HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE

 

HEADLINE:  ** Syncopated Meandering **

Title:  HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE

Quality:  * * *     Acceptability:  -2

SUBTITLES:  None

WARNING CODES:

Language:  L

Violence:  VV

Sex:  None

Nudity:  None

 

RATING:  PG

RELEASE:  July 15, 2009

TIME:  153 minutes

STARRING:  Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman, Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Maggie Smith, Julie Walters, and Jim Broadbent

DIRECTOR:  David Yates

PRODUCERS:  David Heyman and David Barron

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:  Lionel Wigram

WRITER:  Steve Kloves

BASED ON THE NOVEL BY:  J.K. Rowling

DISTRIBUTOR:  Warner Bros. Pictures/Time Warner

 

CONTENT:  (OOO, FR, BB, C, L, VV, A, MM) Very strong occult worldview about witchcraft and sorcery with a counterfeit religious ceremony during a funeral and no mention of God, but with some strong moral and light redemptive elements, but set in a world of witchcraft, such as good versus evil, references to title hero as "The Chosen One," one statue in town with a Cross on top, and lots of counterfeit virtues that are not applied consistently; one obscenity; moderate action violence (much less than previous movies) with Harry getting kicked while he's invisible with several magical energy fights and people getting beaten and battered, some blood, several destructions of property, accidental drinking of poison, and threats of death; lots of teen kissing and hugging; no nudity; alcohol use; drugs and potions; and, moral relativism, spying on people, sneaking around, trespassing in forbidden areas, deceit, hexes.

 

GENRE:  Fantasy

INTENDED AUDIENCE:  Older children to adults

 

Please address your comments to:

 

Jeffrey L. Bewkes, CEO, Time Warner

Barry M. Meyer, Chairman/CEO

Alan Horn, President/COO

Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (New Line Cinema)

(A Time Warner company)

4000 Warner Blvd.

Burbank, CA  91522-0001

Phone:  (818) 954-6000

Website:  www.movies.warnerbros.com

 

SUMMARY:  HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE, adapted from the sixth book in the series, divides its time between the new attacks of Voldemort through the Death Eaters, and the adolescent, incipient romances blooming among Harry's classmates. Although this Harry Potter episode extols some moral virtues such as bravery, courage and honesty, MOVIEGUIDE® advises extreme caution because they are not applied consistently and because they take place in a world of witchcraft, which is rebellion against God's Power and His Law.

 

IN BRIEF:

 

The plot of HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE divides its time between the new attacks of Voldemort through the Death Eaters, the villains in the movie, and the adolescent, incipient romances blooming among Harry's classmates. While the Death Eaters are rampaging through London in the normal world and wreaking havoc in the magical world as well, Professor Dumbledore orders Harry to gain important information about Voldermort's past from Professor Slughorn. In the midst of this, Harry and his friends must also deal with teenage romantic entanglements.

 

HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE is one of the mildest Harry Potters in terms of violence and witchcraft. The witchcraft is less appealing. Both the good witches and the bad witches don't look like they're having fun. There are also some direct encouragements toward cardinal virtues, such as Tom Riddle being told not to steal when he comes to Hogwarts. Although the movie extols some moral virtues such as bravery, courage and honesty, they are applied inconsistently. MOVIEGUIDE® also advises extreme caution because they take place in a world of witchcraft and sorcery, which is rebellion against God's Power and His Law.