Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince *spoilers within*

[Magmar]

She has no emotion, no levels, nothing. Just constant emotionless drivel. Case in point, Bellatrix and whosawhatsis attack the Weasley house. Potter, Lupin, Tonks and Ginny pursue, and get surrounded. Notice how the characters are looking panicked and horrified? ...All except Ginny, who appears to be looking around vacantly, occasionally lowering her wand?

Wasn't the Ginny in the books sort-of "just there" too?

WHY DIDN'T THEY MENTION THE HORCRUXES??? Seriously I understand, ok let's cut out the Riddle past etc. but that shit was important! Dumbledore tells Harry that he's looking for Hufflepuff's cup, Nagini, the locket, and possibly an heirloom of Ravenclaw or Gryffindor. Also, what was SUPER important and they cut out with the conversation was that Harry learned in BOOK SIX that the Sword of Gryffindor destroys horcruxes.

[Telume]

Wasn't the Ginny in the books sort-of "just there" too?

WHY DIDN'T THEY MENTION THE HORCRUXES??? Seriously I understand, ok let's cut out the Riddle past etc. but that shit was important! Dumbledore tells Harry that he's looking for Hufflepuff's cup, Nagini, the locket, and possibly an heirloom of Ravenclaw or Gryffindor. Also, what was SUPER important and they cut out with the conversation was that Harry learned in BOOK SIX that the Sword of Gryffindor destroys horcruxes.

I always make it a point not to watch the movies, I haven't watched a single movie since about the 4th one.

I don't think I've missed anything anyway, have I?

[Drago]

Wasn't the Ginny in the books sort-of "just there" too?

Character interpretation can't be used as an excuse to justify acting this bad. Nosirree.

I think you misunderstood the ending then. It wasn't like the book with the kickass battle, but it did make sense. Voldemort wants Dumbledore dead, supposedly by Draco. He knows Draco won't be able to do it, so he makes the Death Eaters go along to make sure he is still killed. Once he is dead, their job there is done, and there is no remaining "real" threat to them at Hogwarts for when they return later.

Well, ok... I can kinda accept that, but it still does seem a bit suss to me. I had forgotten that in the next book, the bad guys intend to run Hogwart's (or so to my understanding, I think that's basically it?) so I guess blowing the whole place up to smithereens wouldn't be particularly useful. ...All the same, I still would have appreciated seeing them flee the scene after destroying Hagrid's.

[Zak]

Wasn't the Ginny in the books sort-of "just there" too?

WHY DIDN'T THEY MENTION THE HORCRUXES??? Seriously I understand, ok let's cut out the Riddle past etc. but that shit was important! Dumbledore tells Harry that he's looking for Hufflepuff's cup, Nagini, the locket, and possibly an heirloom of Ravenclaw or Gryffindor. Also, what was SUPER important and they cut out with the conversation was that Harry learned in BOOK SIX that the Sword of Gryffindor destroys horcruxes.

Not true about the sword, Harry doesn't learn what the sword's purpose is until book seven. When Rufus Scrimgeour (who they ALSO cut out wtf) confiscates the sword Dumbledore left in his will, Harry still doesn't know at the time why he gave him that, and don't forget they bust their balls trying different ways to break the locket once they get their hands on it, and then one of the portraits mentions Dumbledore used the sword to break the ring. The sword isn't mentioned once in book six... or even five for that matter.

But yes, how the hell are they gonna get around not explaining the Horcruxes, that was important, Dumbledore theorizing and the memory of Riddle in that shop. Anyone who hasn't read the book would probably also wonder "okay, this ring apparently was a Horcrux Dumbledore destroyed... I guess I'll take their word for it". Also, his HAND! Where was his black hand, it's important as to why he let Snape kill him.

[Gavin Luper]

Okay ... I actually thought Half-Blood Prince was the best movie in the series so far.

The opening scene that linked this film with the climax of OOTP was gold, and linking the wizarding and muggle worlds in the opening sequences was really nice, broke the mould a bit of how the films have been lately.

I didn't mind the romantic comedy aspect of the film - actually, I really liked it, the audience was all laughing and enjoying it too. Maybe the biggest surprise was Emma Watson - I usually find that she totally overacts, but in this film, I thought her performance was exceptional. Loved it.

I WAS kind of disappointed with the end, though, too. I was hanging out during the whole movie for the epic battle in Hogwarts between the teachers, aurors and the core DA members (Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville and Luna) and the Death Eaters - and I felt ripped off when it never came. That was probably the most exciting part of the book, the end battle, and it was completely skipped. I much prefer the version where Harry tells Ron and Hermione about Dumbledore's departure and they guard the halls ... blah ... I could rant about this forever. It just made for a pretty anti-climactic ending.

Dumbledore's death could have been done a bit better - more confrontingly.

I thought the reveal of Snape as the HBP was a bit - hollow? Anyone else think the same thing? It was like "okay ... so you're the Half-Blood Prince ... and ...?". The movie didn't build it up like the book did.

I actually liked Bonnie Wright as Ginny.

And in regards to plot holes ... I'm starting to wonder if they'll open the 7th film with the funeral scene? It wouldn't surprise me, and I don't think it would really be a bad move, either, from a continuity point of view. I also wouldn't be surprised if the screenwriters created a new scene where, along with Dumbledore's Will, Harry gets some kind of beyond-the-grave note from Dumbledore saying "by the way, these are the Horcruxes you're looking for".

Guess we'll just have to wait and see ... but yeah, despite the final scenes, which I felt were lacking, I enjoyed this film overall more than any of the others so far. The attention to detail was pretty great, I think.

Bring on Deathly Hallows Part I!!!!! Woooooooooooo!