Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

What’s the Story?

In the face of Lord Voldemort's growing power, Professor Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) asks Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) to help convince retired potions professor Horace Slughorn (Jim Broadbent) to return to his old teaching post. Once back at Hogwarts, Dumbledore tasks Harry with befriending Slughorn -- who plays favorites -- in order to recover a crucial memory of former student Tom Riddle (who grew up to become You Know Who). Meanwhile, Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) deal with their growing attraction to each other, and the Death Eaters enlist Professor Snape (Alan Rickman) to assist Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) in carrying out the Dark Lord's evil bidding.

Is It Any Good?

Director David Yates, who took over the franchise with Order of the Phoenix, has created a mature, relationship-focused installment that masterfully sets the stage for the high-stakes final installments (Deathly Hallows was so epic that it will be split into two movies). Hardcore Potterphiles should know by now that not all of their favorite characters or scenes will make it into the film adaptations, and even movie-only fans will have to deal with no scenes set in Defense Against the Dark Arts class (Snape is finally the teacher), hardly any Neville or Weasley twins, and a bit too much foreshadowing.

What Yates does offer is an incredibly human look at how adolescent wizards deal with their burgeoning hormones: "Won Won" lands his first girlfriend, Hermione acknowledges the extent of her undeclared feelings for Ron, and Harry realizes that his best friend's kid sister, Ginny (Bonnie Wright, who really comes into her own this time), just might be his match. It's adorable -- and spot-on -- that even during the darkest times, teenagers still want to snog. Meanwhile, Broadbent is great as snobby, tipsy Slughorn, who still harbors kind thoughts for his once-favorite pupil. It's that empathy for the promising young wizard that Tom Riddle once was that makes it possible to connect the dots between Harry, Tom, and even the enigmatic Snape. As emotional as the film's climactic scene is, there's a small sense of relief in knowing that Harry still isn't alone. He has loyal, unconditional friends ready to risk their lives so that light can prevail over darkness.