Reviewer Eddie Szewczyk likes
6th Harry Potter film

By Eddie Szewczyk

(After viewing the latest Harry Potter film at a special critics' showing Monday, July 14, our movie reviewer from Belleville, IL, filed this report. Eddie has reviewed all of the previous Harry Potter movies for YSL.com)

At long last, the familiar ominous tune that summons the magical world of Harry Potter finally returns to theatres in the sixth installment of the cinematic series with Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. It's been two years since the last Harry Potter movie but, with the charm still fresh in our minds, we are immediately welcomed back into our favorite wizarding world.

The Half-Blood Prince, based upon the penultimate book in the 7-book series, opens with a haunting montage of photos depicting Harry posing with Professor Dumbledore for the Daily Prophet paparazzi. Harry, now dubbed "The Chosen One," has aroused serious speculation that he is the only one that can successfully battle and defeat the dark Lord Voldemort.

In this installment, Harry is recruited by Professor Dumbledore to join forces to stop the ever-increasing threat of the dark Lord's bold advances into destroying not only the wizardry world as they know it, but the Muggle world as well.

A new character is added to Prof. Dumbledore's army. He's Professor Horace Slughorn, a mumbling, bumbling seasoned elder who seems a bit too enamored with celebrity and a bit past his prime. Yet, he agrees to come out of retirement to teach the recently vacated Potions class at Hogwarts.

That will free up Professor Severus Snape , whom Dumbledore believes has the knowledge and ability of the Dark Arts he and Harry to drive out the demonic Voldemort.

To add more to the mystery, Harry stumbles upon a tattered, old textbook that seems to offer insight and clues to many questions in the defense of the dark arts. The book, cryptically noted as belonging to the Half Blood Prince, contained secret notes, spells and magic that was apparently kept from the "good wizards" and only known to the "bad wizards."

Definitely some dark magic at work here!

Meanwhile the sinister, sly Professor Snape is meeting with Mrs. Malfoy to discuss Draco's involvement in Voldemort-related activity and implores him to guide and protect her son as Voldemort's "chosen" heir.

Could Snape finally be showing his true colors?

As if all of this wasn't enough, the drama and intrigue of teenage relationships has finally reared its ugly head in the halls of Hogwarts, as we see Ron fall in love, Hermoine run from love and, in the end, love runs them toward each other.

Harry also does a bit of snogging, (as the English call it; aka kissing) with Ron's sister Ginny.

Throw in some cinematically thrilling but frightening Death-eater antics, grueling Quidditch tryouts, a scary spelunking trip with Harry and Dumbledore searching for a mysterious Horcrux, (hidden pieces of Voldemort's soul) and we've got a sixth movie that's sure to leave you in high anticipation of the final films.

Director David Yates produces his second Harry Potter film after a successful run with the fifth movie. He also will finish off the series with the final two movies. The last book is being split into two separate films which are currently in production.

Once again these films do not fail to impress. Their narrative content, creative cinematic detail, amazing action sequences, and genuine character interaction all lend to another great installment in our favorite wizard world.