Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
Love, loss, and the secrets of Tom Riddle's past.
Film Information
Release Date
July 15, 2009
Director
David Yates
Runtime
153 minutes
Box Office
$934.5 million
Plot Summary
David Yates returns for this adaptation that balances teenage romance with the darkening war. The film opens with Death Eaters attacking both wizard and Muggle worlds. Dumbledore recruits the retired Professor Horace Slughorn, who holds a crucial memory about Voldemort's past.
Harry finds an old Potions textbook marked as belonging to "the Half-Blood Prince," filled with improved spells and instructions. The mysterious annotations help Harry excel in Potions, earning Professor Slughorn's favor. Meanwhile, Dumbledore takes Harry on a journey through memories of Tom Riddle's past to understand how to defeat Voldemort.
The film emphasizes the romantic complications among the students - Harry's growing feelings for Ginny, Ron's relationship with Lavender Brown, and Hermione's jealousy. These lighter moments contrast with the revelation of Horcruxes and the film's tragic ending where Draco Malfoy allows Death Eaters into Hogwarts and Snape kills Dumbledore.
Major Scenes and Sequences
Death Eaters Attack London
The film opens with Death Eaters destroying the Millennium Bridge in London, bringing the war into the Muggle world. The sequence establishes that nowhere is safe and the stakes have escalated beyond the wizarding community.
Dumbledore Recruits Slughorn
Harry accompanies Dumbledore to recruit former Potions master Horace Slughorn out of hiding. They find him disguised as an armchair in a wrecked house. Slughorn's vanity and fondness for famous students make him susceptible to persuasion when he learns Harry Potter needs teaching.
The Burrow Under Attack
During Christmas at the Weasley home, Death Eaters including Bellatrix Lestrange attack. They burn the Burrow while Harry chases Bellatrix through the reeds. The attack on this safe haven emphasizes that the war has become personal for Harry and his surrogate family.
The Half-Blood Prince's Book
When Harry forgets his textbook, he uses an old one from the cupboard. It contains handwritten notes, spell modifications, and invented spells from someone calling themselves "the Half-Blood Prince." The annotations make Harry Slughorn's best student, creating tension with Hermione who suspects the book is dangerous.
Slughorn's Slug Club
Professor Slughorn collects talented, well-connected students for his "Slug Club." Harry is the prize student, while Ron feels excluded. The parties and dinners provide comic relief while establishing Slughorn's character - a man who values connections and reflected glory.
Ron and Lavender, Harry and Ginny
Teenage romance dominates much of the school year. Ron begins dating the clingy Lavender Brown to Hermione's obvious distress. Harry's feelings for his best friend's sister Ginny grow stronger, creating awkward situations. The film captures the emotional chaos of adolescence amidst the larger war.
Felix Felicis - Liquid Luck
Slughorn offers a vial of Felix Felicis, a luck potion, to whoever brews the best Draught of Living Death. Using the Half-Blood Prince's instructions, Harry wins. He later uses the potion to extract Slughorn's true memory.
The Pensieve Memories - Young Tom Riddle
Dumbledore shows Harry memories of Tom Riddle's past. They visit the orphanage where Dumbledore first met the young sociopath, witnessed his cruelty to other children, and offered him a place at Hogwarts. The memories reveal Voldemort's origins and his obsession with immortality.
Aragog's Funeral
Using Felix Felicis for confidence, Harry attends Aragog's funeral with Slughorn. In his grief and drunkenness, Slughorn finally reveals the true memory he's been hiding - the moment he told Tom Riddle about Horcruxes.
The Horcrux Memory
In the pivotal memory, young Tom Riddle asks Slughorn about Horcruxes - dark magical objects created by splitting one's soul through murder. Riddle asks if one could split their soul seven times. Slughorn is horrified but answered his questions. This revelation explains Voldemort's immortality and provides the key to defeating him.
Sectumsempra
When Draco attacks Harry in the bathroom, Harry uses "Sectumsempra" from the Prince's book, not knowing what it does. The curse nearly kills Draco, slashing him repeatedly. Snape arrives to heal Draco, and Harry realizes the Half-Blood Prince's spells can be dangerous. The incident shows Harry's capacity for darkness when pushed.
The Cave Journey
Dumbledore and Harry travel to a remote cave where Voldemort hid a Horcrux as a young man. The journey through the underground lake and past the Inferi (reanimated corpses) is harrowing. Dumbledore must drink a torturous potion to access the Horcrux locket.
