Half-Blood Prince Not Half Bad
Last night I saw Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince for the second time last night, and was still pleasantly surprised by it. I was expecting a lot more gag-inducing Ginny/Harry scenes, as well as a lack of the importance of Draco and some of my favorite characters getting cut.
Luckily, my reaction to seeing it the second time was still the same as the first. Much better than I expected. Of course, there were some things I was terribly annoyed at (and with Harry Potter films, I think you'd be hard pressed to find someone who was never upset with ANYTHING in the films) but it could've been much worse.
Major Parts That Annoyed Me:
Room of Requirement Idiocy- First off, there was only ONE scene that really pissed me off WHILE I was watching (not thinking about it after) and thought could've been completely redone. And that of course, happened to be the major Ginny/Harry scene with the kiss, although (SHOCKING) it wasn't the kiss itself that got me so ticked. It was the fact that Harry Potter, who had led the DA the year before in the secret Room of Requirement found by NEVILLE (according to film canon), needed Ginny Weasley's help to find the Room of Requirement? Not to mention, directly preceding that, Harry is hiding the book just because of the spell he had used? Snape didn't immiediately recognize it and demand to see the book (ie giving reason for him to hide it in the first place)? And they were way too calm for that scene considering Harry had almost just killed Draco.
My Werewolf Sweetheart- The other scene that ticked me off while watching and not thinking after, came down to a single word (to be fair, a word and then one line). Seriously, was it THAT necessary to confirm Tonks and Remus's freaking relationship? I mean, it's Fleur and Bill getting married next movie (unless they majorly change something), and neither of them didn't even make it into the film, much less their relationship. Yeah, I get they have a kid next year, but really Teddy could be cut for time, and even if not, it isn't necessary to know about the relationship now (especially considering the book canon, the relationship doesn't even happen until the very end of HBP). Does she really need to say "sweetheart" or "the first night of the cycle is always the worst"? Seriously, I wouldn't have complained if it had still been the two of them there, and Tonks still got worried going after Remus in the fire, and I'm sure that would've been enough for fans to have their relationship confirmed! But that stupid line, it's first of all rude talking about such a sensitive subject of Remus's in front of the Weasleys, especially as if he were a child or a pet and Remus did not seem okay with it, and second of all the way she was acting and talking in reference to that made her sound like Lavender Brown--which, however annoying and unrealistic I find Tonks/Lupin, Tonks is NOT!
Death Eater Backup Not Required?- And the last major complaint I have about the movie--which i didn't really notice until after the scene had already happened, probably because I was still expecting something more--the lack of a final battle?? I mean, I understand having to cut things for time, and yes, it would've been difficult to film, expensive, and time consuming to film a final battle. And the Death Eaters (or rather mostly Bellatrix) trashing the castle is a fair alternative. But my problem is this: where the hell was everyone IN the castle when this was happening? Suddenly, with no reason given, the entire school (or a good portion that hadn't been there before) is outside in the courtyard around Dumbledore's body! When did this happen? How did they manage to get out without running into any Death Eaters? Why wasn't it shown??
So Much For Ginny- Not half as important or significant in terms of the actual story, but given this was the movie where Harry realizes he's been in love with Ginny all along, why show him flirting and talking about getting together with a random movie-only muggle girl? I mean, I like the fact that it shows he is a teenage boy, and I would say it was a fairly realistic depiction of Harry hanging out in the muggle world which the movies don't show much, but since this is the movie where he realizes he likes Ginny (especially considering the first scene when he gets to the Burrow, he's staring at her longingly through her window, so it's not like he hadn't yet realized), it didn't seem like the place. I would also argue that he was supposed to be still in deep depression over Sirius's death and wouldn't be thinking about romance, but this could've been a distraction for him, like riding the trains.
PG Rating: Since Goblet of Fire, all recent Harry Potter films have been getting the (deserved!) PG-13 rating. It is no longer a kids story, people are dying, good guys are losing, and no one's coming back from the dead. Yet, for some strange reason, they wanted to give the movie a PG rating--which I do NOT think they originally had! I think several scenes were cut OUT (as in, filmed, and then cut) because of this rating. I believe people were shown getting seriously hurt or dying when the Death Eaters were going rampant, and there was probably more to the Draco/Harry bathroom scene (although I have to say I'm still surprised that scene alone didn't up the rating), and Dumbledore drinking that potion was probably a lot more graphic and terrifying. But I'm hoping once the DVD comes out, those higher rated scenes I'm hoping were filmed in full will be available on the extras.
