The Harry Potter series has a track record of excellence. None of the movies have been bad, and their average rating has been 3 or 3.5, good or very good. But Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince goes beyond them to become the best of the series so far (two more films, based on the final book, have yet to be released). What strengthens this movie is its character development and overall drama. When the credit roll appears, you realize you care about what happens next because you identify with the characters in a different and deeper way than before.

On screen or off, the evil Lord Voldemort is a presence who has been growing ominously over the course of the last three movies. In this one, headmaster Albus Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) has asked Professor Slughorn (Jim Broadbent) to return to Hogwarts to teach. Dumbledore asks Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) to get close to Slughorn in order to retrieve a memory that may be vital in helping the good forces fight off attacks from Voldemort and his minions. In the meantime, Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) is plotting to bring Harry and Dumbledore to their knees. Malfoy is protected by Severus Snape (Alan Rickman), who is hard to peg as an either good or bad guy.

This movie has excellent special effects, but they’re not spotlighted as they were in earlier Harry Potter films. Director David Yates focuses on the dramatic and plausible elements, and the special effects complement these aspects to add a sense of wonder and imagination.

Harry and his pals are also growing up and experiencing hormonal changes and urges. Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) discover that they have feelings for each other that go beyond friendship, and Harry is attracted to Ron’s sister, Ginny (Bonnie Wright). A love potion complicates things for Ron, and though his scenes of stupefied ardor are hilarious, they ring true.

It isn’t just that the cast members have grown into attractive young adults; they’ve also matured into excellent actors. Radcliffe has already expanded his experience by appearing on stage in Equus and in several TV performances including the role of Rudyard Kipling’s son in My Boy Jack for HBO. His acting in Half-Blood Prince is beyond reproach. Every gesture is well thought out and meaningful. In his scenes with Michael Gambon, his facial expressions show a myriad of subtle emotions without a single word. Grint has also matured into a good actor, though his role as Harry’s best friend doesn’t give him the opportunities presented to Radcliffe. And Watson is becoming a truly lovely young woman blessed with grace, poise, and a quick wit.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is a dark film, and the photography matches its mood. Some night scenes are so stark, hopeless, and drained of color that they feel like black and white. These scenes also showcase good shadow imagery, which will present a real challenge for the inevitable DVD and Blu-ray releases. The movie elicits the same feelings that Star Wars: Episode V -- The Empire Strikes Back engendered. Though a major character has been lost and things look quite bleak for Harry and his friends, there remains a spirit of hope, which lets us believe that all will be set right in the next two films. Let’s hope they’re on the same level as this movie, a genuine drama of epic proportions.

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