Let me preface this first by saying the movies will never quite do the justice of the books, so I tend to view them separately.
Naturally, lots of details were cut out for the movie, some do not matter as much but others can make the flow of the movie fall flat or leave those who read the books, leave the theater scratching their heads wondering how the producer will make it work in the next movie.
I feel like they keep changing up the sets, updating them with each movie. This was somewhat understandable when there was a change of director, but David Yates is directing this one, he directed Order of the Phoenix and he is working on the last two. So I have a hard time wrapping my brain around the change of sets every single movie.
The acting from the three main characters have consistently gotten better with each film and the fact that the HP series casts some the of the best and brightest British actors makes it worthwhile. HBP managed to work in the love lives of the students at Hogwarts and gave it the youthful, funny at times and terribly uncomfortable at others that anyone who has been that age smiles at the memories while thanking their lucky stars they aren’t teenagers anymore.
I was bothered by the addition of scenes that were not in the book, the Weasley’s home being attacked didn’t add to the story and I would have preferred to leave the high flying danger and fight scene at the end instead. We were also told early in the film the means that Draco Malfoy would use to go after Dumbledore. They also left out the critical Fluer/Bill storyline that will become problematic (at least to me) that provides for the backdrop at the beginning of Deathly Hallows.
I also was dismayed to see that only a few scenes with the Pensive, with Dumbledore paving the way for Harry in the final book with this history not being completely explained. The death of Aragog was used but it was almost like an afterthought and again, the movie does not do the book justice.
The cave scene, where Dumbledore and Harry go to retrieve the locket that had the horcrux was a bit off. The inferi were not like I had imagined and I could have used a little more meat to the drinking scene where Dumbledore cries, begs not to be made to drink anymore of the potion. I was on the edge of my seat though because I thought the big fight scene would be coming up. Alas, that did not happen. It left me wanting for more in terms of the drama, the connection of Dumbledore to Harry, etc. It was touching to see Snape being forced to please kill Dumbledore and the music and effects when Dumbledore falls off the tower was touching. I cried big, fat sobbing tears.
Overall, I did enjoy the movie but as with all HP films, I need to see it again (and many times over on DVD) to be able to fully enjoy the film and accept that sometimes, JK Rowling’s writing is just too much in terms of making a film. And one final note, I love Luna Lovegood! The actress is brilliant and brings that oddball we all knew in school to life.
Stumbling Through Life 