HP4U Review

HP4U

Wednesday, July 15, 2009
An in-depth, considered and thoughful review of 'The Half Blood Prince' From the newest member of the HP4U team - Parminder!



HP6: A Concerned Review by a fan of HP fiction and film
A Warning to the Reader

I must warn all readers that from the outset this review contains spoilers from the new movie, Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince (i.e. HP6) as well as calculated speculation and guesswork about Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows (i.e. HP7).

This review makes reference to parts of HP7 primarily in relation to whether they may or may not be omitted from the two forthcoming HP7 movies.



Therefore, if you have yet to see the movie and do not wish for your wait to be spoilt or to discuss what might make the cut for HP7, please do not read any further; however I do ask all of you to return once you have seen and digested the movie to read this review and see if you share my personal sentiments and concern about the legacy of Harry Potter, which this latest film has finally prompted me to voice my concerns over.



Again, you have been warned that this article makes reference to HP6 and HP7 storylines.



A Sign of Things to Come?

I feel too many of the millions of Harry Potter fans are afraid to voice our disapproval when we feel it and instead are simply grateful for our favourite collected work of fiction being brought to life, regardless of the overall quality of the transformation from book to screen and the effect that it leaves in our memories thereafter.



We must not forget as fans, that a great deal of people have yet to read the Harry Potter saga and may feel it unnecessary to read those books having seen the films. These viewers will have assumed that they have fully understood Harry�s world and its complex story and that the tale is being told faithfully by the Filmmakers.



We must also not forget that filmmakers owe us, the fans of J K Rowling�s Harry Potter novels, a duty to translate these works to screen with passion and faithfulness to the original work. I am aware that J K Rowling is not responsible for creating the screenplays of her best-selling works although I have heard that she is consulted from time to time; yet I cannot help but wonder whether she is truly happy with the way in which her works are brought to life and the increasing amount of artistic licence that the filmmakers have taken as the years have gone by in cutting the story to pieces and pasting together the essentials.



I for one, am displeased with certain important sections of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince being omitted from the finished film, so much so, that I was compelled to write this review to, on the one hand, praise the film but, on the other hand, chastise the poor judgement of the filmmakers in leaving out crucial parts of this 6th novel which go to the very and heart and soul of Harry himself. The omission of two important sections of the novel has led me to also question what the future holds for the HP7 movies and what stands to be �axed� at the filmmakers� behest and indeed what legacy this double-bill of movies will leave for fans of J K Rowling and Harry himself and whether the final chapter in Harry�s cinematic adventures may unfortunately leave an unpleasant memory in the moviegoers� mind, and the sense of a bitterly disappointing finish and consequently one of cinema�s most wasted opportunities to bring fiction to life.



I will return to these omitted scenes in the course of this review. So without further ado, here are my thoughts on the new movie.



The Review

I was fortunate enough to be invited to the Cast & Crew Premiere of HP6 and it is from this viewing that I have developed these thoughts and this elaborate review.



Opening Scene

HP6 opens in a manner nothing short of wonderful. Whilst this sentence may contradict what I have said thus far, I will explain my reasoning, so that my overall sense of disappointment from HP6 and justifiable fears for HP7 are not thought to be scaremongering or unbalanced judgments of a paranoid fan.



The reason I say the movie opens wonderfully is that the filmmakers have demonstrated that they are indeed capable of flashes of brilliance which means that our trust in them is not entirely misplaced but that perhaps they are becoming too cavalier with their cutting out swathes of the original work in the face of no widespread criticism or complaint from fans.



The opening shot reveals Harry and Dumbledore, standing outside the Ministry of Magic after the death of Sirius Black and the grand battle between Dumbledore and Voldemort, where they are being �snapped� by the paparazzi, whilst Harry�s face is smeared in blood and covered in cuts and bruises.

This scene, although not contained in the novel itself, is ingenious as, without the need of any dialogue; the filmmakers manage to capture the close and complex bond between Dumbledore and Harry by closing in on Dumbledore�s arm around Harry�s shoulder, and his hand squeezing Harry around his arm, reassuring him in an almost loving and fatherly fashion.

