Another disclaimer. Greg could give two shits about Harry Potter, and he did not like this movie. I dunno if that helps any of you non-Potter fans out there.

Now, what could go wrong, you ask? People are saying this is the darkest film of the bunch, rife with teen angst and raging hormones. Meh. The Order of the Phoenix was decidedly dark, if you ask me, with Sirius' death and the return of the Death Eaters. And, as for teenage romances, give me a break. This movie is rated PG, and the romances are tamer than High School Musical.  Sure, the castle is lit darker and there's less magic. And okay, the cinematography is gorgeous. So, yeah, it seems dark, but Harry Potter is really about a boy who grows up to accept his destiny in defeating the deadliest wizard or die trying...while being surrounded by a magical world. And, in this film, the magic just wasn't there for me.

The Half-Blood Prince jumps into the action quickly, so you might want a refresher course in all things Potter before buying your tickets. Voldemort is officially back and Death Eaters are wrecking havoc on both wizard and muggle worlds. Harry is heading back to Hogwarts, and Dumbledore not only needs his help in recruiting Professor Slughorn (Jim Broadbent) out of retirement but also to extract a pivotal memory regarding a young Voldemort.

Meanwhile, teen crushes run amok as Harry falls in like with Ron's sister, Hermione falls in like with Ron, and Ron is pounced on by Lavender (who I believe is unnamed in the movie and dresses like circa-1984 Madonna).  It's a whole bunch of overacting and awfulness.

As far as my dislikes of this film, the plot moves too quickly in the beginning for even a Potter fan to remember what the eff is going on and is especially jarring for a Potter neophyte. The teenage romances are obnoxious and fill too much time as the rest of the movie lags, teetering on boredom. Supporting characters are completely wasted and barely speak. Entire subplots of the book are left out entirely. Explanations for things are glossed over without any real explanation. And the main plot of the book--that is Harry and Dumbledore searching for horcruxes--is regulated for the last 20 minutes or so. Even the climax, which is gut-wrenching in the book, left me unmoved. And I get emotional very easily. It just did not do it for me.

However, all is not lost for the Half-Blood Prince. Like I said, the cinematography is amazing. The sets are truly beautiful. Some of the main characters have really grown into their own ('cept Radcliffe's stature...). And Broadbent can do no wrong in my eyes. Harry Potter is a magical world, and I love being in it--even if it's in a disappointing movie. My only hope is the final book is represented well in the next two films and it ends on a high note.

--Darcie Duttweiler