The Potion and the Inferi
The potion causes Dumbledore terrible suffering, weakening him dramatically. When Harry tries to get water, the Inferi attack, dragging Harry underwater. Dumbledore summons his remaining strength to create a ring of fire, saving them both. They escape with what they believe is Voldemort's Horcrux.
The Dark Mark Over Hogwarts
Returning to Hogwarts, they see the Dark Mark above the castle. Draco has succeeded in his mission to allow Death Eaters into the school. Dumbledore tells Harry to hide and fetch Snape, but Harry conceals himself under the Invisibility Cloak on the tower instead.
Draco Disarms Dumbledore
On the Astronomy Tower, Draco confronts the weakened Dumbledore. Though Draco disarms him, he cannot bring himself to kill the Headmaster. Death Eaters arrive to pressure him, but Draco hesitates, showing he's not truly evil despite his family's allegiance.
Snape Kills Dumbledore
Severus Snape arrives on the tower. In one of the series' most shocking moments, Snape kills Dumbledore with the Killing Curse, sending him falling from the tower. Harry, frozen by Dumbledore's spell, can only watch helplessly. The moment devastates audiences and characters alike.
The Battle and Escape
Harry chases Snape and the Death Eaters from Hogwarts. Snape reveals he is the Half-Blood Prince before escaping. Bellatrix destroys the Great Hall in celebration. The Order and students can only watch as the Death Eaters disappear, having accomplished their mission.
The Fake Horcrux
The students and staff mourn Dumbledore. Harry examines the locket they recovered and discovers it's a fake. Someone named "R.A.B." found the real Horcrux first, meaning their dangerous mission was for nothing. Dumbledore died without destroying a real Horcrux.
We'll Stay with You
Harry tells Ron and Hermione he won't return to Hogwarts next year - he must hunt Horcruxes to defeat Voldemort. Ron and Hermione immediately volunteer to come with him. Despite the danger ahead, Harry has his friends' unwavering loyalty. They stand together on the bridge, looking toward an uncertain future.
Main Characters Featured
- Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) - Learns about Horcruxes and loses his mentor
- Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) - Navigates relationship drama with Lavender and Hermione
- Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) - Jealous of Ron's relationship, suspicious of the Prince's book
- Albus Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) - In his final year, preparing Harry for the task ahead
- Severus Snape (Alan Rickman) - The Half-Blood Prince who commits the ultimate betrayal
- Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) - Tasked by Voldemort to kill Dumbledore
- Horace Slughorn (Jim Broadbent) - Returns to teach and holds a crucial memory
- Ginny Weasley (Bonnie Wright) - Becomes Harry's girlfriend
- Lavender Brown (Jessie Cave) - Ron's clingy girlfriend
- Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham Carter) - Leads the Death Eater attack on Hogwarts
- Lord Voldemort (Hero Fiennes-Tiffin, Frank Dillane, Ralph Fiennes) - Seen in memories and present
Critical Reception
Half-Blood Prince received generally positive reviews, with particular praise for the darker atmosphere and the performances of the young cast, now comfortable in their roles. Michael Gambon and Alan Rickman's final scenes together were emotional highlights.
Some critics and fans felt the film focused too heavily on teenage romance at the expense of crucial plot elements. The omission of the Gaunts, extensive Voldemort backstory, and the Battle of Hogwarts from the book was controversial. However, others appreciated the balance of light and dark.
The cinematography by Bruno Delbonnel was widely praised for its dark, desaturated palette that matched the story's tone. Dumbledore's death scene was handled with appropriate gravity and emotion.
Rotten Tomatoes: 84% Fresh (Critics), 78% (Audience)
Metacritic: 78/100 (Generally favorable reviews)
Box Office Performance
Half-Blood Prince was another massive success:
Opening Weekend
$158.4 million (US)
Domestic Total
$302 million
International
$632.5 million
Worldwide Total
$934.5 million
It had the biggest single-day opening ever at the time and was the second-highest-grossing film of 2009.
Adaptation Notes
Major changes from the book include:
- The Burrow attack is created for the film - this doesn't happen in the book
- The entire Gaunt family backstory is removed
- Most of Voldemort's extended history and rise to power is cut
- The Battle of Hogwarts at the book's end is removed entirely
- The Order of the Phoenix's involvement is minimal
- Dumbledore's funeral is cut (for pacing, to be referenced in Part 2)
- Many of the Pensieve memories are condensed or removed
- The romantic elements are expanded and emphasized