The strongest entry since Azkaban, Half-Blood Prince begins to lay the pieces of the backstory that up to now has largely been hinted at. Memories are a key theme of the film and there is a melancholy feel to the story as characters old and young begin to realise that huge changes are imminent. Amidst all the darker threads however, the film also has a lot of fun portraying teenage angst over relationships and the central trio’s refusal to express their feelings. But it’s Harry’s relationship with Dumbledore that is brought to the fore and after fumbling a little with Sirius, here the filmmakers do a wonderful job of showing the respect and affection the two characters have for each other - it helps to have five films behind this, but Gambon is much warmer and caring towards Harry and there is a much stronger bond shown here that ensures the plot developments hit home when they should. This is also the first film to give Tom Felton something more to do than sneer at Harry and it’s great to see Draco develop into something more interesting than a childish foil to the heroes - his bravado unmasked throughout the film in small vignettes that show his uncertainty and fear. The reveal of the identity of the Half Blood Prince feels like an afterthought in many ways but this sets up the prospect of a great finale.

The maturation of the _Harry Potter_ franchise is finally complete in this, the sixth go-round for Harry, Ron, Hermione and friends. Gone (or greatly reduced) are the Hogwarts Academy's whimsical little accents - jovial ghosts, talking paintings, animated plants, hidden chambers - replaced by a quivering mass of moody sentiment, rampaging emotions and stormy romances. It's sensible. The colorful decor we see in kindergarten doesn't usually match what's on the walls in high school.

That's been helped along by progressively better filmmaking, as we've slowly shed the flimsy special effects and inconsistent tones first introduced by Chris Columbus back in _The Sorcerer's Stone_. The series has struggled with long growing pains ever since, trying to bridge that tricky gap between childish wonder and adolescent gloom, and it's a relief to see the metamorphosis finally come to fruition. _The Half-Blood Prince_ is a genuinely slick, professional presentation, well-realized as a fitting companion to the equally dark, funereal source material. It doesn't really stand alone, though, leaning on an expectant knowledge of novel-only details and events to fill in the plot's many, sizeable gaps. Too much going on in the printed page, I expect, as many well-remembered scenes and important bits of lore hit the cutting room floor. At least quidditch games are back on the agenda this time around; a much-needed (and exceptionally well-realized) break from all the death and doom that's been gathering.

Hormones over excitement as part six is merely an appetiser to the double billed closure to come.

Death Eaters are running amok as Dumbledore has an important task for Harry and Voldermort has one for Draco; all set to the backdrop of raging adolescent hormones. While Harry also acquires a rather helpful book written by the mysterious Half-Blood Prince.

Potter 6 is not as dark as the pre-release chattings suggested it would be. Yes there's the usual dark moments, including a shattering turn of events that sets it up nicely for the finale, but this instalment is mostly fun, gentle and even sexy. Harry, Ron & Hermione are more under threat from their own adolescent urges than they are from the swirl of a Death Eater or the appearance of one young & creepy Tom Riddle. This of course makes for good viewing to most of us who have grown with the characters, with the principal young actors having nicely grown into said characters. But can it sustain a two and half hour running time? No it can't is the ass numbingly honest answer. There's some quality set-pieces including Quiddich (for a change) and a swamp attack by the Death Eaters, but by and large it's talky and breezy in equal measure.

A filler Potter movie then, one that is far breezier than expected. Good but not great, but as a set up for the epic conclusion it hits all the right buttons. 6/10

The seventh installment, the appetiser.

As the ultimate wizarding battle between good and evil draws ever closer, Harry, Hermione and Ron bunk off from Hogwarts to go search for the "Horcruxes" with which to halt the ever stronger Voldermort and his army, on the way they learn the importance of the Deathly Hallows artifacts.

So this is the one that sees the comfort confines of Hogwarts left behind as our intrepid trio of best pals hit the mountains and forests in search of the tools to stop old snake face in his tracks. In what is ultimately a chase/escape movie, one where the characters have to fight not only a number of challenges that come their way, but also their new found in-fighting capabilities, Deathly Hallows 1 wonderfully dangles the carrot for the final series entry to come. But the overriding thoughts you come away with from it is that firstly it's not really that much fun, and secondly that it shouldn't have been a stand alone movie. Too much of it plods where exposition and padding strains to get the film through its near two and half hour running time. Without the hustle and bustle of Hogwarts, and the myriad of characters that reside within, film struggles to escape the over reliance on just three central characters and a ream of MacGuffins. While some of the comedy and tender moments fall flat because tone is firmly pitched at dark clouds a gathering. However, where it does reward is with the action sequences, with David Yates once again proving he's a considerable talent when it comes to directing such passages.

New additions to the cast list feature Rhys Ifans, Peter Mulan and Bill Nighy, all welcome, and all sadly underused. As is the return of some older characters from earlier series entries (do you remember John Hurt was in the first film?!). While the thread involving the Ministry of Magic, and its nasty transformation into a Nazi like call for non-magical folk ethnic cleansing, is supremely adult and hits the nerves as it should do. Of the three principal young adult actors, it's still Emma Watson leading the way on ability, but alongside her, Radcliffe and Grint have earned our love and respect over the years for having to carry the weight of such expectation that has come with these roles. Fact is, is that now, having grown up with them and their characters for over ten years, we surely can accept them for not being multi ranged child actors. They have had to embody one character each for a decade, the range as such is the naturalism of aging through childhood like they have. Job done!

Tension is high and the magical moments engage big time, but the draggy nature of the beast makes this a film purely working as an appetiser to something sure to be far bigger and better. 6/10

Has the quality direction of _Order of the Phoenix_ but manages to separate itself from that movie by having a script that isn't shit.

Final rating:★★★ - I liked it. Would personally recommend you give it a go.