Before seeing the film, I wasn't sure if my opinion would align more with the impressed critics or the angry fans. For me, the film did not disappoint. It was a more sophisticated adaptation than Yates' "The Order of the Phoenix", the actors continue to grow into their roles, Jim Broadbent was supremely cast as Professor Slughorn, and the end pulled at all the right heart strings. "The Half Blood Prince" is a great transition film. The liberties that Yates took with the adaptation were all in service to setting us up for the final two films. I only hope "The Deathly Hallow(s)" live up to this new predecessor!