Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) User Reviews

A great movie, yet completely surpassed by the book

[java5989 · 7/10 · 11 July 2007]

When I first walked into the movie, my expectations were not very high. The first two movies, I thought, were the best of the series mainly due to Richard Harris' dead-on portrayal of Dumbledore and screenplays that closely followed the original books. Though the third and fourth movies were very artistic and dramatic, I couldn't really connect to them in the way i had with the books. They glossed over many of the little things that made the Harry Potter series so magical in the first place, focusing on a select few plot lines and limiting dialog to only what was necessary to further the story.

As a result they've felt more like a collage of scenes, a series of puzzle pieces, thrown at the viewers faster than they can piece together, just leading up to a final confrontation. Pacing has certainly been an issue, leaving fans feeling disjointed, and those new to the series confused as to what exactly is going on. In this respect, Order of the Phoenix was very similar to the previous two movies. As a Hollywood film, it deserves praise, bringing this amazing world to the big screen, telling a compelling tale, and keeping the viewers glued to their seats for the duration of the movie. However, to the die hard fans of the books, you will undoubtedly be disappointed.

Many scenes that one would think invaluable to the story have been cut, replaced by the hasty filling in of plot holes. And while it pains me to ignore some of my favorite scenes from the book being left on the cutting room floor (St. Mungo's, Harry's Quibbler interview, the Quidditch fight, etc.), I realize that yes, not everything could be included in the movie. But in this watered down version of the book, there seems to be something missing. We still have all the drama and excitement, but some of the magic just seems to be gone.

Aside from Evanna (couldn't have made a more perfect Luna), the kids give simply average performances, never really reaching the full potential put forth by JK Rowling's writing. The same goes for Gambon, who seems to have ignored the calm, all knowing, endearing idea of who Dumbledore is, in favor of a more erratic yet powerful headmaster. Sure, this works well in the more dramatic scenes (specifically the final battle), but otherwise, his performance falls flat, lacking the eye twinkling charm we came to love from the late Richard Harris. Thankfully, Imelda Staunton more than makes up for this in an amazing portrayal of Dolores Umbridge, one of the more fully realized characters of the movie. As for the rest of the cast, it's largely hit or miss, determined by how each scene is written.

Overall, I would certainly recommend the movie for everyone, fan or not, as it really was a well made movie, despite a few wooden actors and some bad dialog. But when looking at the books, one really can't help but think how much more potential this movie could've had.

Playtimes over

[chimera-4 · 9/10 · 20 July 2007]

Within the first 5 minutes you can tell the series has undergone a dramatic tone shift and I have to say I think thats appropriate since Voldemorts return at the end of Goblet of Fire means that it's time to put aside childish things. The big bad men are here and they don't care about hurting children. it's time to get nasty.

Gone is the frivolity of the first couple of movies where magic was cool and everything in this new and magical world was just wonderful to behold, a la World of Disney. The new director has taken some risks with style and approach and they've paid off brilliantly. Order of the Phoenix is probably the darkest of the five movies we've had so far, even more so than Azkhaban which was a step in the right direction for where the series would eventually be heading. There's very little "fun" in Phoenix and you can see why. The Dark Lord is back, it's no laughing matter and this movie actually sells that fact.

This (in the movie world at least) is where Harry Potter crosses the line from kids movie to grown ups movie.

Harry now has some serious mental scars (as well as his actual one of course) since the events of the previous movie which while lighter than Azkhaban, followed on well from that movie. The Ministry of Magic is in denial about Voldermorts return and are trying to control the flow of rumour stemming from the events of Goblet. To this end we have new teacher and Ministry stooge Dolores Umbridge. Pink and fluffy on the outside, crunchy and evil on the inside. She makes no qualms about re-ordering the law at Hogwarts putting the kybosh on anything even remotely fun and making the students lives a complete misery. What she put Harry through in detention was simply pure evil.

She wasn't quite how I pictured her from the book but Imelda Staunton played her with a deliciously bitter/sweet twist, all charming and proper in her righteous delusions with that "stab you in the back" thing going on. She was a nasty piece of work.

