So I am reading Harry Potter reviews for the Half Blood Prince movie and they are not good. I was wondering who here has seen it and what you thought? How is it different from the books? From the reviews I read, it seems like they add a lot of unnecessary development, but then of course leave out a lot from the book. I am also wondering why they are making the last book into 2 movies. It felt like they were just camping in the woods most of the book. Of all the books, I feel like it should be the easiest to make into one movie. Any thoughts? I posted spoilers in the title, so feel free to tell me everything!
I didn't read the book but I felt the plot was not well developed. The focus was more on the teenage relationships (though rated G) than the action or development of the plot. I expected more.
I think the first three Harry Potter books were very well written and interesting. However I think from the fourth book and on, they dragged on too long and J. K. Rowling started writing too much for her publisher and not enough in the name of creativity. The movies I think didn't hold very true to the books and left out a whole lot, but that tends to happen with movies based on books. I noticed that in general, the first half of each book tends to focus on relationships and the second half becomes very action-oriented. I think this may be partly due to writing for two specific audiences in mind.
We just went to see the movie yesterday. It was good, but not up to my expectations. There was 1 scene that I don't even remember in the book, it happens but not until the next book & in a different context. The movie seemed to focus on Ron, Lavendar & Hermonie's relationship & only alluded to Harry & Ginny. I did shed some tears for Hermonie though. The movie skims through the book & takes over 2 1/2 hours to do it. I think that's why they're breaking the next book into 2 parts. Hopefully those movies will be more in depth then this one was.
I liked the movie, but so far, it has differed more from the book than any of the others. 1. In the book, the death eaters don't attack the Burrow. 2. The Order of the Phoenix defend Hogwarts when the Death Eaters come at the end, but not in the movie. 3. Ginny and Harry get together and then break up at the end of the book, but the movie makes it seems as if they are still together. 4. Dumbledore doesn't explain to Harry that their are 7 horcruxes and that they are all going to be linked to something meaningful. 5. There's no funeral scene so we don't see the Elder wand buried with Dumbledore. As a matter of fact, it is shown lying on his desk at the end of the movie. 6. There's no mention of Bill (Ron's brother) being attacked by the werewolf, Fenrir Greyback. 7. Dumbledore doesn't cast the Body Binding spell on Harry during the attack which doesn't make sense. There's NO WAY Harry would have watched Snape stroll up there and join the Death Eaters. He never trusted him. It wouldn't have happened. These are things that I think really detract from the meaning of the book. I would have much rather have seen less Ron/Lavender and seen Bill and Fleur. Also, the kissing scene between Harry and Ginny in the book is AWESOME, and this one was lack luster. Like I said, overall, I liked the film. I don't judge it by the book. It's its own thing, and I don't feel like they have to be that true to the books now that all of the books have been published. These are just some obvious things that were missing.
I didn't read the book, as I pointed out. I still found the film lackluster (good word). Two of my kids fell asleep watching it and my husband and I were restless. I liked the scenery and special effects but the movie wasn't developed enough to be a true blockbuster. It will only be so because of the popularity of the books.
I liked the movie; however, it was very different from the book. I've heard that they left out the fighting scene b/c of the big fight scene in the last book. Also I heard that the 1st part of Deathly Hallows will open with Dumbledore's funeral. I think they are breaking it into 2 parts because since this is the last movie, they are going to follow the book more closely. band~I didn't think it was let on that Dumbledore's wand was the Elder Wand until the last half of the last book?
I'm use to the movies not being like the books, so I didn't mind. I thought it was the best movie yet-I really appreciate the humor. I loved all the books, especially the later ones.
You're right. I was just mentioning that since we don't see it buried with Dumbledore, then what happens to it? Now if movie 7 starts with the funeral, then this will be okay.
I've resisted seeing the movies because I loved the books so much. I just got back from seeing The Half-Blood Prince, and I really liked it. Bandnerdtx, I appreciate that you listed what was different from the book because it was bugging me not quite knowing. It's been so long since I read the book! I didn't think they even did a good job of putting Harry and Ginny together. They kissed once, that was it besides some sympathy hugs and what Hermione said to Harry at the end. The relationship wasn't developed well. I thought the scene where they retrieved the horcrux was terrific; just like I pictured it. But...it didn't last long enough. There wasn't enough tension. Adequately scary though. I can't believe there are people bringing really young children to the movie theater. Yikes.
Another employee at the grocery store and I were talking about the series. He HAS read all the books and I haven't. But BOTH of us have seen all the movies. I think I go to the movies because of the hype...because I sit in EACH of them and am totally confused by anything past the most shallow of storylines. And I wonder...those who have read the books complain that so much is MISSING in the movies...and those who haven't read them are lost watching the movies altogether. So why HAVEN'T they taken the time to split the books up (like they will with the last book) into more than one movie - so that people can both understand them AND be satisfied. I have NO clue why Snape... who has come off-at least to ME- as someone who is not REALLY bad-but more misunderstood and never fit in.... why NOW is he vowing to obey commands of Valdemort? I'm not really looking for an answer... but this movie... like all the rest, I find myself sitting in the dark...and thinking "ya know, I have NO idea what's going on ...and I'm not sure I even CARE!" There aren't too many movies that inspire those feelings in me... but HP's certainly fill the bill.
I'm sure there will be diehard fans who find the series and the movies in the future and love them for what they are. For me and my friends, we read each book as it was published, sometimes waiting over a year for the next installment. It was a way of life for us in high school-we passed the books around, talked about them in the morning while waiting in the hall, etc. We wrote AP papers on them. We went to each midnight release and dressed up. When the movies came out, we did the same thing. The movies really aren't anything special in themselves, but they represent that time for us, and even though I'm in Cali now, I still feel a connection to my friends when I go to the movies as they are released. So, yeah, they don't make a lot of sense on their own. But the hype is created by those who love this series for so much more than the sum of all it's parts.
I completely agree with you on this. I also have wondered since, movie three I believe, why the aren't splitting the movies up. I wouldn't care if I ended up paying more money. I want the movies to reflect how great the books are, and they have been falling a bit short. Granted, I did enjoy Half Blood prince, but it was indeed a watered down version of the book. Too bad they didn't split the movies up. And then, for the people who haven't read the book, they are confused like you said because they didn't read the book and haven't had the information to help them to follow the movie. I dragged my brother to this last movie. He hasn't read the books or seen all of the other movies. He enjoyed it, but was also confused. I haven't asked my husband yet, but he's seen the other movies with me but hasn't read the books. I'll have to see how confused he is.
Those of you who haven't read the books, please do. You will LOVE them. My daughter hadn't read any, either. (It's her own form of rebellion against me.... the joys of teens). Anyway, to get ready for movie 6, she and I watched the other movies back to back over the course of a week. With each one I went on and on about all the things that were missing (especially from 3 on), and now she's reading them. She LOVES them. (By the way, she started reading at book 4. You can get a good enough understanding of the basic story of 1-3 through the movies if you don't feel you've got time for all 7 books.) I agree with Jem in that I love the movies because they help me visualize Harry's world. The story, I get from the book.
I was really disappointed in this movie. I waited in the theater for an hour just to get a seat. I felt like I was seeing old friends again, in seeing the characters, but they left so much out, that I felt was important. It was really a fluff movie. Lots of humor at the teenage puppy love, but not much of a story.
