So, being a gen-you-wine “Potter-Head” I was first in line today to see Half-Blood Prince.
So sad, so… very… sad.
It was an interesting movie. Nice special effects.
Disjointed enough however that one needed to have seen all the previous movies and/or read the books to follow the plot.
...HOWEVER, it bears little resemblance to the aforementioned books.
Really. I can forgive replacing the actions of one character with another character, to save time, I can even forgive eliminating whole chapters for the sake of brevity, but to change scenes, edit whole parts, and invent whole chapters???
Beware, below, there be SPOILERS! Don’t read if you haven’t watched!
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Some examples of lost scenes:
Dumbledore confronting the Dursley’s? Gone.
The invention of a fight at the burrow, including the destruction of the whole house? Really? Where’s Bill & Fleur going to get married next movie? (Oh that’s right, in the movies, they AREN’T! Heck, they aren’t even in –this- movie!)
The “Meeting of the Ministers” scene? Gone. Heck there’s absolutely NO sign of Scrimgeour –anywhere- in the whole movie!
Tonks rescuing Harry from the train? Nope, now it’s Luna, looking for Wrackspurts! (???)
The slow build up leading to the Quiddich victory kiss? Gone. Now just a “close your eyes” peck in the Room of Requirement, and that was –nothing-!!
The two months of Harry & Ginny dating? Gone.
Harry breaking up with Ginny to protect her? Gone!
Harry’s ownership of Grimmauld Place and Kreacher? (Key for the next movie) Gone.
The Gaunt house flash-backs? Both gone. And with them any mention of Merope, Voldemort’s mother. Gone too the mention of her locket by Caractacus Burke.
The memories of Hokey the house elf, and of Dumbledore’s job interview with Voldemort? (Key for the next movie) Gone. In fact, all references to the valuable heirlooms such as Hufflepuff’s cup are gone.
Crabb & Goyle polyjuiceing into girls to stand watch? Funny, but… gone.
Snapes “Defense Against the Dark Arts” lessons? Gone.
Apparition lessons and test? Gone.
Hermione & Ron’s Prefect status? (Well, since it wasn’t mentioned LAST film, why mention it now?)
Harry’s appointment as Quiddich captain? (No mentions, only implied during the tryouts)
Mundungus stealing Sirius’ property? (KEY for the next movie) Gone.
Snap’s betrayal of Trelawney’s prophecy to Voldemort? (HUGE!) Gone!!!
Harry petrified by Dumbledoor to protect him? GONE!
The Hogwarts battle between Death Eaters and Order members? (and Bill’s disfigurement?) GONE!!
Dumbledore’s funeral? GONE!!!!
…oh sure, we’ll probably get to see a few of the minor bits I’ve mentioned in the “deleted scenes” portion of the “Deluxe” version of the DVD, but for the screen version, We get such add-on scenes as:
Harry wandering the underground, and chatting up a waitress??
The aforementioned Burrow fight and subsequent burning??
Not to mention, Harry NOT petrified, but willingly hiding and watching Dumbledore’s assassination? (Does anyone besides me see how that fundamentally would change Harry’s view of himself?) Yeash!
All in all, I am happy they are making Harry Potter movies, but they are –nothing- compared to the books, and THIS one should be prefaced with “Loosely based on the novel by J. K. Rowling”!!
