Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane

Directed by: David Yates

RS: 3.5of 4 Stars Average User Rating: 3.5of 4 Stars

2007 Warner Bros. Pictures Adventure

If you're not hot for Harry onscreen, watch out for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the fifth of the seven Potter books to be filmed to date. It will hook you good and keep you riveted. The candyass aspect of the first two films -- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in 2001 and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets a year later -- was replaced by heat and resonance with 2004's Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban when Mexican master Alfonso Cuaron (Children of Men) took over the directing reigns from the prosaic Chris Columbus. Director Mike Newell held the line in 2005's Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. But it's the lesser known David Yates, behind such British TV dramas as Sex Traffic and State of Play, who truly raises the bar with this fifth installment. There's a new humanity to the story now. The fact that that Yates will start filming Harry Potter and Half-Blood Prince in September is good news indeed. For it's Yates, following Rowling's lead, who lets the shadows invade life at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where computer-generated elves, talking spiders and losing a Quidditch match are the least of Harry's problems. A sense of foreboding gives the film a pulse-quickening urgency. With the publication of the last of the series (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) on July 21st, Harry's triumph or defeat at the hands of the evil Lord Voldemort is sure to replace the Sopranos finale as pop culture's Topic A, making Order of the Phoenix a must-see.

Yates starts the film, benefiting from a potent script by Michael Goldenberg, with a near-documentary realism when Harry and his cousin Dudley are attacked by Dementors in a park near the suburban home where Harry lives when he's not at Hogwarts. There's a fresh sense here of life lived not imagined. Trouble ensues when Harry is threatened with expulsion by the Ministry of Magic since he used magic outside of school to defeat the enemy. The threat hides a deeper plot against Harry and his mentor, Professor Dumbledore (Michael Gambon). Harry's claims that the Dark Prince, Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) has returned is seen as a ploy to overthrow the Ministry. It's then that Harry meets his toughest adversary yet, a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Don't be fooled that she turns out to be the diminutive, mousy Dolores Umbridge. As written by Rowling and played by the magnificent Imelda Staunton, Dolores is the personification of bureaucracy as evil. With her rules, prejudices and steely smile, Dolores is a kind of Dick Cheney in skirts. Staunton is a devastating blend of mirth and menace. Not for a second will you take your eyes off of her.

No wonder Harry and his friends build an army to fight her. One of the joys of this film is watching Daniel Radcliffe, 17, grow so impressively into the role of Harry. He digs deep into the character and into Harry's nightmares. It's a sensational performance, touching all the bases from tender (Harry's kiss with Cho Chang, played by the lovely Katie Leung) to fearful (the dreams of death that wake him up in a cold sweat). This is the film where the actors we've watched through five films seem to blossom and mature before our eyes. Among Harry's core group, Emma Watson paints a striking portrait of emerging womanhood as Hermoine Granger. And blimey if Rupert Grint doesn't storm the barricades of boyishness to find something emergent, touching and vital in Ron Weasley.

All the actors excel, notably Gary Oldman as Sirius Black and Alan Rickman as Severus Snape, but it's the tale itself that hurtles the movie along. That momentum carries you over the film's few rough patches. Order of the Phoenix, the best of the series so far, has the laughs, the jitters and the juice to make even nonbelievers wild about Harry.

PETER TRAVERS

(Posted: Jun 29, 2007)

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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Review 1 of 27

3of 4 Stars

This film is in my opinion is the best of the Harry Potter's so far with David Yates showing great directing skills and the script being more mature than the last few and we start to have a deffinite sense of worry and frustration the the film pulls off with ease and beauty.

The Special effects in the film very from a very badly done giant to a fantastic broomride through London.

The main Trio of actors have really grown up and started acting to their full potential and the new children notably Evanna Lynch give us a stiking performance as well.