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Lesser Issues Realized After The Fact
Snape's Defense Against the Dark Arts Classes-- I really hadn't expected, after all the tension about how horrible a teacher he was built up even in the movies, how when Snape finally does become DADA teacher, they won't show him teaching the class? This is the ONLY time we haven't seen at least ONE DADA class being taught in a movie, and I'm pretty sure it's one of the few times we don't see Snape in his potions class too (except maybe the fourth movie?) or teaching at all. And WHY was there no shock or surprise or even dread when it was announced he would be teaching DADA? Harry was assuming the new guy'd be teaching DADA when he went to the house (and i can't recall if he'd been told by Dumbledore or Slughorn himself if Slughorn was the Potions Professor in the film), and then there's no surprise or even dread when it's discovered that his least favorite teacher would be teaching his favorite and best class? I'm hoping it was just cut for time (because nothing aside from more Harry Torture that really happens in those classes), because especially given the movie was secretly all about Snape, cutting his class isn't really okay. Especially when it's made to seem like no big deal.
Little About Lily- Part of what I loved about his book was that, for once, Harry isn't constantly being compared to his father. Instead, for one of the first times ever (except for in movieverse, Remus), he's compared and told lots of lovely stories about his mother. Slughorn in the books would constantly go on and on about her to Harry, which I enjoyed because despite my love of the Marauders, I was getting tired of hearing about James. Not to mention, this on and on about lovely Lily was also supposed to hint at Snape's motives and history--at least IMO. That there was more to her than just being married to James and dying for Harry--we'd learned about James Potter the boy, not father in book five, and book six we are supposed to learn a bit more about Lily the girl, not the mother. Instead though, we just get a little summary in the very beginning of the movie about how Lily was one of his favorite students, a mention that she was also good at potions (or maybe I'm just thinking I remember it), and a very watered down version during Harry's confrontation with Slughorn about how special she was as a student to him.
No Snape Blowout- I'm not talking post-Dumbledore's death, I mean the fact that the movie excluded (although I didn't realize it until reading over the book last night) Harry discovoring SNAPE was the one who overheard the prophecy that got his parents killed. I'm assuming this was cut for the reason that 1) It would involve bringing Trelawny back or figuring out some new way for Harry to find this out, and 2) the movie was working at Snape in a more "most likely not bad" light (probably given that since the seventh book is out, most people know he's good), and decided to hold that piece of information off until maybe one of the seventh movies when we see all of Snape's significant memories.
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Expected or Understandable or Small...But Still!
May Not Make the Team...Except Ginny?- Okay, this isn't that big a deal at all, but when Harry's giving the whole speech to the Quidditch hopefuls that 'just because you made the team last year doesn't mean you will this year', why the HELL is Ginny standing next to him? HE'S the captain, not her! They aren't co-captains! Is there no one else trying out for her posistion? Seriously! I don't get it!
Snape Too Obviously Good- I had a feeling this was going to happen, but I was still annoyed with it. A big part of this book was the worry and indecision over whether or not Snape was truly on their side. But the inclusion of part of a DEATHLY HALLOWS scene in the movie, and many of Snape's suspicious actions or questionable dialogue either excluded or changed, he was shown in such a good light that the only real wonder in the movie really was agreeing to protect Draco with the Unbreakable Vow and the killing of Dumbledore. While yes, I understand it's pretty well-known, even to some who haven't read the books, that Snape turns out good in the end, I would've liked them kept some of the mystery in it. Then again, maybe some of the dialogue and scenes that are obvious to me are less obvious to those who haven't read the books.
Asking Luna to Dance- The transistion was funny, but I was still looking forward to seeing him ask her and her happy and enthused reaction. But the fact that him taking her to the dance was kept in at all made me happy.
No Moving Pictures- There were virtually no moving portraits OR pictures in the paper this movie. I have no idea why either, except maybe it was too expensive or something? But it bothered me every time I saw a still photo/painting. I guess because they'd been so good and perfect with keeping up with all of them in a scene in every movie until this one.
Slughorn's Missing Line- Okay, this is extremely small, but the movie got my hopes up! In the beginning of the film, I was delighted to hear Harry quote almost word for word that "My best friend is a muggle-born, and she's the best in our year" from the book. And I was so looking forward then in the classroom scene after Hermione impressed Slughorn for him to repeat it (I don't know why, I just love that part). And then it wasn't. He didn't even ask about her family that we saw (or ask if she's related to that guy in the ministry), but suddenly knows at the dinner that she's muggle-born.
