Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is a 2009 fantasy-adventure film based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the sixth film in the Harry Potter film series. It is directed by David Yates, the director of the fifth film, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. David Heyman and David Barron produced the film, and the screenplay was written by Steve Kloves, the screenwriter of the first four films. Filming began on 24 September 2007, and the film was released in cinemas worldwide on 15 July 2009, one day short of the fourth anniversary of the corresponding novel's release. Unlike the previous film, the sixth film was not simultaneously released in regular cinemas and IMAX 3-D in all countries, due to a Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen several week commitment. The film will instead be released in IMAX 3D on 29 July, two weeks after its original release, in these countries.
The film opened to critical acclaim and commercial success, and broke the records for biggest midnight opening gross of all time as well as biggest single-day worldwide gross of all time. In five days the film made $391 million, breaking the record for biggest five-day worldwide gross in history. The film is dedicated to the memory of actor Rob Knox[9] who portrays Marcus Belby in the film and was killed in May 2008.
Plot
Having returned to power, Death Eaters attack both the Muggle and Wizarding worlds, ravaging the Millenium Bridge and Diagon Alley in the process. Lord Voldemort has given Draco Malfoy an assignment. Bellatrix Lestrange goads Severus Snape into making an Unbreakable Vow with Draco's mother, Narcissa, to protect him while he tries to fulfill his duty, and to carry out the assignment if Draco fails.
Scarred by his experience at the Ministry of Magic with Voldemort, Harry is reluctant to return to school. Dumbledore appears and encourages Harry to continue and takes his help in enticing former Potions Professor Horace Slughorn to return to Hogwarts. After Slughorn reluctantly agrees to return, Dumbledore transports Harry to the Burrow, where he begins to feel romantic feelings for Ginny. While leaving Fred and George's new shop in Diagon Alley, Harry, Ron and Hermione notice Draco associating with known Death Eaters in Borgin and Burkes, leaving Harry suspicious.
At Hogwarts, Harry and Ron borrow textbooks from the school for Slughorn's Potions class. The previous owner of Harry's copy, the "Half-Blood Prince", has annotated the book with additional instructions and spellcraft that allow Harry to excel in class and win a vial of the liquid luck, Felix Felicis. Ron becomes a Gryffindor Quidditch hero, attracting the love of Lavender Brown, leaving Hermione heartbroken. Harry is similarly distraught over Ginny's attraction to Dean Thomas.
Harry spends Christmas Break with the Weasleys. While he is discussing the situation at Hogwarts with other Order of the Phoenix members, Bellatrix Lestrange and Fenrir Greyback attack and try to kidnap Harry, resulting in a short duel involving Harry and Ginny. The Order are able to keep everyone safe but the Burrow is burned to the ground.
Draco continues to elude Harry while perfecting the use of a Vanishing Cabinet inside the Room of Requirement. Harry suspects Draco is behind two attempts on Dumbledore's life: one through a cursed necklace (which accidently hospitalizes Katie Bell), and another through a bottle of poisoned mead (which would have killed Ron, eventually leading to a reconciliation with Hermione). Almost certain he is behind these horrific events, Harry duels Draco and uses a curse from the Half-Blood Prince's book which severely injures him. Snape heals Draco while Harry retreats. Ginny convinces Harry to close his eyes and let her hide the book in the Room of Requirement to prevent him from using it again. After hiding the book, Ginny kisses Harry.
During private meetings held throughout the year, Dumbledore shows Harry memories of a young Tom Riddle and reveals Slughorn retains a memory critical to Voldemort's defeat. Harry manages to retrieve the memory using Felix Felicis. The memory reveals that Voldemort had been seeking information on Horcruxes, devices that safeguard a portion of the creator's soul, thereby granting him immortality until the Horcrux is destroyed. Dumbledore believes Riddle created six Horcruxes, of which four remain to be destroyed before Voldemort becomes mortal once again.
After learning the location of another Horcrux, Dumbledore requests Harry's help to retrieve it. Deep inside a seaside cave, Harry is forced to make Dumbledore drink a foul, mind-altering liquid that hides the Horcrux, a locket. Though gravely weakened by the liquid, Dumbledore is able to defend them from a horde of inferi and apparates himself and Harry back to Hogwarts.
Once there, Dumbledore first tells Harry to fetch Snape for help, but tells him to hide when footsteps approach. Draco appears and reveals that Voldemort has chosen him to kill Dumbledore, but is unable to follow through. Snape arrives, motions to Harry to stay hidden, and joins the throng of Death Eaters cheering Draco on. To Harry's horror, Snape then casts the Avada Kedavra curse to murder Dumbledore and then escapes the castle with the other Death Eaters. In their wake, they cast the Dark Mark and destroy the Great Hall and eventually set fire to Hagrid's Hut. Harry tries to stop them, but Snape deflects Harry's spells and stuns him. As Snape departs, he reveals that he is the Half-Blood Prince.
While Hogwarts mourns Dumbledore's death, Harry reveals to Ron and Hermione that the locket Horcrux was a fake. The locket contains a message from an "R.A.B." stating he has already taken the real Horcrux and hopes to destroy it before he meets his own demise at the hands of the Dark Lord. Rather than return for their final year at Hogwarts, Harry and his friends vow to seek out R.A.B. and the remaining Horcruxes as Dumbledore's phoenix, Fawkes, flies into the horizon.
Starring
- Daniel Radcliffe
- Rupert Grint
- Emma Watson
- Michael Gambon
- Jim Broadbent
- Alan Rickman
- Tom Felton
- Helena Bonham Carter