Needless to say this was not a scene that I was expecting as it is original to the movie, however, it speaks volumes as to the filmmaking team�s potential that this one scene has merited such a large description from me, a fan and a critic, and that it had such a profound effect that I am able to vividly recall it in such detail and with obvious fondness.



Ollivander�s Kidnapping

The remainder of the opening which shows the Deatheaters flying through London and into Diagon Alley is spectacular. The visual depiction of how the wizarding world is overspilling into the Muggle world is demonstrated wonderfully by a �broomstick� cam that flies through the streets of London.

The use of Ollivander�s kidnapping at the start of HP6, although taken from HP7, is an example of how the filmmakers� inventiveness and artistic licence with the chronology of the books can work fairly well. Although this kidnapping is never explored further in this movie it does make for an explosive opening. One can only hope that HP7 will hold more scenes of public terror for Wizards and Muggles and last longer than 2 minutes on screen too. Otherwise the darkness and increase in attacks on Muggles that is supposed to be triggered by Voldemort�s rise, will not pervade the country as it is supposed to.



Privet Drive omitted

The introduction to Harry�s 6th chapter, does not start with his leaving the Dursley�s at Privet Drive as one would have expected from the book. Harry�s first full scene is a fun one to watch but leaves fears in a fan�s mind as to how the opening of HP7 will play out.

I for one thought it would have been essential for Harry to be seen in Privet Drive at the start of HP6 to remind the viewer of his Muggle family�s existence and their ignorance of the important events in the wizarding world, but more importantly to build up to his departure from Privet Drive for the last time at the start of HP7 and a departure from all familiarity the reader used to have at the outset of each year with Harry, signifying his transformation into a young man and that he is taking his first step into the unknown.



One cannot help but feel that if Privet Drive is seen at the start of HP7, it will not mean much to viewers that Harry is leaving that house and the only family he has left for the last time as they were not even reminded of their existence in HP6.



Harry�s Rapidly contracting world and unwanted Optimism

It is for reasons such as this that one feels that the cinema audience will be deprived of sharing Harry�s feelings that his comfortable life and all the protection and comfort he knows are shrinking away into nothing as each day passes.

We should have felt over the course of this movie and at the start of HP7 itself, that Harry is running out of places to hide and has nowhere left to run which forces him to go to ground and adopt the life of a fugitive in a country gripped by fear.

However, once the curtains close on HP6 one is left feeling nothing of the sort and all seems well and full of hope, despite the tragedy witnessed only a short while earlier by the entire inhabitants of Hogwarts Castle.

The filmmakers should have realised after finishing HP5 that this is no longer a children�s film and optimism should have been put to bed by now. More on that later.



Harry�s Introduction

As I say Harry�s introduction is a comical one and is brilliant as it shows that he is no longer a boy and is well aware of girls. This increasing awareness is played quite realistically by Daniel Radcliffe that shows that he may be well aware of how boys must feel when they reach such an age having passed it himself not too recently. Radcliffe�s acting in this movie shows he is completely at ease with his role and �is� Harry in every way possible. As for Harry�s introduction being at a train station, it is odd and different from the book but works somehow without damaging the feel of the movie/novel.



Dumbledore

Mention must be made of Michael Gambon�s brilliant performance as Dumbledore which seemed �bizarre� in his first instalment in HP4, and which became �a little gruff in mannerism� in HP5 and now I�m pleased to say, his portrayal has become �spot� on in the new HP6. Gambon�s portrayal of Dumbledore�s mannerisms, wit and charm were performed effortlessly and I felt as if Gambon had unquestionably mastered his role.



Slughorn

The introduction of Horace Slughorn is quite faithfully done and enjoyable to watch.

Slughorn was never a favourite character of mine but I took to Jim Broadbent�s portrayal of Slughorn with no resistance whatsoever. Jim Broadbent made Slughorn appear affable, particular about his tastes and discriminating but trying to do so at the same time in a subtle manner. In retrospect, the filmmakers must congratulate themselves on casting Broadbent as Slughorn, and although he might be a little taller than the fictional character, he played his part admirably and blended in to the cast and the film�s world with ease.