No Kreacher or Dobby- I didn't expect them to be in the movie given how they've gone out of their way to cut the house-elves unless absolutely necessary, but I love Kreacher and Dobby's fighting in this book and was dissapointed still to see it didn't make it in.
Favorite Harry Part- One of my favorite exchanges of Harry's in the whole series is between him and Rufus Scrimgeor while he's staying at the Burrow. When Scrimgeor asks Harry to be the symbolic mascot of the Ministry, and Harry says fuck you and shows the scar of the "I Will Not Tell Lies" on his hand (I seriously love whenever THAT particular scar is mentioned because that whole section of the series hit me so hard and Umbridge was such a bitch), and then Scrimgeor calls him "Dumbledore's Man through and through" which Harry proudly takes as a compliment. I suppose they would've had to cast the new minister, and it would've taken up time for a relatively insignificant scene--especially since Scrimgeor dies not too long after he's put in office, but still. It was a cool dialogue I would've like to have seen represented in some way.
The Memory- I was a little dissapointed at Slughorn's memory. I was hoping they'd keep true to the scene going black and the shouting, where it was obvious he'd manipulated it, but this change of Slughorn suddenly getting mad... it wasn't as obviously manufactured.
Luna's Commentary- I knew it probably wasn't going to make it in, since Quidditch matches have become scarce as movies go on, but I was still kind of hoping anyway. It was by far the most interesting Quidditch match to me out of any of the books.
Narcissa's hair- I understand the Black family traditionally has black hair, but the books have always mentioned blonde for the entire Malfoy family. Why does the high-class pureblood have dual-colored hair?? It looks kinda ridiculous to me.
No Death Eater Introductions- I don't really care for this outside of Fenrir Greyback, but I was a bit dissapointed when Bellatrix told Dumbledore they were on too tight a schedule to do introductions like the book. But I suppose for this scene to have worked as well as it could've, Greyback would've had to have attacked someone while in human form like in the book to show how frightening he is. I just feel a little sorry that despite all of his added involvement and lines for a new Death Eater, he didn't even get his name said aloud. Not even when Harry was talking to Remus, so we also didn't get to find out HE'S the guy who bit Remus.
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Movie Scenes or Adds I Really Enjoyed
New Parts of Hogwarts!- The Hogwarts scenery and set is always amazing, but I was ridiculously excited over the new rooms and sets or even updates that the movie offered. First, the many many halls of Hogwarts that we hadn't seen--the ones not covered in portraits but instead with big windows or arches, the cool-looking birdcage, the towers, the library, the new Potions classroom, and the stairwell Hermione cries in (although the second time I saw it, despite loving the way it looked, I found the broken column and moss growing along the side by the window a little hard to believe given how simple it would be to repair it with magic--though it looked really cool. My justification is that maybe it's a not often used stairwell, especially perhaps in Gryffindor Tower, that no teacher has walked through in a while and the students who care are afraid of using magic outside the classroom?). I love the Hogwarts set, and getting to see more of it just makes me incredibly happy.
Weasley Wizard Wheezes!- I was so worried Fred and George's shop would get cut! I was estatic to see it there at all, but the inside and carrying-out of it just looked awesome too. Especially them charging Ron more. XD
Marauder's Map- Yes, the featuring of just the map made me extremely happy! XD We haven't seen it since the 3rd movie!
New Pensieve Magic- Although I liked the fifth movie, I didn't like the entering of the Penseive by falling. That seemed a little over-the-top and silly to me. However, this one of the dumping of memories like ink and having them form like ink in water, I thought that was a much cooler and creative way of doing it. Although I miss them actually entering the memories, overall I like it much better.
Felix Felicis- Since the movie was released I was looking forward to seeing how they would handle Harry on the potion (assuming they included it at all), but this was so much more than I expected, I'm not even annoyed at the fact Harry drank the whole thing. He was HILARIOUS on Liquid Luck! The pincers, the 'counter productive', the blatant rudeness to Slughorn, the sudden "i'm going to Hagrid's"... I just loved that entire scene.
Harry-Hermione, Friendship and Jokes- I found Dumbledore asking if Harry was dating Hermione hilarious. I couldn't stop laughing the first time I heard it. Knowing the crazy shipping war behind it, and the fact that it IS a reasonable assumption to make in that universe since even in real life, a male and female friend will be thought of as going to eventually date. And especially Harry and Hermione's close relationship, comfortable with hugging and all (which I find perfectly acceptable and okay, but not everyone is so at ease hugging a friend of the sex they are interested in). And not only that, but I loved Hermione and Harry's relationship in this film. I don't remember Harry and Hermione were so close in the sixth book (mostly impeded by Harry's use of the HBP's Potions Book and Harry's continued friendship with Ron), but I absolutely loved the way it was handled in the movie. It was a great way to death with both of their realized crushes, and not be shoving goo-goo ideas or simple glares of jealousy. And their close friendship was entertaining and enjoyable to watch.
