I have been so excited to watch the 6th installment of the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince. I didn’t want to fight off the crowd, so I watched the film yesterday. Before I watched the film, I read tweets and plurks about the movie, and a lot were saying, “Amazing!” or they “loved it!”. I was so excited to actually see the film yesterday and even paid extra to watch it in the THX theater.

Popcorn at hand, quiet like everyone else, I anticipated the opening scene. Fast forward to the ending!

What happened?

The movie kind of bored me. I kept waiting for something really exciting to happen, but, the only scene that made me think the action is actually starting, was when Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore took the horcrux from the cave where Voldemort hid it.

Where are the scenes where Dumbledore’s Army fought with the Death Eaters? What about Dumbledore’s funeral? And… when did the Death Eaters attack and burn The Burrow?

Okay, I did cry when Dumbledore died. I also cried when I read that in the book, and I also cried while I was listening to the audiobook. Basically, I cried when a main character dies.

A lot of characters were left out, too. I was looking forward to Fleur being engaged to Bill, and annoying the Weasley women. The new Minister for Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour, wasn’t there also. He was trying to ask Harry to act as the poster boy for hope in the magical community. I actually liked that part of the book where Harry says he is Dumbledore’s man through and through. Also, Hagrid wasn’t given that much exposure, so was Professor McGonagall.

I guess, if you’re like me, who has read the book, you would be a little bit disappointed. I recently listened to the audiobook so everything was so fresh in my head, that’s why I know that a lot of things are different in the movie. I have to admit, the three main characters, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermoine (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint), improved on their acting skills. But Bonnie Wright, who played Ginny, could not act at all! She looks kind of constipated.

There may be spoilers. But if you’ve seen the movie or read the book, you’re safe.

My favorite of the lot is Luna Lovegood. I’ve always loved her character. “Quibbler, Quibbler”. I love how her voice is so calm.

How cute was Draco Malfoy in the movie? He looked handsome in his all-black suit. The bathroom scene with all those wand-magic shooting with Harry and Draco, I loved that scene. Sectum Sempra! I guess Harry actually got away with detention in the movie!

My favorite hilarious moment. Lavender Brown’s window-breathing in the train with a heart, R + L. She was actually more obsessed with Won-Won in the film.

Cormac McLaggen. HOT. So was the teen Tom Riddle.

Where were the other memories that Dumbledore showed Harry in the Pensieve? The Gaunts? Hepzibah Smith?

And why wasn’t Harry Potter paralyzed in the astronomy tower where Dumbledore died? Where was his Invisibility Cloak? The brooms they used to go from Hogsmeade to Hogwarts? Does Dumbledore really have special privileges, like apparating in and out of Hogwarts? Well, maybe there is a reason behind why Harry was seen by Snape before he killed Dumbledore.

I wish the last movie, the Deathly Hallows, will include all the key points from the book. A friend said, the funeral scene maybe included in Deathly Hallows. They made the last book into two parts, so I am really hoping they would make it a movie worth watching. Don’t get me wrong, I did like the film, but not that much. I guess, my expectations were quite high.

3 stars out of 5.

Update: I watched Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone last night, and I realized that HP6′s visual effects and cinematography is so amazing. I loved it. :)