While gravely weary of another David Yates film, after the atrociously awkward and drifty production of the Order of the Phoenix, The Half Blood Prince was a pleasant surprise. Staying much more true to the book that its predecessor the film was laced with a perfect balance of comedy and intensity. However the deletion of crucial elements of the books plot still remained so it will be very interesting to see how Yates plans to fit it all together in the final two installments.