Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

***1/2 (out of 4)

Fanboys of the "Harry Potter" books beware: "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" strays further from the source material than any of the previous movies did. There are two important things to consider in adapting a novel. Is the overall narrative arc maintained and is the spirit of the story preserved? In the case of the sixth "Harry Potter" film, despite the changes, the answer is a resounding yes.

As the danger from Lord Voldemort increases, Hogwarts becomes an even scarier and dangerous place than before. Director David Yates and his crew abandon subtlety here, bathing the castle in grays and greens and cloaking every corridor in shadow. The result is the darkest of the films thus far, and appropriately so; the books have become more grim with each volume as J.K. Rowling's original audience has grown up along with Harry. The young wizard (Daniel Radcliffe) becomes obsessed with exposing Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) as a Death Eater and not just the rat he's been throughout the series. Felton is given his first real chance to shine in the role, eliciting sympathy from the audience even as he plots the downfall of Hogwarts headmaster Professor Dumbledore (Michael Gambon.)

Gambon has finally made the role of Dumbledore his own, stepping out of the shadow of the late Richard Harris, who portrayed the aged wizard in the first two films. Harris was absolutely perfect for the role, but Gambon's interpretation has finally truly become Dumbledore. He and Radcliffe share a lot of screentime as they attempt to unravel the mysteries of Voldemort's past, most importantly his relationship with an old potions teacher, Professor Slughorn. As played by Jim Broadbent, Slughorn steals the show as a man harboring a deep secret and a terrible sense of guilt.

The peril doesn't just come from Death Eaters, as all the students are swept up in the hormonal dangers of adolescence. Some of the best scenes involve Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) dealing with their blossoming romance, as well as Harry's feelings for Ron's sister Ginny (Bonnie Wright.) It's these scenes that demonstrate how these young actors have grown since the first film. It doesn't hurt that they've had a string of very good directors to nurture them, most notably Alfonso Cuaron.

The film is exciting, funny, scary, and tragic. It hits all the right notes and any changes made enhance the movie, which is what a good adaptation should do. David Yates has really hit his stride as a director of these movies. He gets the material, and I have no doubt that the last two films are going to be a fitting end to the series. This is a fine movie, and the second best entry in the series behind "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban." And that's saying something.