The Unbreakable Vow

This scene introducing Alan Rickman is well-presented and cannot be faulted in any way. It vividly confronts the viewer with the concept that Snape has agreed to protect Draco Malfoy at the expense of all else. Spinner�s Alley is a dark and dreary locale as one would expect, as is Snape�s house itself. Alan Rickman, as always, is on superlative top form as Severus Snape, and encourages fear of his potential duplicity in the viewer throughout the film via his excellent portrayal of a man stretched from all sides and building himself up to confront a difficult task.



Introduction of Ginny, Hermione and Ron

There is something so wonderfully nostalgic and pleasant about seeing The Burrow on screen that words cannot convey. Perhaps it is the feeling of a home that is owned and thoroughly lived in by a loving family? Or maybe it�s the odd structure of the house that allows for inventive camera angles? Whatever it may be, these scenes at The Burrow would pervade any critic�s heart and they certainly find a soft spot for me.

Ginny�s interest at Harry�s arrival is soft-spoken but all the better for being so.

Bonnie Wright has managed to portray a girl who is excited at the arrival of a boy she likes whilst still being slightly shy and aloof, although these traits gradually fade as the film progresses in a way that is sweet to behold.



Borgin & Burke

The introduction of Borgin & Burke is well done although it would have been more useful for the viewer to �hear/eavesdrop� on Draco Malfoy�s confusing dialogue with Borgin about having the �pair� working as soon as possible, rather than �seeing� the wardrobe straight away and giving that plotpoint away without any need for the viewer to use their minds to guess at the conundrum.



Journey to Hogwarts

The journey aboard the Hogwarts Express is of no great note except for Draco�s revenge upon Harry. This scene is well acted by Tom Felton as is the rest of his work in this film but his anger in this scene does seem slightly restrained/muted seeing as his father is in Azkaban and the humiliation cast upon his family�s name is due solely to Harry. I expected him to enjoy breaking Harry�s nose and portray it a little more viciously I suppose.

However, the scene at the gates of Hogwarts with Draco taking his father Lucius�s cane with him shows quite sadly that at the end of the day this spiteful blonde boy is just a boy and misses his father and is trying to support his family and take on his father�s responsibility in an alarming way despite his youth. Indeed the contrast so plain to see between Harry�s, Ron�s and Hermione�s relatively happy lives compared to Draco�s paranoid, fear-struck existence is stark and encourages pity for Draco and the impossible nature of the task that he has been set and although he is determined to perform this task he is motivated through fear and panic more than anything else. The difference in what drives both Harry and Draco is clear to see and well conveyed.



Potions Lessons

The Potions Lessons with Slughorn are immensely fun to watch, from the scuffle between Harry and Ron over who gets the new textbook to Harry�s pleasant and bemused surprise at his potion coming up trumps and Hermione�s exasperation at Harry�s triumph over her and winning the coveted bottle of Felix Felicis. These scenes are an excellent example of how far the trio have come in assuming their on-screen personas since the first film, so much so that you forget you are watching actors and imagine you are seeing the characters in the novel themselves in the flesh. No one could strongly argue that the faces of Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson are now synonymous with Harry, Ron and Hermione when a fan re-reads the novels.



The Pensieve

There is much to be praised concerning Harry�s ventures into Dumbledore�s and Slughorn�s memories via the Pensieve. The scenes and ages of respective individuals all admirably fit the time scale imagined and are well acted.

Possibly the most impressive of all Pensieve memories is that of a young Professor Slughorn being asked by a teenage Tom Riddle about something he stumbled across in the Library called a Horcrux.

In this particular timeframe the teenage Tom Riddle is played by Frank Dillane. Whilst everyone will be intrigued by Hero Fiennes-Tiffin playing the young Tom Riddle as an orphan, my attention was stolen almost immediately by Frank Dillane�s performance. His appearance, his casual but calculating demeanour, practised speech and flitting eyes made him in my humble opinion the very image of Tom Riddle. �s description.

Whilst I was quite hoping for Christian Coulson to return from the Chamber of Secrets, I understand he was unfortunately too old to play the role which is a shame, but his absence is thankfully made up for by this newcomer.

Although, I do believe it would have been sensible of the filmmakers to perhaps use Christian for an omitted scene when Tom has left Hogwarts and is employed by Borgin & Burke and has discovered Helga Hufflepuff�s cup in a private collection.