It is a shame that a lot of the content of the book was missing but it was a big book and although I can't put my finger on what wasn't in the movie (I read it a while ago now) it does sometimes feel that there should have more substance to a few areas, mainly the characterisation of some of the characters. Most of the major bits I remember from the book were in the movie. There's a pace here we haven't seen before, a new musical approach also puts a new twist on things and I think Harry Potters world seems to fit it's new clothes well. I'm eagerly anticipating what's next as I hear David Yates is also directing the Half Blood Prince (last I heard anyway) and since that book has zombies in it I think the new dark style will suit it awesomely thank you very much.

The characters all look much older than they're supposed to be in Phoenix but it also kind of works in it's favour. They all look like they have a bit more history and life experience behind them, they're coping with stuff that will age any kid and it shows. That's also testament to the acting as well. Here mostly all the acting is pretty good, Ron Harry and Hermione all put in good efforts obviously having gotten the hang of the whole acting lark. Gambon is good as Dumbledore but I do miss Richard Harris and keep playing what might have been his versions of Gambons scenes over in my head. When I read the books it's Harris I'm picturing. Helena Bonham Carter gives a kooky insane kind of air to Bellatrix Lestrange (must get that from hubby Tim Burton) who was a pretty good character. One thing about this film though is that the actual Order of the Phoenix isn't in it all that much really. A flaw that wasn't in the book. The line about Snape being in the order, if you missed it you wouldn't even know he was in the order at all and a subsequent scene later on might seem confusing.

Kreacher was well done I though, coming across as a real miserable old bugger which was appropriate. The producers apparently weren't going to put him in the movie at all but JK Rowling said they'd be stuffing themselves up for the final movie if they did that.

All in all I think Phoenix is the best so far of the five movies, followed by Azkhaban, Goblet, then the other two in no particular order.

Now I've just got hold of The Deathly Hallows and although it's quarter past five I'm off to bed so see you later....

Separate the film from the book, and you will be impressed

[juliebug04 · 8/10 · 11 July 2007]

I actually was lucky enough to see this at a sneak preview on Monday. The "experience" was lousy, but the film was good...IF you take it as a separate entity from the series of books. If you separate the film from the book, you won't be disappointed.

For the negative...there were, of course, MANY things that were omitted from the film. As a huge fan of the books, I still must be realistic. I knew there would be a lot of information left out. There were a few things that I felt could have made the story richer if they had been included, but I won't go into detail so I don't give away any of the film's changes. There were a few changes that made me frown at times, but as the story played out, it did make the film flow well. One of their worst casting decisions, Michael Gambon, was actually tolerable in this one, for the most part. I am NOT a fan of his portrayal of Dumbledore, but I guess he worked for this film simply because, for the majority of the story, he is supposed to be acting somewhat aloof towards Harry. That worked for him. I miss the subtlety that Richard Harris brought to that role, and, while he wasn't dreadful in this one, I still believe that there are countless other well known actors in the UK that could have done this role better justice. There wasn't enough Molly or Hagrid for me though. I love both of those characters.

On a positive note, the special effects were very well done. The thestrals were marvelous--eerie, but strangely peaceful creatures. Evanna Lynch could not have been more spot on as Luna. Her voice, mannerisms and demeanor were amazing. My only complaint about her was that she wasn't on screen enough. :o) Imelda Staunton, as Umbridge, and Helena Bonham Carter, as Bella, have to be two of the BEST casting decisions that they have with regard to these films. They were SO incredible. I was actually quite impressed with Dan, Rupert and Emma as well. They have come quite far in their acting abilities. They have finally achieved the art of saying a lot without necessarily opening their mouths. The scene in the common room following the kiss between Harry and Cho was hysterical. Kreacher and Grawp were great additions to the films. Fred and George's exit was very well done, albeit slightly different. The film, if taken by itself, was really good. Unfortunately, it's a lot different from the book. But, as I'm doing a film review and not a comparison, I'll give it 8 out of 10, because I was highly entertained.

Our "sneak preview" was interrupted in the middle due to a problem with the film, and I think we still missed some of it. We lined up 3 hours before the movie was supposed to begin, it started late, it was interrupted in the middle for over 30 minutes, we were wanded for metal and electronics every time we went in or out...I think we'll just wait until opening week next time. It's crowded, but a lot less trouble.

We are actually going to see it again.

Order of the Phoenix is about the Real World

[writinginfaith · 10/10 · 15 July 2007]

Why do Harry Potter movies give me, but not the children, nightmares? I've been wondering this for the past few years. Today, watching Movie No. 5, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Warner Bros., 2007), I got my answer. Simply: Harry's world is the real world. As Harry and his friends mature, the line between the world of wizardry, magic, and Hogwarts and the world of self-centered, manipulative, cruel adults thins to the point of almost magical invisibility.

