Variety Review of Half-Blood Prince: Indispensable Rickman Delivers

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Variety Review of Half-Blood Prince: Indispensable Rickman Delivers

Posted by: sue

July 05, 2009, 04:33 PM

Variety has now posted their review of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and it contains much praise for the sixth installment in the Harry Potter film series. Noting that director David Yates "displays noticeably increased confidence here, injecting more real-world grit into what began eight years ago as purest child's fantas," and has made a film that is "film is clear-headed and clean-lined."

The long review notes the physical changes of the cast, but does hand praise to the efforts of the adult cast members in particular making mention of the actor who plays Professor Slughorn, saying "Jim Broadbent, who makes a terrific disguised entrance and is then simply grand as the eccentric old prof." Of note however are remarks about the performance of a critical character in the film.

"It's this chapter in the Potter saga that obliges the always nasty but ambiguously motivated Severus Snape to show his true colors, and the indispensable Rickman delivers, as always, with line readings that are delicacies of the infinitely mordant kind. He is periodically egged on by the insidious Bellatrix Lestrange, a role Helena Bonham Carter plays with such mesmerizing abandon that one hopes the role fully pays off in the final chapter.

Among the always outstanding production values and top-drawer visual effects, special note should be made of series newcomer Bruno Delbonnel's exceptionally atmospheric cinematography and Nicholas Hooper's emotionally churning score, which contains only the slightest trace of John Williams' original themes.

Thanks Taylor!

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81 Comments

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23113 Points

great review can’t wait to finally do one of my own on the 15th!!!

Posted by oldenoughtoknowbetter♎ROAR♎OoM1, CW on July 06, 2009, 05:48 AM report to moderator

27545 Points

Don’t worry everyone, Spinners End is there and it is very well done. Michael Gambon really portrays Dumbledore as I have always imagined him in this book, Tom Felton is excellent and Rupert is too. Daniel has grown with each film and I think he is very good in this. Overall I still find Emma is the least accomplished, you can see her acting most of the time, if you know what I mean. There are times though when she is better in this, such as a lovely scene with Dan after Lavender and Ron get together, and some fun stuff with Cormac McLaggan. The potions book is used to good effect, the Half-Blood Prince is quite clearly referenced, I know some people were worried about it not being included enough, don’t worry, it is.
I’m glad to see good reviews as it is a very good film. Any negative reviews that appear? Well I imagine that the reviewers must just have an axe to grind.

Posted by moglet [ITC!] on July 06, 2009, 07:17 AM report to moderator

70 Points

every good review makes me so much more excited to see the movie.
i’m so happy!
:DDDD

Posted by duo_93 on July 06, 2009, 07:42 AM report to moderator

1317 Points

Snape is so central to this franchise, it is great to see him get some well deserved high praise. Only one more week and two days!!!!!

Posted by hewy on July 06, 2009, 07:48 AM report to moderator

63 Points

I was happy about the well-deserved praise for Alan Rickman butI was a bit disappointed that the old thing that the reviewer could say about Dan Radcliffe was that he was the shortest of the cast.

Posted by marypao on July 06, 2009, 07:57 AM report to moderator

3266 Points

All hail Alan Rickmann! I can’t wait to see him in this move.. he’s fantastic.. <3

Posted by Cheimonas on July 06, 2009, 08:03 AM report to moderator

3703 Points

This review makes me so excited. Only nine more days…

Posted by Christine on July 06, 2009, 08:10 AM report to moderator

4852 Points

This is great! Im just a little upset that they don’t introduce Scrimgeour until the last movie (or second last).

Posted by #1 Witch ROAR! on July 06, 2009, 08:11 AM report to moderator

594 Points

Alan Rickman is a superb actor, there’s no way around that. He is definitely among the very best actors in the entire HP cast, possibly even the best (along with Helena Bonham-Carter). He has certain mannerisms that were already there when I saw him in Robin Hood Prince Of Thieves way back when, but those mannerisms make his portrayal of Severus Snape even more perfect.

As for Helena Bonham-Carter, she’s definitely a superb actor as well, and very, very good at playing characters who are, well, not entirely “there”, so to speak. Characters that are a few Sickles short of a Galleon, or, in Muggle terms, a few bricks short of a load.

Posted by MischiefManaged on July 06, 2009, 08:13 AM report to moderator