lot angrier than he is. Since reading the Half-Blood Prince, I'd imagined Dumbledore's funeral scene to be a show-stopper, and instead it was muted and nearly incomprehensible. That was a disappointment.
In the end, it feels like you just watched a very long set up for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Which, in a way, was going to be true no matter what. But in losing the heart of the battle of wills between Harry and Snape, you lose the plot of Half-Blood Prince.
So while I didn't hate it, I can see why some would. And all I can say to them is this: Deathly Hallows is being split into two separate films, almost guaranteeing that all those loose ends and unexplained plots will be fully explored. I hope you can wait until then!
(Photos courtesy of Warner Brothers)
Comments
I agree mostly. It wasn't a bad movie, it was fun, it had a few laughs, but the things that should have resonated strongly. Dumbledore, Snape, the adult life Harry is deciding to take on a year early, just fall flater than they should have. Enjoyable film, but yeah... I don't know if it 'did the job' on many of the major things. But boy did it have fun with all the teen drama. I don't hate it for that, but a little more of the other stuff might have helped.
Posted by: RhondaWeasley | July 17, 2009 8:19 PM
I'm glad to finally read a review that says exactly what I've been thinking. Although I enjoyed the movie immensely, but I think it would be hard for me not to enjoy a Potter movie; they are very well made and acted and it's fun to see the story come to life.
The missing details of the importance of things like the name "half-blood prince," the relationship between Harry and Snape, their history. We got glimpses of it in Order of the Phoenix during Occlumency lessons, but it was nowhere to be found in HBP.
The movie also has loose ends in the sense that the entire reason the transporting cabinet was important was because it would be used to transport Death Eaters for a fight ... which never happened. I understand Deathly Hallows will have plenty of that, but maybe just a little more than Harry standing about (not even frozen). In the book Dumbledore freezes Harry instead of defending himself, which is why Malfoy so easily disarm him.
Posted by: CN | July 18, 2009 3:01 AM
I LOVED THE MOVIE I WAS A LITTLE DISAPOINTED IN THE ENDING! I HAVE BEEN WAITING WHAT FEELS LIKE FOREVER FOR THIS ONE TO COME OUT AND I WAS HOPING THAT THERE WOULD BE MORE TO IT BUT IT WAS A GREAT MOVIE! I CANT WAIT TILL THE NEXT MOVIE COMES OUT!
Posted by: Jakki Hall | July 18, 2009 11:50 PM
I love emma watson and dislike the idea of her being replaced in the last one but like the idea that she wants to go to university so have. She is a great influence and love her style!
Posted by: runescape gold | July 20, 2009 4:37 AM
First:
I'd imagined Dumbledore's funeral scene to be a show-stopper, and instead it was muted and nearly incomprehensible.
Um, what funeral scene? There actually needs to be, you know, a funeral for it to qualify. I was very disappointed at the ending.
That being said; I really did enjoy the movie, and thought it the best of the lot. Yes, it could have been longer, and the subtleties of Snape's roll spelled out more. But overall, I was impressed with the visuals, directing, and acting. The kids have definitely gotten better as actors. I hope they can carry this through as adults.
Finally: Emma Watson moving on? I'd like to see a link for that. I just read an article that has her neck deep in filming for the last book. Verify please.
Good point. I imagined that the impromptu "everybody's wand in the air" party was the abbreviated funeral scene, but I should have elaborated more fully in the post.
As to Emma Watson moving on, I hadn't heard that either, but chalked that up to my ignorance about the entertainment business. Anyone else know something? - NJ
Posted by: NukemHill | July 20, 2009 2:22 PM
well I was quite disappointed in the film in the way they butcher the film read the book than see the film you will see my point
Posted by: jp | July 25, 2009 2:17 AM