Fantasy literature has since the beginning of time been about mediating and making sense of the real world; Harry Potter is part of this tradition.

Indeed, one of the movie's first big special effects embodies this idea. As the movie opens, Harry is the subject of a smear campaign that Valdemore has cooked up because darkness works tirelessly to triumph over the light; when his friends come to rescue him from the suburban horror show known as his adoptive family, they take him to the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, a place that doesn't exist until a row of Georgian homes stretches out to reveal it. It's there, but the neighbors are unaware of it. They have no idea their building grew a house that the wizards and witches of the world can solve an internal problem. Such is life; how seldom do we know the inner workings, the coping mechanisms, the interior life of the people around us? In The Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter again does battle with evil to bring home the theme that when you fight, you fight well with and for your friends and to the death if necessary. Truth and goodness--call if love, if you want--are worth the trouble. The Gothic idiom of Harry Potter brilliantly takes the challenges Harry faces out of the present on one level even though these are very clearly 21st century characters facing contemporary challenges. Alongside the power of goodness over evil theme is the theme of the power of the imagination to find solutions to problems that are the same in every generation: politics, power games, jealousy, stupidity, growing up.

Always in Harry Potter is the clear distinction between the good guys and the bad ones right alongside the good kids and the annoying kids, who could very well become evil people if they so choose. They are tragic because they don't understand the long-range consequences of their petty cruelties--but then, as we learn in this movie, even the good kids are capable of petty cruelties that break souls. Always there is Snape, the middling Hogwarts employee who is not clearly good but not clearly bad but capable of both (until fate forces his hand in Book 6).

J.K. Rowling doesn't let anybody off of the hook of responsibility for their choices. But she does present the internal struggle for goodness and justice for the mess that it can be. Just as the Gothic world of Hogwarts helps Harry and his friends mediate the real world, so Rowling helps her readers see the world for what it is. This is a world that can give me nightmares, though not my daughter and my nephews. Perhaps because all they really need is an honest story.

Slow First Half Picks Up in Finale

[Michael_Elliott · 1 April 2016]

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) is brought back to school where he faces a possible expulsion after using magic in the real world. Dumbledore (Jim McManus) comes to his defense and soon the two of them are warning people of the return of Lord Voldemort.

As I've said in the reviews for the previous films, I haven't read any of the stories so I honestly can't compare the movie to the book. With that said, I did find the previous installment to be an extremely entertaining movie and certainly the best of the series to date. This fifth film is certainly a major step backwards and sadly there are way too many boring moments to make it a complete winner.

Again, perhaps I would have picked up on more things had I been familiar with the book but I personally found the majority of the first half to be quite boring without too many interesting things going on. I honestly thought there was very little character development and I thought too many of the scenes just kept dragging on with dialogue that just wasn't all that interesting or thrilling.

The film does finally pick up during its final act and this is where thing get really good. The final battles almost rival what we saw in the previous film and there's no question that they pack a lot of energy and excitement. They also benefit from some wonderful special effects that really put you in the middle of the action and blend perfectly well with the cast members. Speaking of the cast, a lot of talented actors keep getting added to the series and once again everyone is quite impressive. Regulars like Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman and others return to their roles quite nicely and people like Emma Thompson, Gary Oldman and David Thewlis are of great value.

Nothing like the book but a decent enough movie

[hugh-g-rctin · 7/10 · 14 July 2007]

So many great parts were skipped over, rushed with ridiculous cliché transition scenes, or simply changed because, apparently, it's impossible to include everything. But what can anyone reasonably expect?

I went into this expecting exactly what I saw, it's still just a tad annoying hearing people talk about how impossible it would be to follow the book. It's not impossible at all. Look at the matrix 2&3, look at pirates of the caribbean 2&3, look at LOTR (it's all one continuous story). Lots of "stories" have had to be split up into multiple films and they all worked great. It's just a tad short-sighted to say it wouldn't work with a harry potter film. I think a lot of what people enjoy is looking at the wizard world, seeing cool looking spells, and generally learning more about everything to do with the harry potter universe. You don't get much of that when a 26 hour read is condensed into a 2.5 hour film. I personally would love to see more of the "boring" parts of the book simply because it's interesting seeing a high-budget Hollywood interpretation of what was in the book. Maybe it's just me, but I wouldn't be the least bit disappointed if the film-makers simply came out and said "this book is too long to put into a single film with out leaving out a lot of the book and changing a lot of other parts, so we're releasing it in two films." It's completely understandable. It's an 800 page book! LOTR books were only 400-600 pages and the films were considerably longer than any of the harry potter films.