This scene contained important background which (unlike the Gaunt/Morfin storyline) did require telling, not only to introduce another possible Horcrux to the viewer, but to lay the groundwork for the Lestrange vault affair involving the cup in HP7. This is an example of the filmmakers leaving out exposition which they may feel is unnecessary to this movie as a whole but will provide them with plot problems when explaining the background to each Horcrux in HP7 which may leave some viewers who have not read the book, scratching their heads whilst the film presses on and they are left in confusion.

I refer the reader to Empire�s review where it states: �But major plot points slip by (we�re still wondering what a horcrux is exactly!), big doings seem rushed and more everyday goings on extended�. I wholeheartedly agree with this statement that plot points slip by and this is only one illustration. As for big doings seeming rushed, more on that later.



Slug Club Dinners & Party

The Slug Club gatherings are wonderfully uncomfortable for the students who attend and the mutual dislike that many attendees share for eachother is well conveyed. There is also an injection of humour in these sequences primarily in the form of Cormac McLaggen whom is pursuing Hermione in a surprisingly visual and off-putting but extremely funny manner that allows Emma Watson to show she can �do� humour as well as portraying an �insufferable know-it-all�.



Harry & Hermione

I must briefly mention the bond that Harry and Hermione grow to share as two teenagers who pine for someone and are united in their painful longing.

Although not expressly mentioned in the book this union between the two is a sensible extension of the book�s storyline and allows for some touching moments between the two characters, particularly following Ron�s betrayal with Lavender.

The music in this scene is also exceptionally heartbreaking and credit goes entirely to Nicholas Hooper for making it so vivid a memory for the viewer.

More on Mr Hooper�s score and compositions later.



Malfoy�s Mission

Tom Felton�s portrayal of Malfoy is all the more impressive as the sense of isolation and fear that we see growing in Draco�s character would have had to have been recalled time and again by Felton throughout the shooting of HP6, each time the portrayal becoming more and more strained.

This creates a plausible sense of heightening tension which cannot have been an easy task for the previously unchallenged Felton, but was well performed and this has enhanced his role and character in leaps and bounds beyond his previously two-dimensional form as a mere school rival.

Draco�s mood visibly reaches a climax prior to his �Bathroom Battle� with Harry when he is seen crying quite pitifully and appears a lost and defeated young boy who has taken on more than he can handle. In fact, it is at this point that the viewer rightly or wrongly feels that Harry is hounding poor Draco to some extent.



Lavender Brown

On a lighter note, Lavender Brown has also been excellently portrayed by newcomer Jessie Cave. One shining example of her convincing �lust� for Ron can be seen by watching her comical reaction to the scent of Felix Felicis in Slughorn�s first potions lesson. At any rate, she plays her part well and is quite competent as a distraction from the main trio and in that comparison she holds her own admirably.



The Burning of the Burrow

The Burning of The Burrow during the Christmas holidays came as a great surprise to me. It seemed a little premature for this event to take place so soon in HP6�s timeline but it allowed for an exciting and unpredictable set-piece.

Harry�s pursuit through the Rushes/fields left me on the edge of my seat with fear not for his safety but Ginny�s. It is touching that she follows after him without hesitation or a second thought for her own safety and this helps to demonstrate her willingness to risk herself for Harry and expresses the depth of her love for him.

This is another example of artistic licence being taken with the story which works on one level but leaves me wondering � now that the Burrow is destroyed, where will Harry flee to at the start of HP7 from Privet Drive? Where will Fleur and Charlie�s wedding take place?

Unfortunately, the destruction of The Burrow in HP6 as opposed to HP7, also takes away the sinking feeling Harry and the viewer should be feeling by that stage that, one by one, he is running out of places to hide or feel safe, from Hogwarts, to Privet Drive and now the Burrow too.

I also think it unfortunate that it was not fully explained that Grimmauld Place, the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, is no longer a safe haven for Harry owing to Snape�s treachery.



Felix Felicis

Harry�s use of the Felix potion is one of the best and most comical sequences in the entire movie series so far! From Harry�s satisfied gulp of Felix to getting the memory from Slughorn, the sequence feels fresh and funny and is thrilling for fans to watch. This sequence also see Daniel Radcliffe�s Harry take on a marvellously cocky and aloof manner under the influence of Liquid Luck. The viewer truly gets the feeling that Harry�s random strolling and offhand quips and mutterings see him getting ever closer to his endgame and its tantalising to watch Slughorn unwittingly walk into Harry�s trap.



