 --- Harry Potter: The Complete Collection Years 1-7 (8-Disc 8-Film Set) --- Emboldened by the return of Lord Voldemort, the Death Eaters are wreaking havoc in both the Muggle and wizarding worlds and Hogwarts is no longer the safe haven it once was. Harry suspects that new dangers may lie within the castle, but Dumbledore is more intent upon preparing him for the final battle that he knows is fast approaching. He needs Harry to help him uncover a vital key to unlocking Voldemort's defenses critical information known only to Hogwarts' former Potions Professor, Horace Slughorn. With that in mind, Dumbledore manipulates his old colleague into returning to his previous post with promises of more money, a bigger office and the chance to teach the famous Harry Potter. Storyline: In the sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft, and in both wizard and muggle worlds Lord Voldemort and his henchmen are increasingly active. With vacancies to fill at Hogwarts, Professor Dumbledore persuades Horace Slughorn, back from retirement to become the potions teacher, while Professor Snape receives long awaited news. Harry Potter, together with Dumbledore, must face treacherous tasks to defeat his evil nemesis. Written by IMDb Editors Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Kenneth Brown on December 9, 2009 -- Sorry to begin by stating what Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is not, but I've found myself growing increasingly frustrated with the complaints being leveled against what is, in my mind, an exceptionally rich and mature entry in the Potter franchise, not to mention a smartly written, wonderfully performed, and artfully directed film in its own right. The Half-Blood Prince is not an aimless, uneventful bore. It's a measured analysis of its hero and his destiny; a rewarding dissection of his friendships and fears. It's not a bloated, despairing downer. It's the inevitable calm before the storm; the shifting of pawns preparing for the coming clash of their dueling kings. It's not a tiresome, overwrought waste of celluloid. It's an unexpectedly arresting character study, a tense mystery, and a shocking tale with lasting, tragic consequences for its protagonists. In short, the latest Potter film is not a letdown. Its once-young cast proves their mettle, its themes take tremendous leaps forward, and its dramatic weight is a palpable burden series fans will be more than happy to bear. In his sixth cinematic outing, fledgling wizard and would-be world savior Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) finally comes into his own. Absent is his sniveling extended family, gone is the awkward blend of comedy and tragedy that held such sway in the series' earliest films. In their place comes a cold, oppressive veil of hopelessness teased in Prisoner of Azkaban and refined in Order of the Phoenix; a murky sense of dread that permeates every character and locale fans have come to know and love. The mysterious macguffin Harry stumbles upon this time around is a textbook whose previous owner, a former student who identifies himself only as the half-blood prince, had a vast, frankly frightening understanding of magic and its many applications. Keeping the book secret from all but his closest friends, mainstays Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson), Harry tries to decipher its clues. Meanwhile, Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) tasks him with convincing a legendary professor to give up a memory involving the once-and-future Lord Voldemort, Tom Riddle, and with putting a stop to the dark sorcerer's servants, Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham Carter) and rival classmate Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton), who are hatching a seedy plan of their own. But Harry's challenges don't end there. He has to find an assassin targeting Dumbledore, deal with his feelings for Ron's sister Ginny (Bonnie Wright), determine where Professor Snape's (Alan Rickman) loyalties lie, help Hermione come to terms with her attraction to Ron, and save Ron from a pack of ravenous girls and a deadly poison. If it seems like the weight of the world is crashing down on Harry's shoulders, it's because it is. Thankfully, director David Yates' command of the camera, screenwriter Steve Kloves' intimate understanding of the characters and their plight, and Radcliffe's exceptional performance grants the film poignancy and power. They effectively transform Harry from a wide-eyed hopeful into a weathered warrior; a boy who had little choice but to grow up when a number of unspeakable horrors began beating down his door. They even manage to blend Harry's innate sweetness, his affection for Dumbledore, his desire to bring an end to Voldemort's shadowy reign, and the tenuous balance of rage and justice boiling just beneath his likable exterior into an endearing whole. Despite the magic mumbo-jumbo and otherworldly set pieces, Radcliffe registers as a real teenager; a fully realized young man with genuine doubts and familiar insecurities. Grint and Watson, though off camera for the majority of the film, are equally strong, lending Ron and Hermione a charming, believable relationship that makes their scenes a heart-aching joy to watch. Their fondness for and loyalty to Harry continue to propel the series forward, and their interplay with Radcliffe exudes a chemistry often lacking from young ensemble casts. Even Wright, thrust into a central role by Rowling's plotting, holds her own and shows immense promise as the love of Harry's life. Their collective performances are outstanding, their talents undeniable. The story itself unfolds more slowly than Potter fans may be accustomed to, but it also lingers more intensely after the credits have rolled. Yates takes several cues from Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy, injecting reality into a world that prides itself on being anything but realistic, and brings an authority and confidence to the film that allows each scene to evoke memories of adolescence. He doesn't struggle to balance whimsy with drama, nor does he prioritize special effects over the characters' emotional beats. Everything about his production, from the musical score to the cinematography, is blessed with a cohesiveness that can only be born from a steady-handed director like Yates. If anything, Half-Blood Prince suffers from Empire Strikes Back Syndrome: it's so dark, so weighty, and leaves its heroes at such a precarious, ambiguous low that it will leave some dissatisfied. As a linking entry in a sweeping saga, it succeeds. As a standalone film, it offers little respite or relief. Still, I couldn't ask much more from a series that could have developed into a hollow, superficial kiddie franchise. Half-Blood Prince will leave children yawning and shoot over the heads of younger teens, but will wow anyone who enjoys the things that have made the most recent Potter films worthy of their box office success and critical accolades. While it certainly won't appeal to everyone, I was absolutely taken with the strength and majesty of it all. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince will continue to divide audiences, but I found it to be one of the series' finest entries. With memorable performances, an evocative tale, and undaunted direction, it succeeds at every turn, maturing its beloved characters and franchise. The Blu-ray edition is just as impressive. Its video transfer is faithful and striking, its TrueHD audio track is impeccable, and its supplemental package, mild disappointments aside, is generous and quite extensive. Simply put, this 3-disc set will please fans, cinephiles, videophiles, audiophiles... yep, the whole gang. Cast Notes: Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley), Emma Watson (Hermione Granger), Jim Broadbent (Professor Horace Slughorn), Elarica Gallacher (Waitress), Robbie Coltrane (Rubeus Hagrid), Michael Gambon (Professor Albus Dumbledore), Maggie Smith (Professor Minerva McGonagall), Alan Rickman (Professor Severus Snape), Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley), James Phelps (Fred Weasley), Oliver Phelps (George Weasley), Julie Walters (Molly Weasley), Mark Williams (Arthur Weasley), David Thewlis (Remus Lupin). IMDb Rating (07/24/14): 7.5/10 from 240,607 users IMDb Rating (11/21/09): 7.4/10 from 55,937 users
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