The adults give in good performance's whenever they are seen although they are underused. Of the adult actor's Alan Rickman does well and so doesthe pink spider Imelda Staunton as a scary asset. The best performance however is by Helena Bonham Carter who does so well as Bellatrix Lestrange cackling like mad and giving life flare and an evil sense of madness to the last fight scene which it seems would have been a real flop without her.

The plot stays true to the book althoughit cut's out the right bits in my opinion.

May 10, 2008 08:32:29

Review 2 of 27

Not Rated

Well what can really be said?

The effects are amazing.. But thats about it. The film does not follow the book in any way, and this can be said about all of them. Except the 1st book/film. There are parts left out, part "added" that do not happen in the book. As I have read elsewhere, I am greatly surprised that J.K would have sanctioned these "changes..."

It is disappointing to have read the books, some more than once, to be confronted with films that really have no bearing on what I have just read. I sat there waiting for things to happen that I enjoyed reading about, for something entirely different to occur.

To sum-up: When my kids are old enough, I WILL NOT be showing them the films. The Books: Yes, amazing reads. But the "films" (and I use that term very loosely)

Not a chance.

Feb 20, 2008 13:25:49

Review 3 of 27

1of 4 Stars

Poor Daniel Radcliffe, his emerging skills wasted on a backdrop of jarring, disjointed, glass-breaking, pandering action. In the past, Grint and Watson were 2/3rds the fun--Were they even in the 5th movie?! It's almost difficult to recall.

The whole show reminded me of a bad James Bond film relying on reputation and machine-gun (wand) fire to keep you from walking out for a refund. What a colossal disappointment, Boooo! I'm pretty sure there's a story in there somewhere under all that broken glass--hard to believe Rowling would have given her blessing on this one. 1-4 were each worth seeing twice. #5 isn't worth a bucket of stale popcorn.

My suggestion to the producers: If you're going for a heavy-action film, hire a director like John Woo who can make it work! Knowing Yates is hired for #6, I'll be saving my time, money, and grief over the young actor's and actresses' talent and youth being wasted under his direction.

Aug 23, 2007 23:57:20

Review 4 of 27

4of 4 Stars

all the films are so good! i heard that the books are even better so i started to read them (and they are good)

Aug 22, 2007 09:35:50

Review 5 of 27

2of 4 Stars

Although I believe that this movie was better than the last, I also believe that the movie theaters, directors, production companies are all missing to many of the little details that made the books fun to read. This has is why I will not buy anymore of the DVD's beyond the third one and I probably will not go and see the next movie. What I would like to see is Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings) direct the remaining movies.

Aug 14, 2007 12:45:03

Review 6 of 27

Not Rated

While this movie showed us the dark aspects of the book and the talents of the players, it is the worse directed one so far.
I am disappointed to see that Yates will do the next film.
My grand-daughter put it perfectly as we left the theatre "Flash FLash FLash" - the technique was so over used the film was disjointed; certainly there are other techniques to compress information in films. I am not surprised to find an inexperienced director. And some of the ommissions deprived the viewers of fun experiences - like knowing that some of the riders of the kestrals could not see their mounts (many of my friends who had not read the book missed that, of course).
I hope Yates does better - way better- next time.

Jul 31, 2007 20:18:31

Review 7 of 27

1of 4 Stars

What a complete disappointment. This is probably the best book in the series from an adult standpoint, and unfortunately this new director and screenwriter obliterated it. Aside from Radcliffe's impressive growing acting skills, the movie lacked any substance.

Alfonso Cuaron's impressive third installment remains the one to beat! Though I hope they don't waste his talents on this series anymore.

Jul 27, 2007 07:27:34

Review 8 of 27

2of 4 Stars

I guess I was one of the only people who didn't enjoy this movie. I haven't really been following the movies too much but my friend and I decided to go see this movie. Aside from the amazing graphics, I found only tacky acting, overdramatic scenes, and lots of fast & loud scenes. I was hardly impressed.

Jul 24, 2007 10:17:03

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