Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Alan Rickman, Gary Oldman, Emma Thompson, Brendan Gleeson, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, Imelda Staunton
Directed by: David Yates
Rating: PG
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy
2007

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) has returned, but no one believes Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), except for Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson). The Ministry of Magic hires Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton) to keep an eye on the students. Harry, Ron, and Hermione recruit other students to join "Dumbledore's Army" to fight against the dark lord.

Review:

Tim: Just went the Harry Potter movies seemed to be continuing strongly with each film, this, the fifth installment, takes a step backwards. The last time a film in the series was this weak, was Chamber of the Secrets.

Is this a bad film? No. Is it up to par with the best Harry Potter films? It does not. It is very, very good, but it feels like it is missing something. I absolutely loved the franchise taking a darker turn as the books progressed. It wowed me, and kept me interested. If it is possible, I felt like this film was almost too dark. There were very few moments of levity- there was almost no break in the darkness. The Harry Potter films work best when they balance the dark, terrifying world of magic and the battle against Lord Voldermort with the lighthearted, fun scenes of Harry, Ron, and Hermione growing up, interacting, and exploring their friendship. These scenes were all too few and far between. There was no balance, and I felt like the movie was for the worse because of it.

The primary actors- Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson are all quite good. I've said before it is fun to watch these actors grow up in their characters and their acting ability, and that hasn't changed. The supporting cast continues to grow, and is just amazing. I loved seeing more of Gary Oldman, although I wish there were more scenes with Alan Rickman and Ralph Fiennes.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix should satisfy any Harry Potter fan. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but when you're dealing with a series of films that are all as strong as these ones, you have to deep deeper than normal. When you do, you see that this film- though good- is not quite up to par with the best movies in the series. If the last couple movies maintain this level of excellence, I'll be quite happy. I hope, however, that they return to their highest levels once again.



Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince