HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-DULL HINTS

WARNING: SPOLIERS

After a huge build-up and an extended wait, I finally got to see the sixth installment of the Harry Potter film franchise last night. As expected the cinema was packed and, as we arrived at 7:25 for a 7:30 showing, my wife and I were sat pretty near the front. We had a good view though, and we were at the end of a row so we didn't feel like we were watching a game of tennis during scenes with more than one person in. And so, with great anticipation, horrible popcorn, and 6 days of trailers I sat with great anticipation (I say I because my wife really only came for me. She's a fantastic wife, I know). 3 hours later I left the cinema with a wonderfully consuming feeling of... hmmm.

This isn't a bad film. Far from it. It is visually stunning. Well scripted, with a good balance between dark and funny. It has the most mature performances from the cast to date. And it's definitely the funniest film so far (and special mention must be made of Rupert Grint whose comic delivery was superb).

But saying all that, it was still a very subdued movie.

Don't get me wrong, I knew this would be a subdued film as, for the most part, it is a subdued book. It is, essentially, a Voldemort background story, and a setup for the big finale of Deathly Hallows.

However, in the book, you are rewarded for all your patience with an explosive ending, leaving you shocked, horrified, depressed, elated, satisfied and begging for more. In the last 100 or so pages we get Harry and Ginny, Ron and Hermione, Malfoy's internal battle, a ferocious battle between the Death Eaters and The Order and the biggest shock of all (which I'll not mention here). It's intense drama and action that leaves you stunned.

While the film has all the same stuff, it is delivered with all the passion and drama of over-cooked pasta. It still fills a hole but it's a bit wet and soft.

But, like the book, this is prequel to a larger event in Deathly Hallows 1 & 2. So perhaps all the atmosphere was meant to induce a sense of foreboding and hint at something bigger. All it produced was a sense of foreboredom.

Sill, it was alright.