Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Harry Potter and the Half blood prince

so, I was invited to a screening of the new Harry Potter film : the half blood prince at Warner Bros yesterday - so I thought excellent - free beer!

Went along and had two free beers, but had to drink the last one quite quickly as they don't allow drinks in the screen - what do they think we are going to do - throw them at the screen?

Anyhow - watched the two and a half hours long film and...

I've seen many screenings where the cast and crew are there, or it's a press screening or a premier or something and usually you all walk out - excited - chatting about the bits you liked.

We all walked out in silence.

I went to the Loo.

I wanted to talk about it - but there was no one willing to talk.

Because the problem is - it really isn't very good. It completely leaves you with a blank feeling, like the story hasn't progressed since episode 5.

People will say that Harry Potter is getting darker - but it isn't - that is just the GRADE! It is visually darker - but the story isn't: the pacing, the action, the plot - not that dark.

There are many many scenes which make no sense, they are just there because they are in the book (I imagine - I haven't read this one) and make no sense to be in the film if you haven't read the aforementioned book.

There is also some really weird editing and cuts that just don't work. Fourth wall breaking stuff - where we were looking around at each other thinking 'is that right'?

People are already beginning to compare this to Empire Strikes Back, because at the end the good guys are loosing - but that is really about it.

Daniel Radciffe is so incredibly weak (is he the luckiest boy ever or what?) it is impossible to form any emotional attachment to him or his friends. You quite simply don't give a toss. You don't believe him at all - and he still looks uncomfortable in front of a camera after all these years and huge pay cheques.

Also in many scenes there is no glass in his glasses he is just wearing frames! Why Mr David Yates thought we wouldn't notice this, is beyond me - because in some scenes he has glass in them and you can clearly see reflections - so it just became a Potter spotting moment - has he got glass in or not? - which just goes to show how involved I was in the movie!

I know the excuses will be that it is a big book and that was a lot to adapt, but they have failed to identify what the on going story really is in this episode - so it degenerates in to nicely shot sequences which have no link. Much of the film could be flipped around or cut with no damage to the on going story at all.

The opening scene - which looks great, makes no sense. Why do they do it?

And the big bad bit at the end - why didn't they do that in episode one? I'm sure there is a reason in the book, but Mr Yates has forgotten to tell us what it is.

We don't even see Potters forehead scar till about hour two - almost as a reminder that it is there.

There is a scene with Potter and Dumbledore on an island - which is fantastic like something out of Dante's inferno illustrated by Gustav Doire (Sp?). This was beautiful, but again very quickly dealt with - like a chapter, when this was a major turning point in the whole film.

A shame - because I really wanted to like it and love this genre, which surprises me even more when I found it all rather silly and dull.

I'm sure that this will be an episode quickly forgotten, like episode four, quantum of solace, The phantom menace and many others I have already forgotten.

So much money - so little effort.

4 out of 10. Detention. See me after school.

1 comment:

Ben Neal said...

Hi Martin, I wish every reviewer spoke as you do. A review worth reading. Give us more.