Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince
Review
Carmel Abrahams
School of Chemistry
Potions class at Hogwarts.
© 2009 Warner Bros. Ent.
Harry Potter Publishing Rights © J.K.R.
Harry Potter characters, names and related indicia are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. Ent.
All Rights Reserved.
Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince is the sixth
movie in the Harry Potter series of films. This movie, like the others, draws upon the wonderful imagination of J. K. Rowling
in her story about the brave young wizard, Harry Potter. While the main thrust of this movie is concerned with the impending
doom resulting from the return to power of the evil wizard, Lord Voldemort, there are many lighter moments that ensue from the
emerging romances of Harry and his fellow students.
Throughout the movie, the audience is encouraged to leave the realm of rational thought and scientific reason and embrace the
alternative rules of the magical world of constructed by Rowling. Early on in the movie we see a spell used to restore order to
a ransacked house. Intuitively we recognise the spontaneous creation of order from chaos as impossible, with science students perhaps
spotting a clear violation of the second law of thermodynamics.
A large portion of the film deals with 'Potions' - a subject undertaken by students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
that parallels the study of chemistry in the muggle world. Within the dungeons, students make concoctions in classes that appear
remarkably similar to the chemistry practical work our undergraduate students undertake, although these days it is becoming increasingly
uncommon for science students to be excluded from Quidditch on the basis of poor performance in the laboratory.
Ron (Rupert Grint), Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and Hermione (Emma Watson) discuss Voldemort.
© 2009 Warner Bros. Ent.
Harry Potter Publishing Rights © J.K.R.
Harry Potter characters, names and related indicia are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. Ent.
All Rights Reserved.
At first glance, the idea of mixing peculiar herbs with the organs of small creatures within a cauldron to create potions capable of
making a subject "fall in love" or "feel lucky" seems ludicrous. However there are a number of compounds derived from natural products,
such as plants, that are capable of producing major physiological changes. For example morphine, which can be isolated from the seed pods
of immature opium poppies, is a powerful pain killer; taxol, a compound that was originally obtained from the bark of the Pacific Yew tree
is a drug used in chemotherapy. Naturally occurring endorphins within our own bodies are able to produce feelings of excitement and
well-being. Thus the idea that Hogwarts students are able to create potions capable of producing specific physiological responses is
perhaps not that far-fetched.
This movie is perhaps not for everyone. Those that have not followed the Harry Potter story in the earlier films and books may struggle
with the storyline. Some Harry Potter fans who have closely followed the complex story developed in the novels may also be a little disappointed
and unsatisfied that the movie is not always faithful to the book. However most fans who are prepared to suspend their faith in the laws of
thermodynamics are unlikely to be disappointed by this enthralling and wonderfully entertaining movie.
Carmel Abrahams works as a tutor at the School of Chemistry.
