Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Blu-ray Movie Review

New and improved! Now with more special features...

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown June 13, 2011

I'm not inclined to begin a review by stating what a film is not, but I've found myself growing increasingly frustrated with the complaints that have been leveled against what is, in my mind, an exceptionally rich and mature entry in the Harry Potter franchise, not to mention a smartly written, wonderfully performed and artfully directed film in its own right. The Half-Blood Prince is not an aimless, uneventful bore. It's a measured analysis of its hero and his destiny; a rewarding dissection of his friendships and fears. It's not a bloated, despairing downer. It's the inevitable calm before the storm; the shifting of pawns preparing for the coming clash of their dueling kings. It's not a tiresome, overwrought waste of celluloid. It's an unexpectedly arresting character study, a tense mystery, and a shocking tale with lasting, tragic consequences for its protagonists. In short, the sixth Potter film is not a letdown. The series' once-young cast proves their mettle, its themes take tremendous leaps forward and its dramatic weight produces a palpable burden franchise fans will be more than happy to bear.

A boy no more...

In his sixth cinematic outing, fledgling wizard and would-be world savior Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) finally comes into his own. Absent is his sniveling extended family, gone is the awkward blend of comedy and tragedy that held such sway in the series' earliest films. In their place comes a cold, oppressive veil of hopelessness teased in Prisoner of Azkaban and refined in Order of the Phoenix; a murky sense of dread that permeates every character and locale fans have come to know and love. The mysterious macguffin Harry stumbles upon this time around is a textbook whose previous owner, a former student who identifies himself only as the half-blood prince, had a vast, frankly frightening understanding of magic and its many applications. Keeping the book secret from all but his closest friends, mainstays Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson), Harry tries to decipher its clues. Meanwhile, Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) tasks him with convincing a legendary professor to give up a memory involving the once-and-future Lord Voldemort, Tom Riddle, and with putting a stop to the dark sorcerer's servants, Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham Carter) and rival classmate Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton), who are hatching a seedy plan of their own. But Harry's challenges don't end there. He has to find an assassin targeting Dumbledore, deal with his feelings for Ron's sister Ginny (Bonnie Wright), determine where Professor Snape's (Alan Rickman) loyalties lie, help Hermione come to terms with her attraction to Ron, and save Ron from a pack of ravenous girls and a deadly poison.

If it seems like the weight of the world is crashing down on Harry's shoulders, it's because it is. Thankfully, director David Yates' command of the camera, screenwriter Steve Kloves' intimate understanding of the characters and their plight, and Radcliffe's exceptional performance grants the film poignancy and power. They effectively transform Harry from a wide-eyed hopeful into a weathered warrior; a boy who had little choice but to grow up when a number of unspeakable horrors began beating down his door. They even manage to blend Harry's innate sweetness, his affection for Dumbledore, his desire to bring an end to Voldemort's shadowy reign, and the tenuous balance of rage and justice boiling just beneath his likable exterior into an endearing whole. Despite the magic mumbo-jumbo and otherworldly set pieces, Radcliffe registers as a real teenager; a fully realized young man with genuine doubts and familiar insecurities. Grint and Watson, though off camera for the majority of the film, are equally strong, lending Ron and Hermione a charming, believable relationship that makes their scenes a heart-aching joy to watch. Their fondness for and loyalty to Harry continue to propel the series forward, and their interplay with Radcliffe exudes a chemistry often lacking from young ensemble casts. Even Wright, thrust into a central role by Rowling's plotting, holds her own and shows immense promise as the love of Harry's life. Their collective performances are outstanding, their talents undeniable.

The story itself unfolds more slowly than Potter fans may be accustomed to, but it also lingers more intensely after the credits have rolled. Yates takes several cues from Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy, injecting reality into a world that prides itself on being anything but realistic, and brings an authority and confidence to the film that allows each scene to evoke memories of adolescence. He doesn't struggle to balance whimsy with drama, nor does he prioritize special effects over the characters' emotional beats. Everything about his production, from the musical score to the cinematography, is blessed with a cohesiveness that can only be born from a steady-handed director like Yates. If anything, Half-Blood Prince suffers from Empire Strikes Back Syndrome: it's so dark, so weighty, and leaves its heroes at such a precarious, ambiguous low that it will leave some dissatisfied. As a linking entry in a sweeping saga, it succeeds. As a standalone film, it offers little respite or relief. Still, I couldn't ask much more from a series that could have developed into a hollow, superficial kiddie franchise. Half-Blood Prince will leave children yawning and shoot over the heads of younger teens, but will wow anyone who enjoys the things that have made the most recent Potter films worthy of their box office success and critical accolades. While it certainly won't appeal to everyone, I was absolutely taken with the strength and majesty of it all.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is an exceedingly dark film, and Warner's faithful 1080p/VC-1 -- identical to its 2009 Blu-ray counterpart -- transfer follows suit. Color is often absent from the palette, but the washed hues and inky blacks that remain are all the more haunting and beautiful for it. Contrast remains consistent regardless of how bleak the photography becomes, and delineation is always just as revealing as it should be. Detail is also stunning. Textures are crisp and refined, object definition is clean and sharp (without the help of any intrusive edge enhancement), and every instance of softness should be attributed to the filmmakers' intentions. Whether it be a collapsing bridge in the middle of a bustling city, a rustling grain field in the dead of night, or an underground cavern swirling with the flames of a fallen wizard, each shot and scene looks exceptional. It certainly doesn't register with the same impact as a flashy summer blockbuster, but don't be fooled by the reserved, somewhat grainy nature of the visuals. Warner's transfer is every bit as proficient as other more obvious head-turners on the market. Artifacting, crush, smearing, aliasing, and ringing aren't a problem, and the two issues that do distract -- a hint of white-flecked source noise dots a decades-old encounter between Professor Slughorn and a young Tom Riddle, and nearly unnoticeable banding pops up in two scenes filled with steam and smoke -- are short-lived and largely negligible.

