Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - Change for a Change?

We have seen this happening – a popular book going the silver- screen way. I had watched many such movies, after reading the book. When the movie goes in a different track than the book without any solid reason, I used to ask myself:

“So, the real story teller don’t know how to tell the story?....even after making his/her book so popular and gaining such a fame?”

Same thing happened with some Harry Potter Movies. What makes the script/screenplay writer or the Director think that they are one step ahead of the original writer in telling stories? Do they think that they know how to make it more appealing on the screen? I don’t know.

I was thinking the same when I watched the 6th Potter movie – Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Every one of us, who had read the books know that Potter is damn courageous. Sometimes even reckless. When he is up to something, he will go to any extend. Look at a situation in this movie:

Dumbledore and Potter go in search of a Horcrux. When one has to give something that weakens them (blood), Harry asks why can’t he give it. Then, when one of them has to drink the magical liquid, he is ready to do that. That is how the real Harry is as per the creator, J.K.Rowling.

Now look at the death scene of Dumbledore. Harry stands there just like a spectator (though he was hiding), when he sees Draco attacking Dumbledore, when he sees the death eaters, and even when Snape killing Dumbledore. It is very hard to digest this. Yes, Harry swore to Dumbledore that he would obey him, but still, its hard to believe that Harry will stand there just watching Dumbledore getting killed. Coz that’s not the real Harry Potter we know.

Lets go back to the original story…

‘Go and wake Severus,’ said Dumbledore faintly but clearly. ‘tell him what has happened and bring him to me. Do nothing else, speak to nobody else and do not remove your Cloak. I shall wait here’

‘But-‘

‘You swore to obey me, Harry – go!’

Harry hurried over to the door leading to the spiral stair-case, but his hand had only just closed upon the iron ring of the door when he heard running footsteps on the other side. He looked around at Dumbledore, who gestured to him to retreat. Harry backed away, drawing his wand as he did so.

The door bust open and somebody erupted through it and shouted: ‘Expelliarmus!’

Harry’s body became instantly rigid and immobile, and he felt himself fall back against the Tower wall, propped like an unsteady statue, unable to move or speak. He could not understand how it had happened – Expelliarmus was not a Freezing Charm-

Then by the light of the Mark, he saw Dumbledore’s wand flying in an arc over the edge of the ramparts and understood. Dumbledore had wordlessly immobilised Harry, and the second he had taken to perform the spell cost him the chance of defending himself.

See, that’s Harry and Dumbledore knew it (so is the case with all those who read the books). He would have taken ANY risk to save Dumbledore and that’s why the Headmaster immobilized him. Harry is a boy of exceptional courage than a boy of exceptional magical skills.

Unlike many other books (that became movies) Harry Potter has a super-high reader base. One need to consider that. Of course we need to add or remove something when we want to fit a book into a 2 hour movie. But changing the very nature of the main character does not sound good for me. Was it more appealing than the book?

Sorry, those who rewrote the situation did not look like smarter guys than J.K.Rowling, at least for me.

Footnote:

Did I like the movie?

Of course I did.

Do I recommend the movie?

Yes, I do.