Any movie that works as a spy thriller, love story, and horror movie all at once is pretty remarkable. You might say it takes a fair amount of wizardry.
All in all, despite the verve that drives the grander set pieces, it's hard to avoid the sensation of a film toiling overtime to convince itself of its own solemnity.
With its deft handling of teen yearning and affection, Half-Blood Prince maneuvers mysteries of heart and hankering that resound in worlds magic and Muggle.
NPR
July 17, 2009
It's a more mature magic. ... Now subject to the same raging hormones as any other 16-year-olds, our spell-casting heroes are learning to brew love potions this year, with results mostly played for laughs.
Not only is Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince an excellent translation of J.K. Rowling's addictive canon, but it's also the first entry to shine on its own devoid of its backdrop mythology.
I think it's the best of the series, fairly easily, and a testament to why occasionally throwing a massive budget at an endeavor of this scope can be considered a reasonable decision.
