Terrible move
If you didnt read the book then you are going to be sooooooooo lost

After Azkaban I vowed never to see a movie if I had read the book. That way I cant be disappointed by the movie ... so the last HP book I read was Azkaban and that book was so much better than the movie.

As far as the HBP (no spoilers) having not read the book it felt as if they HAD to make the movie just so we wont be lost in the next stage of the story Maybe the book reveals what the movie did not.

Terrible move
If you didnt read the book then you are going to be sooooooooo lost

I haven't read any of the books, and I felt I understood it just fine. I suppose if I hadn't seen the previous movies I'd have been confused by Bellatrix taunting Harry with "I killed Sirius Black" and Harry running off after her like a damn fool (as she intended), but as it was, I understood that one, too (ETA: oh, yes, one who read the book said that wasn't in the book--but it SHOULD have been!). Someone who read the book gave me more details on the scene with the zombies in it, but even before then I figured Voldemort simply didn't trust anyone else to guard THAT, other than the mindless undead, so I didn't feel lost there, either. I did have to wonder about the death eaters operating openly among muggles, but I presume that was to show just how powerful they'd become, that there were fewer & fewer wizards left who dared oppose them.

All in all, much easier to understand than many previous movies. (For example, why the elaborate and dicey plot to get Harry to touch a spelltrapped cup in Goblet of Fire when they could've spelltrapped something easier for him to get access to, or even just have the agent in disguise simply kidnap--or even kill--Harry in a multitude of ways, many of them quick & easy. But then I asked those who read the book and they say it's not explained there, either. Among other things.)

Oh, I liked it, too. Pleasant surprise given how I didn't care much for the last 2 (ok for a one time viewing but don't ever plan to see them again). I might actually see this one 1 more time, if anyone invites me to see it with them. I saw this one with others, and they liked it, too, especially the kids (12-year-old girl and almost-7-year-old boy, the one I'm doing the Transformers party for), though the adult who read the book was disappointed with it in some ways.

I want to see this...the guy doesn't.....guess I'll drag my DIL with me.

Good. Harry fucking Potter. I'll have none of it. I hate the whole of it.

I haven't read any of the books, and I felt I understood it just fine. I suppose if I hadn't seen the previous movies I'd have been confused by Bellatrix taunting Harry with "I killed Sirius Black" and Harry running off after her like a damn fool (as she intended), but as it was, I understood that one, too (ETA: oh, yes, one who read the book said that wasn't in the book--but it SHOULD have been!). Someone who read the book gave me more details on the scene with the zombies in it, but even before then I figured Voldemort simply didn't trust anyone else to guard THAT, other than the mindless undead, so I didn't feel lost there, either. I did have to wonder about the death eaters operating openly among muggles, but I presume that was to show just how powerful they'd become, that there were fewer & fewer wizards left who dared oppose them.

All in all, much easier to understand than many previous movies. (For example, why the elaborate and dicey plot to get Harry to touch a spelltrapped cup in Goblet of Fire when they could've spelltrapped something easier for him to get access to, or even just have the agent in disguise simply kidnap--or even kill--Harry in a multitude of ways, many of them quick & easy. But then I asked those who read the book and they say it's not explained there, either. Among other things.)

Oh, I liked it, too. Pleasant surprise given how I didn't care much for the last 2 (ok for a one time viewing but don't ever plan to see them again). I might actually see this one 1 more time, if anyone invites me to see it with them. I saw this one with others, and they liked it, too, especially the kids (12-year-old girl and almost-7-year-old boy, the one I'm doing the Transformers party for), though the adult who read the book was disappointed with it in some ways.

Zombies? Voldemort? I dont remember either one being in this movie ...
?

I don't want to put in a major spoiler, so let me clarify that by zombies, I was referring to the animated corpses (what they looked like to me) coming out of the water attacking Dumbledore and Harry while they were trying to get at something Voldemort left guarded by the said monstrosities.

If you STILL don't remember what I'm talking about, then you were asleep or in the restroom.

I don't want to put in a major spoiler, so let me clarify that by zombies, I was referring to the animated corpses (what they looked like to me) coming out of the water attacking Dumbledore and Harry while they were trying to get at something Voldemort left guarded by the said monstrosities.

If you STILL don't remember what I'm talking about, then you were asleep or in the restroom.

oh, yeah ... I actually thought it was an army of Gollum's

That was the longest trailer I have ever seen. The other movies, all which I own on dvd, are pretty much self-contained stories, but this new one--whew!! I haven't read any of the books, but I can tell you that I know what's coming thanks to this new movie. It wore its plot devices on its sleeve. Dumbledore isn't dead, Snape is a double agent, and Malfoy turns good guy; plus throw in that half of Harry's friends die from that inadvertent spoiler from the Last of Jack thread, and you can pretty much see what's coming in the next flick. I'd compare HBP to Empire Strikes Back in structure, you know, a cliffhanger, but this movie is all media res: no beginning or ending: all middle.

AC

P.S. But I liked it very much. Don't get me wrong here. For the first time I am tempted to read the last three books in the series. Any recommendations?

I've enjoyed some of the Potter movies, have not read any of the books though. This movie felt like the middle of a book or that I had started watching after the first 30 minutes and left 30 minutes before it was over. It was all "middle of the book" the whole way through.

P.S. But I liked it very much. Don't get me wrong here. For the first time I am tempted to read the last three books in the series. Any recommendations?

Start at the beginning. Read the whole series. Not too many drag spots...but they're there....otherwise you miss so much that the movies can't cover.

Good. Harry fucking Potter. I'll have none of it. I hate the whole of it.

Wow Brian... lol. Why don't you tell us how you really feel about Harry Potter? LOL