Regardless of which Blu-ray edition of The Half-Blood Prince you add to your collection, you can rest assured that it delivers a fantastic presentation; one that should easily please any Potter fan who isn't taken aback by the film's subdued appearance or Bruno Delbonnel's overcast cinematography. Some will surely complain, but I can't imagine the film looking much better than it does here.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince crackles and roars with a flawless 24-bit/48kHz DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track that is as impressive as the 2009 Dolby TrueHD mix that precedes it. Yes, the film itself offers a quieter, more nuanced soundscape than previous series installments (particularly in regards to its musical score), but both power and ferocity arrive in force whenever called upon, and subtlety dominates the proceedings whenever evil is being held at bay. A collapsing bridge offers an early hint of the sonic majesty that is to come, but doesn't remain alone for long. Blazing flame serpents, a cursed young girl, a battle of wands, a crowded marketplace, Dumbledore's teleportation, a rush of recalled memories, a horde of undead guardians, an enraged master wizard, a harrowing field chase and many other absolutely electric magic-infused scenes take full advantage of the LFE channel and rear speakers. Even when Harry and his friends retreat to a corner to develop their plans in secret, the resonant halls of Hogwarts fill every corner of the home theater with tremendous, all-too-convincing presence. Ambience, whether restrained or aggressive, accurately assaults the listener from every direction, producing a wholly immersive soundfield populated with smooth pans and precise effects. Dynamics, whether mounting an offensive or storming the gates, are bold and assertive. Dialogue, whether hushed or shouted, is crystal clear and perfectly prioritized. Lines are never lost beneath the chaos and words are never drowned by the thundering magic that ensues. Suffice it to say, I can't conjure up a single gripe about Warner's magnificent 24-bit DTS-HD Master Audio track.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince doesn't hit with the same impact as some of Warner's previous Ultimate Editions, simply because the majority of the supplemental material it serves up is already included on the film's 2009 Blu-ray release. Still, a number of new extras await ravenous Potter fans: the next hour-long installment of "Creating the World of Harry Potter" (the eight-part, eight hour documentary being spread across the UE releases), a 47-minute "Behind the Magic" television special, a collection of "Interstitials" and a high definition presentation of the previous Blu-ray edition's deleted scenes (which were sadly presented in standard definition).

As to the packaging, the Half-Blood Prince Ultimate Edition is housed in an attractive oversized box similar in size and design to the UE releases of The Prisoner of Azkaban, The Goblet of Fire and The Order of the Phoenix. It isn't quite as tall as the first two UE releases -- The Sorcerer's Stone and The Chamber of Secrets, pictured here and here -- it swaps out a digital copy disc for an online authorization code and the box slides into a two-tier, side-access lenticular slipcover. Inside is a sturdy inner box, a 2-disc DigiPak with BD-50 discs, a 48-page hardcover book with rare photographs and images, two character cards (Draco Malfoy and Albus Dumbledore), an authorization code for an iTunes or Windows Media standard definition digital copy of the film (that expires in June of 2012), and an offer for a free Deathly Hallows key chain at NobleCollection.com (purchase required).

