Pseudo_Sam
Survives without air, food, or water
BananaBomb said:
What the hell is wrong with you?
Clearly one can disagree with critics, but for a movie so universally praised you calling it one of the "worst you've ever seen" reeks of hyperbole.
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Rottenwatch: Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince.
- Thread starter DrForester
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What the hell is wrong with you?
Clearly one can disagree with critics, but for a movie so universally praised you calling it one of the "worst you've ever seen" reeks of hyperbole.
theinfinityissue
Member
FabCam said:
[creepy] Everything about Luna is perfect. [/creepy]
A little background: I'm not big on the whole Harry Potter thing, but my wife is, so there you have it. I've never read the books, only seen the movies, so my opinion probably won't be worth much.
AGAINST: Not a whole hell of a lot of action. Even the fight scenes that did exist were short and one-sided, kind of a letdown after the all-out wizarding battles of the last film. Malfoy's mom was basically a piece of furniture. If she had any lines, I don't remember them. I miss Gary Oldman being in the movies, but I guess I don't have a choice there. Also, too much awkward teen romance, it's gross, weird, and just makes kind of a bizarre aside to the plot. I heard some heavy breathing behind me in the theater. I feel dirty.
FOR: A completely different movie from all the others, in a very good way. From every angle, it's just better than the others. The art, acting, sound, everything. Even if it's not my favorite of the Potter movies, I think it's still the best. A really notable performance from the kid who plays Draco, he really stepped up his game from a smarmy comic relief character to an actual deep, compelling, and tormented individual, stealing the show in the process, so bravo. Luna was perfect but didn't have enough screen time, and Alan Rickman will be here for years after the universe ends, just hanging out, because he is a terrifying deity. All other characters reprising their roles did just fine. I find Helena Bonham Carter singularly unattractive, but there was a shot of her cleavage in there somewhere that was pretty... arresting.
I've spent 5 bucks on far worse things.
Once again, it seems like the screenwriter went through a checklist of plot points without caring about why those scenes are important, where they fit the grand scheme of things, or how to make them emotionally impactful.
For instance:
I enjoyed the first two hours, but they really dropped the ball at the end. There was no emotion in this movie, no fear of imminent danger, so the events at the end lacked impact. At least the acting was better this time. I can't blame Gambon anymore; his lines were just lame. I have no idea how they made the cave scene so boring. I didn't think that was possible.
For instance:
The scene in Snape's house. In the book, you see how Narcissia doesn't care for the Death Eaters since they've destroyed her family, her desperation to have any sort of control, and Bella's mistrust of Snape. You hear what her and other Death Eaters have been saying behind Snape's back and you get to see how smoothly he can handle the situation. Also, there's the Unbreakable Vow.
In the movie, there is only the Unbreakable Vow. It was a useless scene because Snape mentions it to Malfoy anyway later in the film.
If they aren't going to make use of these scenes to develop characters and fill in more details about the world outside of Hogwarts, they might as well be cut.
In the movie, there is only the Unbreakable Vow. It was a useless scene because Snape mentions it to Malfoy anyway later in the film.
If they aren't going to make use of these scenes to develop characters and fill in more details about the world outside of Hogwarts, they might as well be cut.
I enjoyed the first two hours, but they really dropped the ball at the end. There was no emotion in this movie, no fear of imminent danger, so the events at the end lacked impact. At least the acting was better this time. I can't blame Gambon anymore; his lines were just lame. I have no idea how they made the cave scene so boring. I didn't think that was possible.
Movie wasn't that good. Lacked spectacle, and while the teenage drama was enjoyable and funny, i was expecting something more climatic towards the final stages. The death was very casually done, lacked impact.
Never read the book, so those are my impressions. Awesome till the halfway through, then when it ends, it ends on a "that's it?" note, that left me feeling empty handed.
Never read the book, so those are my impressions. Awesome till the halfway through, then when it ends, it ends on a "that's it?" note, that left me feeling empty handed.
Snowman Prophet of Doom
Member
I think that the people in this thread are letting their prejudices toward the books get in the way of their judging the movie. I've read legitimate criticisms where people have said that they thought the pacing was poor or that the intended effect wasn't reached, but too many posts are just whining about stuff not being in the movie.
Also, it's my opinion that the feeling of forthcoming doom and gloom was present throughout the film, so I disagree with the people who feel that the movie lacked a sense of danger. It was a very "calm before the storm" kind of feeling, in my opinion.
Also, it's my opinion that the feeling of forthcoming doom and gloom was present throughout the film, so I disagree with the people who feel that the movie lacked a sense of danger. It was a very "calm before the storm" kind of feeling, in my opinion.
