Classic Review #55: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Available on Netflix

The Harry Potter franchise had its Game of Thrones moment with its sixth instalment, courtesy of a genuinely shocking finale which sees one of its major characters felled by a surprising assailant. In that sense, David Yates’ film continues the more mature tone that was introduced at the end of Goblet of Fire and throughout Order of the Phoenix, although the Half-Blood Prince does possess its fair share of twee moments, which may or may not be a result of Steve Kloves’ return as screenwriter after a one-film hiatus.

As a result of this, the Half-Blood Prince does at times suffer from an identity crisis, with its hotchpotch of themes incorporating Lord Voldermort’s origin story and, almost in the same breath, the romantic trysts of Hogwarts’ increasingly hormonal students. Whereas its predecessor settled on, and indeed revelled in, a darker mood, this film at times has the air of a difficult second album that is trying to appeal to fans on either side of the fence.

Nonetheless, there is more to like about the Half-Blood Prince than there is dislike. Nicholas Hooper’s score is arguably a series highlight, the visual effects are a triumph, and Bruno Delbonnel’s almost monochromatic cinematography is stellar. That’s not to mention the triumphant performance of Michael Gambon as Albus Dumbledore, which just about manages to upstage Jim Broadbent’s equally grand turn as Horace Slughorn.