The Cave

Dumbledore�s warnings to Harry before departing for the Cave strike the right tone of foreboding and nerves. The mood is quiet but the silence within the Cave is suitably loud. One fellow fan griped that the Cave should have glowed green as per the book. I tend to agree and do not understand why this simple attention an obvious detail would have been overlooked.

One of the most disturbing and simultaneously sad sights is watching Harry force Dumbledore to drink from the bowl to obtain the locket. Gambon is pitiful in his despair and Radcliffe looks pained as he should to be convincing his mentor to drink more and more of the loathsome liquid.



The Inferi in the Firestorm

Although I admit there was an air of hushed silence in the cave, when the Inferi are finally revealed I�m sorry to say that they are not quite as horrific as I thought they would be. The idea of the walking dead read more creepily in the book than it looked in the film. The Inferi sadly were not very well rendered in CG and looked more emaciated than anything else. They also I must say did not seem terribly dangerous but appeared more of a hindrance to keeping out of the water than a threat to one�s existence.

In short, I did not feel that the duo were in more trouble than they could handle.

However, the firestorm that Dumbledore creates is suitably graphic but the sudden leap from the Cave to the Tower seems too sudden and disjointed and before the viewer knows it, we�re already at the Tower with brief moments to go before the betrayal occurs.



Snape�s Shushing of Harry

I do not understand why the filmmakers saw fit to insert the scene before the betrayal where Snape shushes Harry before ascending to confront the Deatheaters and Dumbledore. It does not add anything to the movie and in fact makes one wonder why Harry does not shout after Snape as he is fleeing, �you tricked me!� Harry being tricked by Snape is not an issue that should even have arisen, it detracts from Snape�s betrayal of Dumbledore and confuses those who have not read the novels when Snape suddenly attacks and may make his curse seem more like a change of heart or something he has done on a whim.

The death of Dumbledore does however produce a wonderful moment akin to Gandalf�s fall but all the more direct as the camera has his face in focus as Dumbledore falls slowly off the tower into darkness.

It is a fittingly cinematic however somewhat too brief exit for an iconic figure the audience has come to know and enjoy.



Fatal omission of The DA�s fight against the Deatheaters

Having mentioned Dumbledore�s fall however, I must now turn to my single-most important complaint regarding the finale of this movie.



1) Plot vs. Action:

Every review that I have read over the past few days, including Empire and Total Film, all agree that there is scant action but a great amount of plot exploration in this movie. Some of those reviews blame the screenwriter. I do not know who�s decision it was to remove the end onslaught between The DA and the Deatheaters but in my humble opinion it is a mistake that has cost this film better reviews and a better response from audiences across the board. Critics have complained that the movie is too long and too heavy on plot and not enough action.

I disagree that the film is too long. These are the same critics who whooped at the prospect of a 3-hour plus cinematic running time of each and every portion of the Lord of The Rings saga. Therefore, I believe the only reason that they complain at the running time is because they are not as enamoured with the original material in this series as they were with that saga. Or perhaps its because they feel the plot can be explored in less detail and half the time. Who knows. But one would have thought that having sat through all of the plot exposition, the filmmakers would have rewarded viewers who enjoy the odd battle between good and evil, a setpiece pitting The DA against the murderous Deatheaters and how the fight between the two sides is a frenetic close-run thing.



2) An Extended DVD or Director�s Cut? Wishful thinking more like:

I would like to remind the reader that these same critics loved the action quotient at the end of HP5 at the Ministry of Magic.

J K Rowling had handed the filmmakers a perfect mixture of tense drama and action in the form of the quiet tense conversation between Dumbledore and Draco contrasted against the fierce battle raging below the Tower between the DA and the Deatheaters.

That is why I was shocked beyond belief that the filmmakers instead of building up to Dumbledore�s death with a great amount of bombast and action instead deleted that entire sequence in favour of nothing at all.