Overall, it was a decent enough movie though. Great special effects, good enough acting (I wouldn't go so far as to say it was amazing). I'd say it's basically a standard high-budget film. Entertaining to watch, well worth my $10 so I could come and complain how it was nothing like the book :)

JK's biggest book to the screen, mission impossible? Mission accomplished!!!

[kingtrio9 · 9/10 · 11 July 2007]

For the avid Harry Potter reader the whole suspense leading up to HP Order of the Phoenix can be summed up in the word "how". How are they going to translate a nearly 900 page book to the screen, how are they going to tie together a storyline that in the 5th book breaks into dozens of streams like a mighty river coming to its delta.

This seemingly impossible task is well accomplished by astute summation of plot and concentration of action. Also, the heart and soul of the book, i.e. the thematic spirit of the story and Rowling's shining gift for characterization are given the fullest support in this film more so than in any previous HP movie.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix basically involves Harry being persecuted by the government for telling a truth they refuse to believe all while dealing with the same feelings of teen angst and emerging love that any ordinary teen finds stressful and consuming. Only through the love and dedication of family and especially friends does Harry come across the means to fight back against the government, elude his enemies and make some sense of his emotional turmoil.

Most reader's will come out of the theater saying "I wish they had shown this or that." However, all will leave satisfied that they have been treated to a faithful rendering brilliantly acted and directed. All the HP movies are a "good watch" but in this one we get a great movie.

We have the advantage of going to our HP movies with a non-reader and she was, to say the least, blown away and pronounced it a near classic. My daughter and myself have read and reread the books many times over and came out limp from exhilaration, our keen anticipation very much fulfilled.

A few highlights: The acting is best ever. The three principles push themselves to a new level. My favorite new characters were Imelda Staunton as Delores Umbridge, excellent (you'll love to hate her) and Natalia Tena as Tonks. Natalia is sheer delight. She is the penultimate punk rock witch girl(think Dead Milkmen here). And Helena Bonham Carter is in her medium (she played the witch Morganna in the movie Merlin) as the dangerous and demented Bellatrix LeStrange.

Battle scenes: breathtaking. Commraderie: The only HP that actually caused me to get teary so heartfelt are the portrayals of friendship and family.

See the film knowing that unless you want a 10hour movie some things are going to have to go. Leave having enjoyed a film that takes the beans and water and instead of a nice large coffee treats one to a perfectly concentrated, most artfully brewed and extremely tasty espresso. It has been said before but truth is truth: BEST YET!

A "Cliff Notes" version of the book

[mantaray_books · 6/10 · 11 July 2007]

I've been eagerly awaiting this episode, thinking it was going to be much more action-packed or incorporating some of the more juicy bits of narrative from the over-800 page book. I ought to have known going in that, at 2:18 running time, the movie was too short. Even considering the tweaking that needed to be done to incorporate information differently than the book presents it (like by-passing the house elves storyline), at least a half-hour more could've been left in to really build up the story. The scenes we do see are well acted, there are obvious clues alluding to the final installment, and the special effects are dazzling. But one leaves the theater breathless and disoriented as if one ate a rich meal too quickly. Especially exasperating considering we had to sit through 20 minutes of TV commercials and coming attractions--I would've paid extra to see another 20 minutes of movie instead.

Amazing movie put forth by a stellar cast!

[stace_spot · 9/10 · 28 June 2007]

Once again, I believe that the series is only getting better with each progressive movie. I attended a preview screening tonight and was completely blown away by the movie. While quite a bit of detail was lost in the movie, how can you really expect a three hour movie to capture what takes Rowling hundreds of pages to explain? This said, Yates did a great job capturing the spirit of the book, and he had me on my seat from the first scene all the way through the end of the movie. I cried, I laughed, and I am pretty sure there were a few times where I couldn't breathe from the tension.