I liked the movie. I'm certain I would have enjoyed it way more if I hadn't already read the book and seen so much of the movie online (trailers, behind the scenes, etc.).
It was really neat to see so many moments from the book come to life, many times how I imagined them, when others were just came off botched because they changed all the details around. Not that those scenes weren't good on their own, I just couldn't help but wondering why they bothered to change it. It took me out of the movie some. Again, if you haven't read the book I think you'll get more enjoyment out of this flick.
The romance stuff was pretty heavy (like in the book) but I think Yates missed an opportunity to downplay that more than the book and instead incliuding some much better sequences that were left out of the film including The Other Minister and The Gaunts. Yet, I can't complain because things that were added like the scenes showing what Malfoy was doing were actually an improvement to the book and necessary in a film rather than just using exposition at the end to explain it all.
Still, all said I'm going to go see it again this weekend and I'll know better how I feel. Here's a rundown of my dislikes and likes as of just seeing it a few hours ago:
Dislikes
* Fewer Riddle Flashbacks
* Lavender Brown was obnoxiously terrible and unbelievable as a character
* Bucketloads of detail changes, many for no apparent reason
* Climax did seem a bit emotionless
* Ending needed to be more epic
* Soundtrack was just a repeat of the last movie
Likes
* Slughorn was fantastic, better than the book
* Luna was perfect. Just love her as a character
* Draco's performance was also great. I actually felt sorry for him.
* This was Gambon's best performance as Dumbledore.
* Hit all the main plot points well
* Effects and cinematography were all good
* Several genually funny scenes
* Quiddich trials and match were done well
It was really neat to see so many moments from the book come to life, many times how I imagined them, when others were just came off botched because they changed all the details around. Not that those scenes weren't good on their own, I just couldn't help but wondering why they bothered to change it. It took me out of the movie some. Again, if you haven't read the book I think you'll get more enjoyment out of this flick.
The romance stuff was pretty heavy (like in the book) but I think Yates missed an opportunity to downplay that more than the book and instead incliuding some much better sequences that were left out of the film including The Other Minister and The Gaunts. Yet, I can't complain because things that were added like the scenes showing what Malfoy was doing were actually an improvement to the book and necessary in a film rather than just using exposition at the end to explain it all.
Still, all said I'm going to go see it again this weekend and I'll know better how I feel. Here's a rundown of my dislikes and likes as of just seeing it a few hours ago:
Dislikes
* Fewer Riddle Flashbacks
* Lavender Brown was obnoxiously terrible and unbelievable as a character
* Bucketloads of detail changes, many for no apparent reason
* Climax did seem a bit emotionless
* Ending needed to be more epic
* Soundtrack was just a repeat of the last movie
Likes
* Slughorn was fantastic, better than the book
* Luna was perfect. Just love her as a character
* Draco's performance was also great. I actually felt sorry for him.
* This was Gambon's best performance as Dumbledore.
* Hit all the main plot points well
* Effects and cinematography were all good
* Several genually funny scenes
* Quiddich trials and match were done well
Tabris said:The only issue I had with the movie is the lack of GARY FUCKING OLDMAN!!
It's depressing he's gone forever
No, he's back for the forest scene in Deathly Hallows Part II.
MTV said:
http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1616386/story.jhtml
Luna Lovegood, always a great character and again marvelously acted by Evanna Lynch.
I too felt weird about the ending. Like it was kinda abrupt with Dumbledore dying, and no retribution (I guess they are saving for next film)... this movie ended on a dark note a lot like Empire Strikes Back... Luke loses a hand, bombshell Luke I am your father, the good guys have lost but they regroup and look to the skies/stars looking forward to the adventure that they will embark on next.
I too felt weird about the ending. Like it was kinda abrupt with Dumbledore dying, and no retribution (I guess they are saving for next film)... this movie ended on a dark note a lot like Empire Strikes Back... Luke loses a hand, bombshell Luke I am your father, the good guys have lost but they regroup and look to the skies/stars looking forward to the adventure that they will embark on next.
Expendable.
Member
Trying to decide if I should see this tonight, I really disliked the last film, will I enjoy this? I've also only read the first four books. My girlfriend has only saw the first 2 movies, can she follow along in this film, or is it not worth it?
dorkimoe
Member
DanielPlainview said:
how did you dislike the 5th film? was so awesome
the newest one has alot less action, but i feel like its the calm before the storm
im debating on reading the last book, i havent read any of the books and loved all the movies. Im afraid it will ruin the last movie for me
Expendable.