Slughorn- Despite him not mentioning several things I would've liked him to, I really loved the way he was portrayed in the film. He seemed very true to the book and how I pictured him, personalitywise and dialogue.
Luna, Luna, Luna!!- I was expecting to sadly not see much of her this movie since her introduction had been the last one and she didn't do much in this book, but I was so happy to see I was wrong! I liked her coming to Harry's rescue under the invisibility cloak more than Tonks doing it in the book, and I was thrilled to hear her "like having friends" line make it to the film in some way. She was included so much more than I had anticipated (although from a comment my mother and sister made, I realize this probably ended up being at the expense of Neville since he wasn't featured much at all in the film--but since Luna is my favorite, I can't be that upset). Even though her commentary got cut, she was in the film so much otherwise it pretty much makes up for it.
Bellatrix- I really shouldn't love her as much as I do, but I can't help it! She is such a fabulous villain, and the movies portray her perfectly! I got embarassed once more cheering for her a bit in the theatre, because even though she's a bad guy and doing horrible things, she is just so great and charismatic at it... I enjoy her being on screen no matter what she's doing. Her repeated taunting of "I killed Sirius Black" from the fifth movie I was happy to hear. Her touching of Snape's things was also pretty funny. XD And she again, was just done perfectly from the book.
Draco- Out of everything in the movie, I was most worried that Draco was going to get gypped. Because despite him being an INTEGRAL part of this section of the story, I was worried his importance would get terribly overshadowed by Harry being in love with Ginny. But nope, Draco is still having a terrible time and life and stressed out of his mind, but still being Draco. They didn't even cut out him crying in the bathroom, or, I was thrilled to discover, him stomping on Harry's nose! And Harry, though not as much as I would've liked, was still fairly obsessive over him to the point that his friends were calling him on it. So I was very happy with how they handled Draco.
Lavender Brown- Although I can't stand her character, the actress who portrayed her was absolutely fabulous. I can't imagine how many retakes she had to do, because she must have been cracking up so much during those scenes. She was PERFECT. Especially the scene on the car with the stupid hearts...XD
Peter Pettigrew- His part was SO small in the book, I wasn't sure they were going to keep most of the scene with the unbreakable vow (just mention it in the hallway) much less keep WORMTAIL at Snape's house! And even though he's pretty unlikable, I was still happy to see him there because he IS an important character.
Harry and Ginny's relationship- Yes, I know this probably comes as a huge shock to many people, but I actually didn't mind so much the majority of how their relationship was depicted in the movie. In fact, I found it far less annoying than the books. In the movie, it seemed a bit more founded, and although shown in a far better light than realistically, Ginny didn't seem Mary-Sueish-ly perfect. Although her tying his shoe (or whatever the hell she was doing on her knees at that point) was a bit much, and I hated the RoR scene, the part where he first arrives at the house and her reaction (and the hilarious 'is Harry here???' effect throughout the Burrow on the stairs) was pretty funny and cute, and even them hanging out eating the cookies at Christmas wasn't too bad. Ron and Harry's "good skin" part was pretty funny, and even when Ron approached Harry after the stupid RoR scene, asking "did you two do it?" did make me burst out laughing.
Rampant Death Eaters- The destruction in the Muggle world and Diagon Ally was also done quite well I think. I just wish the movie had a higher rating than PG, because then we could've horrifyingly witnessed the death of all those people which surely followed the burning building and collapsing bridges.
Everyday Hogwarts Life- Although this kind of goes with the new set part, I really liked seeing all those scenes that took place, at Hogwarts but outside of class because they are still pretty rare as far as the movies go. Hanging out in the library, Harry and Ron goofing off in the halls, hanging out in the Three Broomsticks, and just random shots of students outside of class was nice to see.
Six Years Jokes- This movie was filled with several of hilarious jokes dealing with the fact that some things were from a neutral point of view, getting old or silly despite how dramatic it was. The "actually professor, after all the years, I just sort of go with it", and "why is it whenever something happens, it's always you three?" and such. Those were welcome adds.
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So in short, I really enjoyed majority of the movie while watching it. Afterwards, like with almost every Harry Potter movie, I realized some parts were left out or changed that I really would've rather have been kept in. But for the most part, I can't complain too much.