What really made the movie for me was the talent of the actors. As expected, the older cast members deliver some of the best acting England has to offer. Sidenote: there is something about Emma Thompson where every time she cries in a movie, I start tearing up myself. I was especially impressed with how much Daniel, Emma (Watson), and Rupert have improved their acting since the last movie. Having come from seeing Daniel in Equus two weeks ago, I was expecting a lot from him. Even after seeing him display more intensity than I thought possible on stage, he surprised me in Phoenix. His emotions were so raw and genuine that I literally got goosebumps.

Well done to the cast and crew! I can't wait for the next one!!

My Least Favorite Up To This Point, Maybe Overall

[gavin6942 · 6/10 · 2 May 2011]

With their warning about Lord Voldemort's return scoffed at, Harry and Dumbledore are targeted by the Wizard authorities as an authoritarian bureaucrat slowly seizes power at Hogwarts.

At this point in the series, the story takes a decidedly darker and more sinister turn. This could be because of the subject matter: the students spend less time in class and more time preparing for real world evil. It could also be the introduction of a new crew. Not only has the director changed (again) but the screenplay has a new hand, making the very feel somewhat off. I have not read the books, but I get the impression a great deal was left out to account for time and to make the plot run smoother.

The best addition to this film from previously ones is Luna Lovegood. She was apparently in the books for a while as a minor character but did not come on to the movies until now. Her role is fairly small, but important, and her character adds the one bit of lightness to this script (aside from possibly the Weasley's pranks). They cast the perfect actress.

What really stands out about this film is how political it is. Parallels could be made between this and the rise of fascism or McCarthyism. There is talk of order, obedience, conformity, the need for a government to have a firm hand and to protect its own butt when damaging information comes to light. We know from the previous film that Voldemort is back, and the Ministry of Magic likely knows it, too. But they go out of their way to deny this and blame other people for terrible acts that have occurred. This political act of protecting a reputation slows down the process of preparing for Voldemort and stands in the way of clearing Sirius Black's name. The outcome could have been much improved and lives could have been spared if the government was simply honest.

I believe this to be the weakest film up to this point. I did not care for the shift in spirit (the opening seemed more like a drama than a fantasy film). And i did not like feeling like parts were missing. The plot was almost made too simply, especially compared to prior episodes where mysteries had to be solved. There was no twist or surprise here, just a throwaway film to get you to the next one.

its OK, but don't expect too much

[bradskynoon · 6/10 · 12 July 2007]

Pretty much what you'd expect, I wanted to like it but found it hard to.

It wasn't a bad film and I'm not sure how people who haven't read it will find it, but there's too much cut from the book.

There were quite a few cuts that I didn't miss at all but there was time and space for a few scenes which would have helped move the story along.

Out go the quidditch and st mungos and the giants and most of grimmuld place and most of the climax in the dept of mysteries. And time is spent focusing on the kid's relationships and such. (Apparently). It seemed to be on Harry 95% of the film.

With SO much character development in the book there was always going to be a problem to condense it, but like the last film it moves so fast it feels like a 2 hour long montage and seems to just hint at whats going on while assuming you've probably read it and can fill in the blanks yourself.

I have read it - and I struggled to get into the movie.

It never quite finds its place and just serves as a visual feast for fans.

Some good gags and a lot of missed opportunities, LOTS, and some big continuity errors.

Imelda steals the show

[andy-1186 · 7/10 · 4 July 2007]

Overall, not a bad film, especially the opening sequence which'll have you quivering behind the seat in front! Great effects as always.

For me, Imelda Staunton as Dolores Umbridge completely steals the show. Her character was fantastically well observed - the odd little hysterical titters of laughter she gave had superb comedic timing. Helena Bonham Carter had a star turn too as Belatrix - she's completely bonkers and HBC totally did her justice! Loved it!

For me, both their successes stood out conspicuously when compared to the horrendously awkward acting from the younger members of the cast. Sorry(!) but there were so many cringe worthy moments (especially the more intimate ones) where you kept begging the director to cut away from the acting. Tighter editing could have prevented these distracting moments from constantly reminding me I was watching actors on a set.

Hermione (Emma Watson), Luna (Evanna Lynch) , and Cho (Katie Leung) were the main culprits, with Daniel Radcliff not falling far behind. Okay, I know they're supposed to be awkward teenagers in the story, but hey! My suspicion is that these poor kids feel so caught up in the huge franchise that is HP that the pressure to perform must be enormous. Couple that with the screenplay's stilted dialogue, and being surrounded by what must have been a huge crew with them all staring at you, it's hardly a surprise that a few cracks were shown. Still, you'd have thought the editing might have been able to get around it.