There is a great deal of fallout from that battle being omitted. And I fear that the damage that has been done by the filmmakers is irreparable. Someone said to me that there should be a Director�s or Extended Version on DVD with some battle scenes inserted to make up for this mistake. I laughed at that suggestion because I do not believe that there was any action filmed that could have made up for this mess even if the filmmakers were sensible enough to listen for a change.

I suppose we should have seen this coming instead of building our hopes up for a spectacular end battle. There was no sign of any such fight in the trailer but I was hoping that the filmmakers were hiding the spectacle that was yet to come so that we might be dazzled by the final setpiece.

I say we should have seen this coming also because the end struggle of HP5 at the Ministry of Magic, although fantastic (and the highlight of all 6 movies so far for me in many ways), was in itself not terribly long.

After all, J K Rowling did write several incredibly long chapters detailing one of the most elaborate and prolonged chase and fight sequences in the entire series. And despite all her efforts, all we received was a 10-minute end sequence which was spectacular but scant on detail and characters.



3) Fallout from the omission of The DA�s fight:

As I have said, there are consequences of this omission which are far-reaching when one reflects on this topic.

Firstly, the lack of a battle makes it seem as if Dumbledore�s death and the Deatheaters� eventual infiltration of Hogwarts� defences went unnoticed by all and they managed to quietly sneak up on Dumbledore before killing him and leaving almost as quietly (except for Bellatrix�s smashing stuff up in the Great Hall which is quite an image but not as memorable as it would have been to see Harry pelting down the staircase at breakneck speed to stop the murderous Deatheaters from escaping unscathed.

Secondly, the idea that no one in the entire castle, teeming with life, was aware of the Deatheaters infiltrating at last and cornering Dumbledore at the top of the Astronomy Tower is absolutely risible. What of the teachers, students and Aurors guarding the castle? It just seems a tad farfetched.



I read somewhere that the filmmakers omitted the end fight because it would interrupt the flow of the climax and Dumbledore�s death. I find that to be the most nonsensical excuse I have heard yet. The book managed to juggle the scene fairly well and did so in such an explanatory fashion that one could almost see the scene unfolding in their head as you read that chapter. Other blockbusters such as Lord of The Rings and Star Wars do not seem to have issues with juggling multiple storylines converging in a climax.

No. The excuse given by the filmmakers for omitting this battle does not sit well with me.

How is the ending we have been given any better without the battle? It seems as if the filmmakers probably ran out of funds to finance the scene rather than artistic reasons for leaving out this battle. It makes no sense leaving out that battle.

I for one am deeply disappointed and feel my trust has been betrayed by this omission so much so that this was the main motivation for writing this article to ask the rhetorical question, why should we trust these filmmakers to do a faithful and exciting adaptation when they let us down time and again? I say this unwillingness to include action scenes makes me fear the worst for the final movies which I believe will be all exposition and no bang for our buck. The filmmakers have had two golden opportunities to create screen battles that live on in our memories which have been squandered needlessly. I say that our trust cannot be placed in them again and that is why I am expecting HP7 to be a letdown in terms of action and grandness of scale in every sense.



Another reason the DA battle was important is because it reminds the viewer of Luna and Neville�s presence and increases their prominence as characters who will be seen again in HP7 even more prominently. I am wondering now whether the trio will ever visit Xenophilius Lovegood�s house for what could potentially be one of the most memorable close-shaves in cinema history. I am so exasperated that fans are not consulted more on what should or should not be left out as early as possible as opposed to showing it to fans at test-screenings when all that can be done at that late stage is �tweaking� for want of a better word.



Dumbledore�s Tribute

Shortly after Dumbledore�s death we are treated to some sort of wand-raising tribute. I do not know if this is meant to substitute for his funeral which never came, but if it is, it is the most pathetic and wet tribute one could have imagined for �the greatest wizard of our time�. The students and teachers gathered together with wands raised is so daft one could almost imagine that they are attending a tribute concert to Dumbledore. At any rate, this is not a fitting send off to Dumbledore, Harry�s last line of protection and the end of anything normal as the wizarding world knows it.



Dumbledore�s Funeral

There has been speculation on the internet as to whether HP7 will open with Dumbledore�s funeral, much in the same way that the first few seconds of HP6 recall the aftermath of the incident at the Ministry. I can only hope that these rumours are true as Dumbledore�s remembrance and his legacy are key to HP7 and to omit them entirely would rob the audience of a sad and beautiful farewell to a memorable and much-loved figure.



