Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)

The sixth part of the saga about the young wizard's adventures started on an unbelievably merry note: right at the first night it broke the world's record for the biggest single-day worldwide gross. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince also ranked second in the list of the highest-grossing films of 2009. The only movie it yielded to was the sensational Avatar.

The series of screen adaptations of J.K.Rawling's books are reaching the finish line. As the preceding part of the saga, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the movie was directed by David Yates. Many filmmongers criticized him for the previous work, but now he seems to have finally got the whole feel of the magic world.

Hogwarts is facing its darkest times. It is no more a safe shelter for Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and other wizards. The Death Eaters begin to terror the muggle world. The episode with the London Bridge destruction in the beginning takes place among the most dramatic scenes of the film. The Dark Lord is becoming stronger and stronger day by day. Though we won't see Ralph Fiennes in this part, the gloomy atmosphere of suspense and the invisible presence of evil won't let anyone forget about Voldemort. Harry gets an old book on potion making, which belonged to a mysterious Half-Blood prince, and finds there very useful notes which help him to become the brightest student at the classes. And this turns out very opportunely, because he should gain confidence of Horace Slughorn (Jim Broadbent), the new professor who had taught Tom Riddle.

In this part Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) becomes even more arrogant than ever - he is chosen by the Dark Lord for a secret mission.

With the help of Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) Harry is very close to unraveling the secret of Voldemort's immortality. And on the tense background of all these important events Hogwarts is blooming with love, flirting and romance. The main heroes got older and prettier, now they are interested not only in magic and childish pranks. They giggle, smicker, experience their first kisses and do many other charming silly things. This sharp contrast between the immense tension of the forthcoming showdown and the light-mindedness of boys and girls in love adds the movie an especial charm.

It is very important to notice the evolution of the young actors. Daniel Radcliffe has become not only a very good young actor, but also a latter-day sex symbol. Tom Felton is reveling in his villain image and showing very good acting, and Emma Watson has grown into a pretty good dramatic actress.

Some critics refer to Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince as to the funniest and the most tragic part at once. Mad Ron drunk with the love potion and his luscious girlfriend look very comic. So does the solemn scene of Aragog's funeral. And against this background the parting with Dumbledore is especially piercing and tragic. On this aspect Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince can be compared to another fantasy saga - The Lord of the Rings where tragic events and ominous atmosphere are contrasted to funny and often light-minded behavior of hobbits and mutual gibes and taunts of Gimli and Legolas, who can't stand one another in The Fellowship of the Ring and get the most devoted friends in The Return of the King.

In general, it is a very good movie of the so-called teen pic genre. And those who enjoy this screen version will be especially eager to see the last but one part of the magic saga Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I.

Thus, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is an odd mixture of tragic and comic, sinister and flippant in one fantasy movie which is absolutely viewer's appealing.