(no subject)
No surprise this made a better book than movie. This book, more than the others I feel, relied heavily on narrative structure to interweave plots and subplots, which would make it a lot more difficult to film. I understand and accept this, but it doesn't change the fact that I was completely underwhelmed by the movie as a whole. I went to a 9:45 showing, which given my night owl tendencies wasn't a problem, but I found myself wondering just when it would be over. Not because it was getting late. Because I was booooored.
I understand that they want to show the characters growing up, and all aspects of the growing up, including the teen romance, but I felt they spent far too much time on all of that. The Lavender-Ron thing was funny, but her name wasn't even mentioned until well after Ron and Lavender were together, and he mentioned it in passing. I read the book and spent a lot of the early part of their relationship, the flirting, kissing, etc. wondering who this random girl was. There was some good stuff about the awkwardness and emotions Hermione, Ron, Harry, and Ginny all feel. But overall I felt like the romance was laid on way too thick.
I was slightly disappointed with Jim Broadbent's portrayal of Slughorn, which was sad, because I've been looking forward to it. He had a few scenes where he showed his arrogance, etc., but most of the time he came off as an emo drunk. It could just be what he was given to work with, and how he was directed. On the topic of characters, I didn't know what was up with Fenrir Greyback. They showed his picture on a wanted poster in an early part of the movie, and he showed up sometimes, but if you didn't read the book, you didn't know he was a werewolf and so dangerous. You had Bellatrix (wonderfully depicted by Helena Bonham Carter) being a psycho-bitch badass blowing stuff up, and then Fenrir standing there smiling. No werewolf changes, no hint, etc. In one scene Tonks says Remus is on the first day of his werewolf cycle, and then Fenrir and Bellatrix appear, chase ensues, etc. You have Fenrir and Remus staring each other down, and then he disappears. C'mon, perfect opportunity for a badass werewolf fight. And it was passed on. Even if it wasn't in the book, so what? It would have been great to see. And plenty of other things were changed, added, taken out, etc.
That's probably the greatest issue I see with the movie. There were lots of opportunities for action, for something that could be visually stimulating without sacrificing the more subdued nature of this book compared to the others, that were passed on. The astronomy tower fight was so anticlimactic. No good guys show up to help defend Hogwarts and the students (which means Bill Weasley never gets bitten by Fenrir). Harry is just standing underneath a platform watching Dumbledore and Draco. The Deatheaters (all 3 of them) run amok and blow stuff up (seems to be movie!Bellatrix's special talent). Snape reveals he's the OMG Halfblood Prince! And that's it.
I couldn't get any sort of emotional connection to the movie. I got a little choked up when Dumbledore died, and when everyone's standing there in shock, but wasn't bawling uncontrollably. I could finally get tears going when Fawkes flew away and there was that one phoenix note, but even then I was expecing something more; it would have been very dramatic and symbolic to see him burst into flame, perhaps, or to hear more of his song fading off. I dunno. Maybe I'm just picky.
I did like some things about the movie. I really liked that this movie made Draco more of a character than a cardboard antagonist who's easily knocked down. I loved how he really struggled with everything he was asked to do, and tried and was visibly torn. The role was played well, showing him going from arrogance in the beginning, as usual, through deeper emotional struggles and looking more haggard as the movie progressed. Ron, too, had more of a role than being a semijealous sidekick. And I loved the scene with the inferi in the cave. When Harry puts his hand in the water, one grabs him. The girl next to me SCREAMED. Priceless. When he gets pulled down it was genuinely creepy, but when he resurfaces, Dumbledore is COMPLETELY BADASS with the fire. Loved it.
So yes, there were a few things I really liked, but on the whole, I felt like the whole experience was underwhelming. I'm not sorry I went, at all; but I am glad I didn't bust my butt to get to the midnight opening showing. Unless the rents want to go, I won't be going to see this one in theaters again.
I understand that they want to show the characters growing up, and all aspects of the growing up, including the teen romance, but I felt they spent far too much time on all of that. The Lavender-Ron thing was funny, but her name wasn't even mentioned until well after Ron and Lavender were together, and he mentioned it in passing. I read the book and spent a lot of the early part of their relationship, the flirting, kissing, etc. wondering who this random girl was. There was some good stuff about the awkwardness and emotions Hermione, Ron, Harry, and Ginny all feel. But overall I felt like the romance was laid on way too thick.
I was slightly disappointed with Jim Broadbent's portrayal of Slughorn, which was sad, because I've been looking forward to it. He had a few scenes where he showed his arrogance, etc., but most of the time he came off as an emo drunk. It could just be what he was given to work with, and how he was directed. On the topic of characters, I didn't know what was up with Fenrir Greyback. They showed his picture on a wanted poster in an early part of the movie, and he showed up sometimes, but if you didn't read the book, you didn't know he was a werewolf and so dangerous. You had Bellatrix (wonderfully depicted by Helena Bonham Carter) being a psycho-bitch badass blowing stuff up, and then Fenrir standing there smiling. No werewolf changes, no hint, etc. In one scene Tonks says Remus is on the first day of his werewolf cycle, and then Fenrir and Bellatrix appear, chase ensues, etc. You have Fenrir and Remus staring each other down, and then he disappears. C'mon, perfect opportunity for a badass werewolf fight. And it was passed on. Even if it wasn't in the book, so what? It would have been great to see. And plenty of other things were changed, added, taken out, etc.
That's probably the greatest issue I see with the movie. There were lots of opportunities for action, for something that could be visually stimulating without sacrificing the more subdued nature of this book compared to the others, that were passed on. The astronomy tower fight was so anticlimactic. No good guys show up to help defend Hogwarts and the students (which means Bill Weasley never gets bitten by Fenrir). Harry is just standing underneath a platform watching Dumbledore and Draco. The Deatheaters (all 3 of them) run amok and blow stuff up (seems to be movie!Bellatrix's special talent). Snape reveals he's the OMG Halfblood Prince! And that's it.
I couldn't get any sort of emotional connection to the movie. I got a little choked up when Dumbledore died, and when everyone's standing there in shock, but wasn't bawling uncontrollably. I could finally get tears going when Fawkes flew away and there was that one phoenix note, but even then I was expecing something more; it would have been very dramatic and symbolic to see him burst into flame, perhaps, or to hear more of his song fading off. I dunno. Maybe I'm just picky.
I did like some things about the movie. I really liked that this movie made Draco more of a character than a cardboard antagonist who's easily knocked down. I loved how he really struggled with everything he was asked to do, and tried and was visibly torn. The role was played well, showing him going from arrogance in the beginning, as usual, through deeper emotional struggles and looking more haggard as the movie progressed. Ron, too, had more of a role than being a semijealous sidekick. And I loved the scene with the inferi in the cave. When Harry puts his hand in the water, one grabs him. The girl next to me SCREAMED. Priceless. When he gets pulled down it was genuinely creepy, but when he resurfaces, Dumbledore is COMPLETELY BADASS with the fire. Loved it.
So yes, there were a few things I really liked, but on the whole, I felt like the whole experience was underwhelming. I'm not sorry I went, at all; but I am glad I didn't bust my butt to get to the midnight opening showing. Unless the rents want to go, I won't be going to see this one in theaters again.