The End of HP6

As it stands, the final scene of HP6 atop the Astronomy Tower is quite disjointed and vague as far as endings go. There is no sense of impending danger and darkness, and the onslaught that is about to come seems another few movies away. As mentioned above, the optimism that is shown at the end of this movie is uncalled for and inappropriate. Dumbledore just died. He�s gone. We should leave the cinema reeling from this shock. Not walk out feeling that everything�s great despite his loss. I know that the HP6 book ended along the banks of the Lake at Hogwarts but this is a completely different feel. This isn�t one last day of sunshine, this is more �oh well, let�s try to have a great summer anyway�.



Conclusion

I know my review has been quite scathing towards the end but I have tried to give praise where it was due and criticism equally. It is quite exasperating as a fan when filmmakers make such elementary mistakes.

Good lord, how I wish I could act as a consultant on the final movie to ensure they don�t mess it up as I fear they might!

The filmmakers must realise that this last movie means everything to HP fans. This is the moment they have been waiting for and whilst the filmmakers have on occasion struck true with their artistic licence they are perilously close to doing irreparable harm to their HP legacy if they omit portions of the final book or tinker with it more than is wise, which would result in the HP movies having an unpleasant recollection in our memory as opposed to a fitting cinematic tribute to one of the most popular stories in our history.





What the Future holds

As already discussed, my thoughts are bleak as to what HP7 may have in store for us fans. Another reason for my foreboding, is that I am deeply troubled by the lack of further essential characters throughout most of the series but more so recently.

I am referring to House Elves of course.



House Elves:

Since Dobby was first introduced to us in HP2, he has been a popular figure among fans of the movies and novels.

I have heard countless fans exclaiming excitedly, �I would love to see more of Dobby� or �I can�t wait to see Dobby again in HP4/HP5/HP6�.

But alas, Dobby is not to be seen. Again, I cannot understand why Dobby has been pushed to the sidelines time and again. He is not a minor character. He is more important than Argus Filch whom we are forced to endure in every movie (which has become tiresome to say the least). And yet, he is omitted from every scene where he arises.

What reason is there for this? Is it because creating him for a few scenes would be time-consuming and expensive? Or because he�s considered unnecessary and not an essential plot point? I have no idea.

All I know, is that we have arrived at HP7�s doors at last, and even if he were to merit some time on-screen his omission over the last few films cannot now be undone. The worse off we are for not being allowed to grow more attached to the loveable House-Elf. Equally, the less will his departure mean for us, even if we do get to see it in HP7.

Dobby is one of my favourite characters, in case you hadn�t guessed, and I think that opinion is shared by the majority of the HP audience. He is certainly not a �Jar-Jar Binks� of the HP universe that would justify his absence over these many years since HP2.

Even Kreacher, despite the fact that he was responsible for betraying Sirius in HP5 did not merit more than a minute of screen-time. Nor did he appear in HP6. In fact, I recall reading that the only reason that Kreacher was included in HP5 was because J K Rowling upon learning that he was to be left out said, �I wouldn�t do that if I were you� as she of course was aware of his importance in HP7. Nonetheless, knowing of Dobby�s and Kreacher�s importance when filming HP6, it appals me that the filmmakers still left out Dobby (and also Kreacher) from HP6 yet again despite their superior knowledge and knowing of their importance in the last book.

This leads me to my logical specualtion that the filmmakers despite knowing of the House-Elves� importance have chosen to omit them and not build up their characters because either they will have a brief and unmemorable amount of screen-time and exposition or more simply, because they will not even feature at all in the final movie.



At any rate, this is yet another example of how HP7 could be great if handled with care or how it could be an anticlimactic end to a potentially wonderful franchise that leaves us with a feeling of being letdown forever.

Again, this is a shameless plea that the filmmakers heed my words and tread carefully, because they tread on others� dreams.





Epilogue: The Music of Nicholas Hooper and his Possession theme

Before I finish, I must make a brief but important mention of Nicholas Hooper, the composer of the score for HP5 and HP6.

