Fridae

J.K. Rowlings fantasy franchise is unstoppable. Even though Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince is the slowest-paced and least exciting of all the six Potter films so far, there are still enough drama and sorcery here to delight audiences.

This time round, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and Professor Dumbledore (Ian McKellen) suspect that Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) and his evil allies are planning an attack from the inside. Dumbledore wants Harry to get close to Professor Horace (Jim Broadbent), a former teacher of Voldemorts, to uncover more of the dark lords past.

Yet even as Harry carries out this conspiracy, he must contend with his growing pains. Though the opposite sex was once no concern of his, the fully-pubescent wizard now finds himself irresistibly drawn to Ginny Weasley (Bonnie Wright), the sister of his best friend Ron. Fortunately, she too fancies him.

Directed by David Yates, this Harry Potter instalment often takes time off from the hocus-pocus to focus on the human drama instead. Daniel Radcliffe and his co-stars Emily Watson (Hermione) and Rupert Grint (Ron) get to show their dramatic and comedic chops like never before, as they play out the pangs and farce of adolescent love.

There seems to be less time devoted to special effects here than in previous movies. But when it appears, it is sheer wizardry, leaving no doubt about the fact that the Potter movies always feature the finest in special effects.

Yes, some Potter book fans have complained that the new film condenses too much of the books action. But for us, its still pure magic.