Member
dorkimoe said:
I loved the beginning of it, but then it went downhill, all the action was boring and I didn't really care about the drama. Is this film similar?
brandonh83
Banned
I don't know what the problem is with the ending. I've seen this complaint everywhere and I don't get it. It was exactly how the book ended without
I have absolutely no clue what the hell was wrong with this ending, which is the best ending, by far, out of all the films IMO.
It also topped Azkaban for me as well, I thought everything about this film was breathtakingly well done.
the funeral and the shots of the empty Great Hall and Harry crying over the body and everyone lighting their wands was far more effective and less cliche than a funeral scene. And then Harry declares that he's going to follow the path that Dumbledore started him on and Hermione said that they're going with him, just like the book. Then Fawkes flies off into the distance as they watch in an absolutely beautiful shot,
It also topped Azkaban for me as well, I thought everything about this film was breathtakingly well done.
DanielPlainview said:
This was at least better than the last two movies, which kind of sucked. There isn't much in the way of plot, so it shouldn't be that difficult to follow if you haven't seen the last couple movies. It would take only a minute or two to catch someone up to speed, so they know that Voldermort is a bad dude.
brandonh83 said:
There was no emotion. The plot points were mostly the same, but it was done poorly.
It's pretty much a given that reading a book first before seeing a film reduces your opinion of the film because the film can never fully meet your expectations. However, on the plus side it is kinda neat to see things you read brought to life.
Still, if I had a choice I think I would have preferred not reading the book first and letting the movie be my first (and only) view into the story. I'm more a movie person than a reader anyway.
Still, if I had a choice I think I would have preferred not reading the book first and letting the movie be my first (and only) view into the story. I'm more a movie person than a reader anyway.
brandonh83
Banned
Gigglepoo said:
Okay then we just completely don't see eye to eye on that at all. No argument here really, so I won't persue.
DeathbyVolcano
Banned
Okay, there's some obvious trolling going on now.
Wtf, no emotion? So Harry crying, the swell in the music, the "wands up" tribute, the empty shot of the Great Hall, the scene in his office afterwards...signified no emotion?
Saying that, to me, means you can't come up with a good enough reason to hate on the film.
Wtf, no emotion? So Harry crying, the swell in the music, the "wands up" tribute, the empty shot of the Great Hall, the scene in his office afterwards...signified no emotion?
Saying that, to me, means you can't come up with a good enough reason to hate on the film.
dorkimoe
Member
ckohler said:
so am i. See..i think I may just skip the book and wait for the movie
i dont get that into books so i may be safe in just reading it
ugh im torn
but this review pretty much sums up how i felt
"There is still magic, but it all has dramatic purpose -- and much of it points to the final two films. " i just feel like were being setup for something epic
GhostofGraceKelly
Banned
i thought the movie was a tad slow. that's just me imo
brandonh83
Banned
BrandNew said:
.
Most emotional scene and ending of the whole damn thing so far.
DeathbyVolcano
Banned
The fact that someone in this thread said this was "the worst movie I've ever seen" and Transformers 2 is still out just bewilders the fuck out of me.
I just don't get it. Why is GAF's gut reactions always so extreme hate or extreme love?
I just don't get it. Why is GAF's gut reactions always so extreme hate or extreme love?
Angry Grimace
Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
Awesomestest:Cyan said:
-Emma Watson
DeathbyVolcano
Banned
ultron87 said:
This is shit that I hate. People complaining that Tom Bombadil was absent in the LotR movies, the time differences from the books and the movies, etc. They're ADAPTATIONS, it's no different.
I've been a junior since last October, so I don't think I'm in the massive influx that you are referring to, but regardless, I was not thrilled with this film as I mentioned in my post.Cyan said:
I didn't hate it. In fact, I really liked a lot of it, but the stuff that was left out was too crucial in my opinion. I understand somethings have to go, but why cut out memories regarding other horcruxes in favor of adding a bogus and pointless scene of destruction at the Burrow?
I understand the filmmaker's decision not to have two Hogwarts battles in two movies, but there was such little action in this film that the audience would have been better off seeing some of that action take place. Like Bill (or was it Charlie) Weasley getting mauled by Fenrir.
As it stands, we see Draco spending all this time to get the Death Eaters into the school grounds. Why? Just so they can taunt Dumbledore before he is killed? Doesn't make sense!
dorkimoe said:
The last book is pretty epic. Just about every character in the entire series has their moment or two of glory and I'm expecting the films to take good advantage of this aspect. There are plenty of twists and explanations. Even little things like why Voldemort is called "he who must not be named" to the origin of Harry's invisibility cloak are all explained by the end.
