ugh, no :[ why lighter!? it's the darkness that made order of the phoenix so good! if he goes light for deathly hallows i'll be extremely worried. half-blood prince really isn't THAT dark until the end. but the rest sounds good, i suppose. from the clips we've seen & this review it seems like it'll be slower moving, and i guess with less montages. however they've changed and added alot so far... so i guess we'll just have to see in 12 days.

wow, third really good review in a row. this movie is going to be amazing.

Wow! I am loving all the good reviews! I have a feeling that this movie will appeal more to the none HP fans as well. I am super excited! 11 days! :D

LOVE all these good reviews!! This is great! I can't wait to see the film. And it's very refreshing to hear that they seem to have been very faithful to the book because HBP is a very funny book. Harry isn't as depressed and moody like he is in book 5. His scar doesn't even hurt at all. So it's nice to hear that Dan, Rupert, and Emma get to stretch their acting legs a little bit and get to play some lighter, more cheerful stuff. Obviously there are darker elements in HBP, but they've kept that stuff in too, so I can't wait to see this movie!! I Loved OOTP, but I think this one is going to be even better!

The last part is only because OotP is all about angst.

Oh god.. I have a really bad feeling about this movie..

@HP1: Why do you have a bad feeling?! I think it's going to be brilliant! So far it sounds and looks exactly like the book! I can't think of anything that's been left out except for a couple of memories that would've slowed down the movie version of the story, possibly the appartion lessons, and the Other minister. Everything else is in there even Ginny's Pygmy Puff. I think it's going to be brilliant!

Its almost as if people believe calling the movie "lighter" will make all of the fans happy. It makes no sense at all because the movies should be dark, not getting lighter. Order of the Phoenix was a mess because basically the whole story was cut and what was left was rushed and poorly put together. Anyhow, HBP still sounds good, its getting a lot of good reviews and the trailers look awesome. I refuse to watch clips or look at pictures because that would completely ruin the movie, another stupid move from Warner Bros.

from what I've read here, apparently the Sun doesn't like Harry Potter films much. OotP wasn't that bad, it was supposed to be about Harry's angst and feeling alone. And lighter? Do they have any idea what it is about and how it ends? I know it is a little bit less dark than OotP but it is still dark. and what's wrong with dark anyways? lol did OotP scare them too much?? can't wait though!!11 more days!!!!! :)

good reviews so far...hope this keeps up..im getting nervous about seeing it!

Yay! Good review! I like how it says that the death scene in HBP is much better than Sirius's in OOTP. I hope I don't cry! :p

sorry off topic---just watched the HBO Special First Look----i've got GOOSEBUMPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This movie's gonna be AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's got some laughs, love and of course the bad. wish i knew hhow to download it for everyone!!!!! i did tape it!

The only thing that I'm really nervous about is the end....

not darker? focus on the 'love' story? -_- gay..... this is so stupid. he didnt learn anything from his mistakes, he just made it worse!

Come on you guys! the movie is based of the book, and the book IS lighter than OOTP, so they're just staying true. That review isn't really commenting as much about the making of the film, more about the plot and the characters - which the film makers got from the book. I don't understand why you are complaining! They added darker stuff in the movie than in the book, and they still keep all the humour. If they made the movie even darker they would just not consider the book. And just cause they say that the movie is lighter doesn't mean that there is no action! I mean, we've all seen the fire and the inferi from the trailers so I don't understand what you guys are talking about. Obviously there are dark stuff in there. I'm actually happy that there are light stuff, I mean, some of the most precious things to read in the Harry Potter books are like just "pointless" christmas scenes with the weasleys or quality time in the burrow. There's not much of that in the movies, specially not the later ones, so you should be happy that there are a wider variety from the Harry Potter book and not JUST the angst.

"Hats off ... hit flick refuses to play it by the book" Sounds like the last three or two movies.

iwantorlando- well, they left out THE BATTLE lol... and Dumbledore's funeral... and the hufflepuff cup memory. WTH. I don't know how they're going to get that into DH.. anyway, yeah, I agree that HBP was lighter than ootp, but I don't like them calling it "light" because it still isn't "light." I BAWLED reading HBP. So I'm happy to hear that the movie can bring tears as well. But wth is this! "AT last someone has been brave enough to break the habit with JK's books and do something different. " They're supposed to be like the books! lol.. that quote scares me, to be honest..

I'm glad HBP got a pretty good overall review, which kinda leads me to being a little more excited for the movie, but I can't get over the "rom-com" fact. Which isn't so similar to the book. I think HBP was a bit more dark then funny. Aka: Riddle's memories, spinners end, Dumbledore's death, Katie Bell with the necklass, the vanishing cabinet, the inferi, Ron being poisoned, etc. I don't think us Harry Potter fans are asking for to much, but why can't David Yates just turn on the darkness a bit more?

I am getting tired of all you people whining about the "darkness" and wondering why it can't be increased like some sort of toggle. The HP movies aren't that "dark" compared to other films out there, and they shouldn't be. The series remains first and foremost family oriented. Besides, "darker" isn't synonymous with better. There's no reason why anyone should be complaining about how dark a movie is and then wishing it would be increased slightly, as if there's some sort of sliding scare of darkness that the filmmakers set too low. Would you prefer they dim the lights? Remove some lines? Yawn.