• Maximum Movie Mode (Disc 1, HD, 154 minutes): While its moniker is completely misleading -- Half-Blood Prince's Maximum Movie Mode is a traditional Picture-in-Picture track, not the revolutionary, Watchmen-esque monster experience its name implies -- Warner's feature is nevertheless a generous, extremely well-conceived one. Loaded with animatics, special effects breakdowns, production stills, scene comparisons, concept art, interview segments, and accessible Focus Point featurettes, it's a fairly extensive addition to the release. It's also not hosted by Daniel Radcliffe (as the coverart seems to suggest). Radcliffe appears in interviews, but no more than his castmates and other production heads. Still, the quality of the PiP content renders it all a non-issue. As an added touch, tapping the directional pad on your remote allows you to hop through the track, effectively skipping gaps in which no bonus material appears on screen. It's a snazzy, effortless, and subtle function that makes the entire experience more streamlined, less time-consuming, and far more enjoyable.
• Focus Points (Disc 1, HD, 38 minutes): The Maximum Movie Mode's fourteen Focus Point featurettes can also be accessed from the main menu. Segments include "The Millennium Bridge," "Shooting on Location," "Professor Slughorn," "Building Relationships," "Director David Yates Returns," "Wool's Orphanage," "Ron and Lavender's Kiss," "The Burrow," "Harry and Ginny's Kiss," "Aragog Returns," "Creating the Cave," "Designing the Virtual Cave Environment," "The Inferi," and "The Underwater Sequence."
• Creating the World of Harry Potter Part 6: Magical Effects (Disc 2, HD, 64 minutes): The sixth Ultimate Edition Harry Potter release initially seems a bit late in the "Creating the World" game to tackle what is arguably one of the series' most crucial elements -- the visual effects wizardry and CG sleight-of-hand that have helped make the Harry Potter movies, well, magic -- but it makes perfect sense once you sit down and begin watching the evolution of the series' effects, from The Sorcerer's Stone to, yep, The Deathly Hallows, the conclusion of which is due in theaters next month. Like previous outings, the latest installment of "Creating the World of Harry Potter" is an excellent one, delving into every aspect of the films' effects from their development to their implementation to the changes they've undergone over the course of the saga's production. Virtually every key member of the cast and crew, new and old, take viewers behind the computers, into the digital world of Harry Potter, to examine the practical tricks-of-the-trade, clever innovations and CG spell-casting that transformed some of the series' biggest scenes into its most unforgettable.
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: Behind the Magic (Disc 2, SD, 47 minutes): Also making its Blu-ray debut is "Behind the Magic," a secondary television special hosted by Ben Shephard that goes behind-the-scenes of The Half-Blood Prince. Brimming with cast and crew interviews, production insights and on-set, mid-shoot tours, it's much better than the usual television specials included on other Blu-ray releases. Shephard even scores a cameo in the film, much to his delight.
• Additional Footage (Disc 2, HD, 7 minutes): Eight brief deleted scenes, none of which fizzle and most of which should have been retained in the final film (I particularly enjoyed the moment of quiet reflection set to choir song). Moreover, each one is being presented in high definition for the first time.
• Interstitials (Disc 2, SD, 5 minutes): While the set's "Interstitials" weren't included on the 2009 Blu-ray release, it was probably for good reason. The Half-Blood Prince interstitials are a collection of quick-hit promos for the film, nothing more. Segments include "The Story," "Love is in the Air," "Meet Professor Slughorn," "The Story of Tom Riddle" and "Comedy."
• J.K. Rowling: A Year in the Life (Disc 2, HD, 50 minutes): This revealing documentary about Rowling and her craft opens with a spoiler warning, and for good reason. It plows through the whole of the Potter saga, including its ultimate conclusion, and investigates the woman who brought it all to life.
• Close-Up with the Cast of Harry Potter (Disc 2, HD, 29 minutes): A series of eight additional featurettes in which key members of the cast explore various production departments. Daniel Radcliffe sits down with editor Mark Day for a chat about editing; Matthew Lewis, Oliver Phelps, and Tom Felton learn about special effects from FX supervisor John Richardson; Jessie Cave meets owl trainer Guillaume Grange; Rupert Grint spends time with the stunt department; Evanna Lynch discusses jewelry with costume designer Jany Temime; Bonnie Wright visits graphic designer Eduardo Lima to talk about props and set design; James Phelps earns his wings as an assistant director; and Emma Watson has a spirited conversation with makeup designer Amanda Knight.
• One-Minute Drills (Disc 2, HD, 7 minutes): Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, James and Oliver Phelps, Bonnie Wright, and Tom Felton are each given one minute or less to recount their character's entire, six-film storyline. It's mildly amusing, but primarily aimed at younger viewers.
• What's On Your Mind? (Disc 2, HD, 7 minutes): Tom Fulton interviews his fellow actors with rapidfire questions aimed at soliciting one or two-word answers.
• The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (Disc 2, HD, 12 minutes): A sneak peek at the Potter attraction being built at the Universal Orlando Resort in Florida.
• First Footage from The Deathly Hallows (Disc 2, HD, 2 minutes): Though outdated at this point, completists will nevertheless appreciate this early sneak peek's inclusion.
• Theatrical Trailers (Disc 2, HD, 8 minutes): Four trailers round out the package.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Ultimate Edition of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince isn't an essential purchase. It's appeal will mainly lie with Potter fans willing to gobble up whatever special features are made available. Thankfully, the new content Warner has included will delight said fans, particularly those who've been eagerly anticipating the next entry in the sprawling "Creating the World of Harry Potter" eight-part documentary. Yes, the film's video transfer has simply been repurposed from the 2009 Blu-ray release, and yes, it's lossless DTS-HD Master Audio track delivers a comparable experience as the previous edition's Dolby TrueHD mix. But The Half-Blood Prince looks and sounds as good as it did two years ago. Again, The Half-Blood Prince Ultimate Edition set isn't an essential purchase, but it also isn't a frivolous one either.