Many have spoken of their desire to have John Williams back as composer for the final film. Whilst I am a great fan of John Williams and was impressed with HP1 and HP3, I believe that Hooper�s score, although simple, is quite elegant and demonstrates basics in melody and theme which are more haunting than Williams� score which at the end remains quite �Spielberg�. Whilst Williams has shown that he can �do� dark (see Episode III), Hooper although relatively unknown, has shown impressive feats of imagination with his final pieces towards the end of HP5, such as �The Sirius Deception�, �The Hall of Prophecies�, �The Death of Sirius� and �Possession�.

I recently read that Hooper was most proud of his Possession theme and that this theme has influenced portions of HP6�s soundtrack.

Having heard the soundtrack and seen it in action, I confirm that the jaw-droppingly beautiful and mesmerising Possession theme does feature in a number of tracks in HP6, however my complaint is that it does not feature prominently or audibly enough.

The Possession theme is a thought-provoking profound piece with a string-based background in HP5. That version of the Possession theme remains the best however as I feel the theme has been diluted too much in HP6. Although it does finally shine through in �The Drink of Despair�.

The Possession theme I feel is synonymous with the struggle and confrontation between Harry and Voldemort. I believe I am right in thinking that Hooper will be composing the score for HP7. I am all for it. I can only hope and pray that the Possession theme in its purest form will ring through the background music and feature more prominently/noticeably in the last movies. It is worthy of being present during all tense confrontations involving Harry and Voldemort at least.

That�s not to say that the HP6 score isn�t good either. In fact, it introduces us to a number of new themes which are just as good as the touching �Loved Ones and Leaving� heard at the end of HP5.

The Opening is fittingly funereal in tribute to Sirius before turning to thundering drums signifying the Deatheaters in the second half of that track and �Into the Rushes�.

�Harry & Hermione� is a wistful and melancholy track that reminds the listener of heartbreak and longing and is played in a wonderfully dreamlike fashion on the harp.

�Malfoy�s Mission� is another highlight which conjures up the right aura of drawn nerves and constant fear that Draco lives in whilst trying to accomplish his mission. However, this piece also emphasises Draco�s innocence and his still being merely a boy at the same time.

Finally, the last track of particular note, is �When Ginny Kissed Harry�. This idyllic melody played so simply on a Spanish guitar has an old-fashioned and ballad-like feel to it that feels quite Robin Hood/Minstrel like in a way and speaks of true love more than a grand love theme belted out by an orchestra ever could. This piece is soft and gentle and creates a lyrical picture of a boy and girl�s first perfect embrace.

In conclusion, Nicholas Hooper over the course of the last two films has done a sterling job of creating a mood to match the images on screen and can even be given more credit than any other composer rightly deserves for creating the Possession theme which accompanies images of Harry�s friends and Sirius in his mind whilst struggling mentally against Voldemort�s possession of his body. As I have said, I would like to hear a heck of a lot more of that theme but in the same manner in which it was first played as it take centre-stage at that point and for me sums up the battle between good and evil, Harry and Voldemort.

Nicholas Hooper has proven himself trustworthy and more than capable at providing the music to Harry�s story and I put this down to his uncanny ability to know which instruments best evoke the correct sentiment, his ability to compose simple but haunting melodies and his ability to weave themes throughout a soundtrack which build up to an appropriate musical climax in tandem with the on-screen drama/action. Stirring stuff.



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Review by Parminder Saini �

Reproduced by HP4U.co.uk with express permission of the author



Small Print:

Please note this review expresses the personal sentiments and opinion of a fan of HP fiction and films writing his first review. This review is not meant to cause offence to anyone. If that has been the consequence of anyone reading this review than the result was completely unintentional. This review is not a professional or fee-paid review and is authored merely for the pleasure of other fans and to encourage debate.

The author also prays this Review will hopefully help to guide the filmmakers (should they ever read it) in making HP7 and hope they will consult and possibly defer to the opinion of a fan.

Links:

Please feel free to create a link pointing to this review/article.

If a hotlink is created the original author and website first displaying the review must be expressly mentioned.

Reproduction of the complete review/article is expressly prohibited without permission of the author.

However, this review may be only partly cited, quoted or mentioned, as long as the original author and website first displaying the review are expressly mentioned.