I believe that if you want to keep up with whats going on, watch the Half Blood Prince before seeing it and if you have the time, read the last book. I saw this with someone that hadn't done either and though she enjoyed it, she wasn't sure what was happening in certain areas. Also, if you are one of those Potter fans that reminisce about Harry as a cute little boy, you may not like it. Over all, this is one of my favorites out of the series. It brings out the history of many characters. The scenery was great. Have to agree with another reviewer that I wasn't crazy about the way it ended but can't wait to see it again and it's going to be a tough year waiting out for part 2.