As for my comment about this movie's climax lacking some emotion, I what I mean by that is that I myself did not feel overly emotional. The characters and their actions were indeed filled with emotion. I myself, however, wasn't as moved as much as I should have been by what I saw. I 'm not sure if this is because I knew it was coming, because it wasn't conveyed properly or both.
DarwinMayflower
Neo Member
How about something in the incredible middle of the road?BrandNew said:
Long read mind you
Just some highlights from it:
Thank god Tom Bombadil was absent. Regardless, HBP did cut out some major plot points that the seventh movie will have to dig out of.BrandNew said:
I do wonder how Harry will figure out that he needs to be looking for
the cup, something from Ravenclaw or Gryffindor, and Nagini.
Maybe Dumbledore will just tell him in his will.
Maybe Dumbledore will just tell him in his will.
Just saw the movie last night. Really liked it, despite some nitpicks here and there that maybe I'll post later.
Something I'm wondering though - am I the only one who does not like the way Michael Gambon plays Dumbledore? He plays him very stoic and monotonous, almost gloomy.
Dumbledore's always been my favorite character in the books and I envisioned him completely differently. Kinder, gentler, wiser, but humble and with a cheerful, playful, happy side. Closer to Richard Harris's take. I swear, the first time Michael's Dumbledore smiled was in this movie during the visit to Slughorn.
I think the rest of the cast is SPOT ON and one of the best ensemble casts ever.
Something I'm wondering though - am I the only one who does not like the way Michael Gambon plays Dumbledore? He plays him very stoic and monotonous, almost gloomy.
Dumbledore's always been my favorite character in the books and I envisioned him completely differently. Kinder, gentler, wiser, but humble and with a cheerful, playful, happy side. Closer to Richard Harris's take. I swear, the first time Michael's Dumbledore smiled was in this movie during the visit to Slughorn.
I think the rest of the cast is SPOT ON and one of the best ensemble casts ever.
ScientificNinja
Member
The analysis in this thread is surprisingly shallow, especially from the people moaning about how they expected more fireworks in this movie based on the ending of Order of the Phoenix. I think that's completely missing the point.
Half Blood Prince was much subtler, more sophisticated character-driven movie than all of the previous films, punctuated by the threat of magic being used rather than being smothered by it.
There's no way it could've accommodated every little detail from the books and, in many ways, I'm glad they either didn't try or are planning on saving some for the Deathly Hallows films.
And lack of emotion? Jesus Christ, were you expecting Lord of the Rings? After
, the entire audience went so fucking quiet that even the little girl who was babbling next to me throughout the film (and her mother, who was coughing constantly) went dead quiet to the very end. You could've heard a pin drop. You don't need pomp and ceremony to create a little gravity.
Half Blood Prince was much subtler, more sophisticated character-driven movie than all of the previous films, punctuated by the threat of magic being used rather than being smothered by it.
There's no way it could've accommodated every little detail from the books and, in many ways, I'm glad they either didn't try or are planning on saving some for the Deathly Hallows films.
And lack of emotion? Jesus Christ, were you expecting Lord of the Rings? After
Dumbledore's death
DarwinMayflower
Neo Member
Combichristoffersen said:
Pseudo_Sam
Survives without air, food, or water
Gigglepoo said:
I wholeheartedly disagree.
I do think Daniel Radcliffe is the only one who really hasn't grasped the whole "good acting" thing. I can stand Ron, Hermione's fine, all the supporting cast (Malfoy, Ginny, Luna, Snape) are excellent, but Harry kind of sucks ass at emoting.
BrandNew said:
Except that Tom Bombadil would require 15-20 minutes of LOTR to make sense at all. There really wasn't time for that.
They easily could've had Harry come upon Hagrid cradling the body as he returns to the castle, instead of everyone just kind of randomly standing in a big circle around the body not knowing what to do. I think it would've been a much more emotional scene than a random wand salute.
I loved Harris' take on Dumbledore. I read the first book before the first movie and Harris closely resembled what I pictured for Dumbledore in my head. Gambon has bothered me with his interpretation, but I think he was pretty spot on in this film. Actually, his portrayal was quite good in HBP.rataven said:
The director didn't have to convince me to feel emotion over Dumbledore's death. The direction was understatement because, presumably, the events spoke for themselves. I don't think it was the only choice that could have been made but it wasn't a poor one, it's respectful of the audience, and among the other possibilities (a funeral or students screaming or speechifying by Harry or one of the remaining professors) it could have been much worse.Gigglepoo said:
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