HP:HBP Rant
Yeah, I know, this is a month late to say anything about Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, but I just saw it last night. I really expected the normal disappointment at seeing a well written book translated to film. As usual, I was careful not to read too much ahead of time, so as to spoil my enjoyment. My anticipation wasn’t very high. I was hoping for good enough. Kinda like Goblet of Fire. Instead, I’d say the movie rated about a D. That’s not good enough. It’s only a passing grade because it hit enough of the crucial plot points that I suppose there’s a justification for the next two movies.
I would quit watching the Harry Potter movies by now if I hadn’t read the books. But having read the books, somehow I can’t tear my eyes away from the train wreck. Just so you know, in the book, there’s crazy stuff about the freaking HALF BLOOD PRINCE in and also Lord Voldemort and some other apparently unimportant junk. The book is the most powerful of the series, I think. But somehow this movie was utterly boring! For such an emotional book, too! I cried at the end, but only because I knew what it should have been, so I cared about what was happening. Or really, what should have been happening.
Did J.K. Rowling just quit with the input? I remember when they were making the first few, she’d insist certain seemingly unimportant details be kept in because they were crucial to the story line. Did she decide to just quit once the last book came out, figuring that now that the whole story was out there, any idiot would know not to give Bellatrix 4th billing? Or to cut out all those pesky bits of information about Snape, Harry’s parents, or most all of the stuff about Voldy’s childhood? They even cut out the interesting bits of the love stories, and left us with half a movie about how annoying Lavender was!
Flat out disappointed, even going in with low expectations.
I am, as you know, right there with you. I would like to have been able to cry about it. But every time I start to really think about it, I come over all Manhunt Atomic Wedgie and have to take a walk around the block.