Synopsis:
Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) is back for yet another year at Hogwart’s School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Things are a little tougher this year. First off, the Dark Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) is back from his bodyless exile. Then there is the new Hogwart’s High Inquisitor, Delores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton), a ministry lacky bent on supressing Harry’s tale of Voldemort’s return. On top of that, the evil wizard can get into his mind and a powerful weapon is hanging in the balance. All in all, it’s just another year for the Boy-Who-Lived.
Review:
I have to qualify this review. You may be able to tell from some of my other reviews that I am a bit biased when it comes to Harry Potter. I’m a big fan. BUT, and that’s a big “but,” I can be somewhat objective when it comes to the film as a whole. I’ll use my usual breakdown to cover the highlights.
Plot: This is always a challenge when it comes to making a movie based on a book. It’s especially difficult in this case considering the printed version of The Order of The Phoenix is a whopping 870 pages. I have to admit that they did a decent job of distilling the plot so it could be told in under 2.5 hours. This is not one of my favorite books, and unfortunately the parts I liked about it had to be cut. Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) got a bit of the shaft this time around. Most of his subplots were cut. Personally, I think it was a necessary evil, but evil none the less. One relatively small weakness is that Harry’s and Cho’s (Katie Leung) relationship is left somewhat up in the air, whereas the book is far more definitive. I think this will impact what we know must happen in Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince.
Acting: What can I say, they are getting better. They were good in the first two films (too young to be bad). They were bad in the third film (they decided they were “actors”). Now, they’re on a slow but upward climb. There was an improvement in The Goblet of Fire and we see just a little bit more in The Order of the Phoenix. I’m becoming convinced that Rupert Grint is the best of the kid actors, but they are all pretty close.
Action/Effects: These movies get a little bit more impressive with each new chapter. I think this movie gave the effects team a bit more fun than before. Highlights are definitely the students’ battle with the Death Eaters and Dumbledore vs. Voldemort. Apparently all of the CG effects actually were a problem for the movie, so Harry Potter 6 will supposedly have fewer effects.
Overall: It’s Harry Potter. Of course you have to go see it. It should be seen on the big screen and I personally think this is worth a primetime ticket. It’s definitely a better movie than Harry Potter 3 and the plot is more interesting than Harry Potter 1 & 2. Good luck fighting the crowds. The Harry Potter schedule to keep your magical addiction in check:
Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows (book) :: July 21st, 2007
Harry Potter and The Order of The Phoenix (dvd) :: Winter 2007
Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince (theaters) :: November, 2008
Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows (theaters) :: June, 2010
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Two-Disc Special Edition) (Harry Potter 4)