I think the general feeling from these reviews is that there is more focus on characterisation than there has been in the previous films, but it has been perfectly balanced with the intense, dark action scenes that the films are so famous for. If this is so, then this will be the best film yet.

without any hint of being cliche-ish, HBP is seriously going to be the best film yet. i can't wait to see for myself. my countdown says 10 days left. woot!

I think this film needs to be dark. How can it not be? Voldemort has returned to full power and the ministry now believe it. The wizarding world is tense. Shops are closed in Diagon Alley, people are getting kidnapped and murdered. How can you call this light? Of course humour and romance are appreciated, as it helps break up the story a bit, but I just hope they don't go over-the-top. Anyway, as long as there's plenty of Snape, I'll be happy!!

obviously, the fool who wrote that review has never read HBP or any of the books! nothing that he says about the book/movie comparisons makes sense...

You guys are just unbelievable...If an HP movie gets a bad review, you all just whine and nag about the director not being good and the movies being bad....If an HP movie gets an overall great review, you STILL whine! What do you want from them?? HBP IS NOT as dark as OOTP, it has some light moments and Yates kept the dark stuff in as shown from the trailers and as told from the interviews....Get a grip!

Good to have such positive reviews, but there are things about this one that are a bit odd. Strange that they say the last film was the worst culprit for sticking slavishly to the plot, I thought it was mostly the first one that did that and, remember the alternative being considered then was to merge the first two books into one film! How awful would that have been? And I think they needed a faithful rendition that early on in the franchise. Who'd have thought back then they would split one book into two films?

Guys read the full review "Don't worry, The Half-Blood Prince is not High School Musical. The romantic diversions are skillfully worked into the mystery of what Draco Malfoy is up to and what secret Prof Horace Slughorn - played perfectly by Jim Broadbent - is keeping." "Most importantly, Half-Blood produces what none of its predecessors have - tears." That sounds pretty good to me

thats great it seems like the movie is gonna be the best one yet based on this review, (hopefully better than order of the pheonix) but i won't get my hopes up cause i'm only setting myself up for dissapointment, ONLY 10 MORE DAYS

The Sun usually lies, so why are people happy? We need reviews from real critics. I keep on checking Rotten Tomatoes, and there's not a single review yet. These the the scores so far: HP 1- 78% HP 2- 82% HP 3-89% HP 4- 89% HP 5- 78% I hope Half Blood Prince gets an 89 or higher.

That was a well written review and everything, but for me the Half-Blood Prince was always pretty heavy. I do like that they've decided to take a lighter approach, but lines like this one: "...with the main characters *more interested in mixing love potions than aceing their exams.*" are a little annoying. Yes, it makes for an interesting sentence to put in your review, but at some point you've just totally lost the characters! And while I find the line mentioned ("I *am* the chosen one") to be a hilarious addition to the movie, we all must admit that it isn't really something Harry would have ever said, especially not with his frame of mind at the time. Attention from girls freaks him out, it doesn't make him cocky!

@ dementorofazkaban: Agreed.

Oh please! The Sun? NEXT!

Harry1Potter1Loony'S RIGHT.. YOU GUYS ARE UNBELIEVABLE! 3 Great Reviews! 1 Oscar Contender, another great installment, and Better than the previous films and a tearjerker, and you guys are STILL having negative reviews... you see this is way I HATE HARRY POTTER FANS MORE THAN STAR WARS FANS. EVEN I'D RATHER HEAR A BUNCH OF GIRLS OBSSESS OVER TWILIGHT THAN HEAR A BUNCH OF WHINERS COMPLAINING BLINDLY ABOUT HBP. Seriously... This movie is on the Road to Epicness, IT WAS COMPARED TO LORD OF THE RINGS FOR HEAVENS SAKES! And you guys are just worried over "IS it Dark?" WTF?!?!?

Harry1Potter1Loony'S RIGHT.. YOU GUYS ARE UNBELIEVABLE! 3 Great Reviews! 1 Oscar Contender, another great installment, and Better than the previous films and a tearjerker, and you guys are STILL having negative reviews... you see this is way I HATE HARRY POTTER FANS MORE THAN STAR WARS FANS. EVEN I'D RATHER HEAR A BUNCH OF GIRLS OBSSESS OVER TWILIGHT THAN HEAR A BUNCH OF WHINERS COMPLAINING BLINDLY ABOUT HBP. Seriously... This movie is on the Road to Epicness, IT WAS COMPARED TO LORD OF THE RINGS FOR HEAVENS SAKES! And you guys are just worried over "IS it Dark?" WTF?!?!?

Huh. I've never thought of anything past the 2nd movie as being "slavishly crowbarred in". Mainly because there were enough inaccuracies to make cry myself to sleep. So the raging hormones are the big thing, eh? Of course, pieces of Voldemort's soul and Harry increasingly taking on the mantle of the one to defeat Voldemort isn't important. Psh. We just want the kissing. *facepalm* My apologies, it's still morning here, and mornings make me cranky. =P

I hate how critics are constantly ripping on OOTP, I thought it was the best of all the movies (with perhaps an exception for PoA) Why don't they pick on the horrendous adaptation of Goblet of Fire? That film was absolutely dreadful in correlation with the books. *angst* lol

I can't wait for the first official review. It's gonna come soon.

I know Fawkes_Forever ... but there were ALOT of critics who LOVED OOTP and didn't become an HP fan until it came out. ;)