Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

This is going to be a very long post. If you think it's tiring to read, imagine typing it.

I went to watch HBP with Xiao Wei just now (yesterday? since it's past midnight?). My sister has already seen it on Sunday (that's her birthday), and she said it sucked. So I went and read the movie reviews. Those who hate it were generally the hardcore fans, who were disappointed because of the numerous deviations from the book. Those who like it said the cinematography was great, the acting was superb, and I agree with them. The opening in which the Death Eaters swooped around burning buildings was nauseating. As for acting, I think Helena Bonham Carter succeeded in portraying the deranged Bellatrix Lestrange (she really looks mad and dangerous!); Emma Watson was pretty good esp in that scene where Hermione cried on Harry's shoulder after Ron snogged Lavender (I cried a bit...Ron is always making Hermione upset! Actually the snogging was okay;it sounded really bad in those reviews); Tom Felton did a great job as the lonely and tormented Draco Malfoy. He really does look worn and haggard.The character has grown from a mean bully to, ironically, the Chosen One. My heart went out to him in scenes where he wasn't paying attention to Dumbledore in the Opening Feast, when he's walking alone while other students were happily playing around, his hidden fear when Harry asked Katie about the necklace, him breaking down in the bathroom, his look of reluctance and revulsion as he finally repaired the Vanishing Cabinets and opened it to the Death Eaters, when he trembled as he pointed his wand at Dumbledore, when he looked at the remains of Hogwarts as he escaped... you just know he didn't want any of this.

Alan Rickman was great as always as the Severus Snape that you love and hate (I love his voice!!!).

But Michael Gambon was the biggest surprise.

To be honest I've been kind of biased against him ever since he replaced Richard Harris as Albus Dumbledore in "Prisoner of Azkaban". I found him a bit too wild and frivolous, a little over dramatic at times. But in this movie he's truly Albus Dumbledore. He's the wise old wizard with flowing white hair and beard. He speaks to Harry with care and concern, he carries himself as a headmaster would, he even manages to be witty in the most Dumbledore-lish way (see hospital scene where Lavender storms off after Ron murmurs Hermione's name in his sleep.)

The cave scene wasn't like what I had imagined when I read the book. The ground was covered with what looked like crystals (it looks difficult to walk on, what with so many jagged edges), which reminds me of the planet Superman was from, you know, in "Superman Returns"? I was filling with dread and getting all worked up, and Michael Gambon did a splendid job portraying a weakened Dumbledore, crying, murmuring "It's all my fault" and pleading Harry to stop. It broke my heart to see the tear-stained face of an old and weak Dumbledore. (I started crying here.) The only flaw was that he suddenly wasn't quite that weak when he asked Harry for water. Thought he's supposed to feel like he's dying from thirst? So as you know, Harry went to get water from the lake, and I know that's when the Inferi would appear. I knew it and I'd braced myself for it, but still I was damn frightened when an Inferi arm suddenly shot out and grabbed Harry. I was completely thrown back into my seat and I grabbed Xiao Wei. Phew. Harry was dragged into the lake where several colonies of Inferi were waiting. Oh man, there really were a lot of them. This is different from the book, but I supposed it was for a more dramatic effect? Then Dumbledore conjured a fire to dispel the Inferi and saved Harry. The scene in which Dumbledore stood, looking a little wild, with fire blazing around him hit me really hard, for some reason. Perhaps it's because I was suddenly reminded that he's an old man. Or maybe it's because it reminds me of a similar scene from one of the Lord of the Rings movies, where Gandalf the Grey was battling with some fiery dragon.

They then Apparated back to the tower. Dumbledore asked Harry to hide downstairs and not do anything. Strangely Harry did not have the Invisibility Cloak with him, nor was he immobilised by Dumbledore, so I wonder why he didn't do anything to save Dumbledore? I knew Dumbledore had told Harry to trust him, and Snape warned him to remain silent before ascending the tower himself, but isn't it just not in his nature to do nothing? It's just weird. And I think it'd have been more impactful if Dumbledore had cast the Body-Binding charm as in the book, because I remember how my heart had ached terribly when I read "the split second it had taken Dumbledore to cast the spell had cost him the chance to defend himself".

Tom Felton's acting was convincing as Draco broke down and said, "If I don't kill you, he'll kill me." The Death Eaters arrived, then Snape arrived with that unreadable expression of his, and I was almost going crazy and wringing my hands and hoping against what I knew would come. Dumbledore pleaded with Severus (it hurt to watch this; crying initiated), it was all very fast when Snape cast the Killing Curse. There was a brief shot of Dumbledore as he fell down the tower. Hot tears rolled down my cheeks (they really felt hot, I wonder why. Maybe the theatre was too cold...).

After Snape escaped, Harry returned to the foot of the tower, where the students were gathered around Dumbledore's body. He looked like he might have been sleeping. T_T. Ginny held Harry as he cried. Now I really cannot control myself when I see people cry. I just broke down when I saw that the students were crying too (had to bite my lips to keep quiet). Led by McGonagall, the staff and students raised their wands, casting lights that erased the Dark Mark cast by Bellatrix, all the while crying silently. Dumbledore was going to be missed by all... The movie then ends with Harry talking to Hermione and Ron about the road ahead, and a final scene of them watching Fawkes fly away, leaving Hogwarts forever, just as Dumbledore had... T_T

I'd cried a lot, which is why I felt so tired after watching the movie. Tears were dripping down the front of my shirt and when I finally got to the toilet I noticed my eyes were red and swollen. I wonder why my sis said she didn't feel anything when Dumbledore died. I thought they did a pretty good job. Or perhaps I was just allowing my emotions to run wild.

I've enjoyed the movie, definitely. Would have enjoyed it more if not for the bursting bladder I had to endure from the green tea I had drunk previously. I don't know it's because I'd read those poor reviews and lowered my expectations. But I have known it differs from the book, and I stopped comparing the movie with the book, and it's great. Among the reviews that I've read, the most missed scenes were Dumbledore picking Harry up at the Durseley's and giving them a dressing down (it was changed to a train station, and I thought the part about Harry trying to pick up a waitress was quite dumb), the Hogwarts Battle (I must admit it's really odd that no one stopped the Death Eaters as they marched away after killing Dumbledore, blowing up things here and there. And read, they marched. They didn't even run. Sidetrack a bit, Draco looked pained as he glanced at the smothering remains of the Great Hall, work of Bellatrix. Whatever he might have said on the Hogwarts Express about hating the school, I'm sure he felt for it. After all, he had spent six years in thw school with his friends.) and Dumbledore's funeral. But I suppose the tower scene was acceptable. It did convey the loss of Albus Dumbledore and how he was missed, albeit on a less grand scale. In the book his funeral was attended by merpeople and centaurs, which shows how a great a wizard he truly was. Some people thought it was ridiculous to do without the scene, because how else is Voldemort going to get the Elder Wand in the next movie? But actually the movie shows the Wand to be in the Headmaster's Office; Harry was looking at it when Professor McGonagall entered.

There was a brief scare when Xiao Wei lost her wallet, but luckily we found it when we went back to the Cathay (after we had already got to the MRT station!). Kudos to the helpful Cathay staff!

Gotta sleep early to watch the live broadcast of solar eclipse tomorrow at 8AM!