These cringes aside, I enjoyed the film. Also, a huge congrats to all those involved in the hard work that obviously went into the post production too.

Loved it

[sackjigler · 9/10 · 11 July 2007]

I have not yet read any of these books but find myself very much engaged in the films. That being said, im not the best judge to the faithfulness of movie to book. However, I can say this, I loved this film. In my opinion it did go with less of the magic, which really made you feel what the kids were going through. The pacing is very good, slow in some parts, but overall good. The performances are much better this time around and it has quite a few stand up and clap moments. It is much better written and directed than the previous efforts, although azkaban is still my favorite, this would have to be second. The ending felt a little rushed and I wish there was more voldemort, but these are very little gripes for a great film truly pushing the limitations of children's story. It really makes you drool for the next picture, especially if you do not read the books. I really hope harry becomes this amazing wizard like it keeps promising and the final battle is full fledged amazing. We will see. Anyway, it's a beautiful film with great performances and dazzling special effects. This one really steers toward an older crowd and I feel younger children might get bored with it, but not us older kids. I don't want to spoil this for everyone, so ill just sum it up by saying that I don't feel this series is losing steam, just gearing up for an amazing finale, and if this transitional film has anything to say about it, I can't wait to see where it goes.

Best Harry Potter Yet

[zackattack_94 · 10/10 · 4 July 2007]

I am a big Harry Potter fan and I loved the books and movies, as soon as I saw the international trailer for U.K and U.S.A I knew it was going to be the best Potter yet. Last night I came back from my vacation from U.K and I went to the advance screening and it was the best one yet. It left out some stuff but you can't except them to make a film from a book and make it only 2 hours. It would be about 15 hours it the translated the whole book.

translation 9/10 special effects 10/10 acting and script 10/10

over all 10/10

I highly recommend this movie

Slow Down!

[karolyn_with_a_k · 5/10 · 12 July 2007]

I love the Harry Potter books, and I've always liked the movies. That's why I was very excited to go see the latest installment of the series. However the movie did not at all live up to my expectations; to me it felt rushed and choppy. I realize that Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was a very long book, but so was The Goblet of Fire and I enjoyed it's movie adaptation a lot. In this movie seemed as though the director merely had a check list of scenes that he needed to but in the movie put no thought into connecting them. The speed and choppiness of the movie took away from the characters. It was just events and there was hardly any character development at all. Which was a shame because the young cast continues to get better, and there were some amazing acting veterans (Gary Oldman, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter etc.) In my opinion if the director had slowed everything down, only a little, he could've added a lot more (character development, humor, fluidity) However, despite by prier comments, the movie was not terrible. It did have it's good moments, but I think it could have been done a lot better.

Snivellus Snape gets what he deserves!

[scottlang-30253 · 10/10 · 30 June 2020]

Oh you can shake Snape up! Oh you anyone can shake Snape up! Like boob fat, shake shake Snape, shake shake Snape, shake shake! Oh I love this film so much!

Bellatrix is such a lovely lady and she always cheers me up and turns my usual frown upside down every time I see her lovely nurturing motherly nature on display in this terrific top notch film. Bellatrix is the most sexiest and kindest woman alive in my humble opinion and I wish she was my Mother, tells me I'm a naughty boy and looks after me every day so that's a great testament to how much I adore this film. I know nothing bad will happen to me when I'm watching this film because I know Bellatrix Motherly instincts will protect me from any harm that comes to me, oh I love her so much, I wish I could hug her all the time to show her how much I love her.

James Potter was a great man, my 2nd favourite fictional character of all time and he showed that sobbing little man baby known as Snivellus Snape who's boss and I always cheer and clap every time I see that lovely Snape memory scene in this film as Snape gets some payback for having fashion sense that gives people nightmares, an annoying tendency to read and study things all the time and forever being an evil know it all. James and his friends are really complex memorable characters full of enlightening personality traits and they are great role models for British boys and this film always makes me appreciate that I have friends like James Potter did that I can have great fun with. This film is guaranteed to make you smile if you're a British boy crying out for some motherly affection.

Humorous, But Hard To Follow If You Haven't Read The Book

[ccthemovieman-1 · 6/10 · 17 December 2007]

If you scan the first hundred reviews of this movie on this website, I think you'll see the words "disappointed" and "disappointment" more than any other adjectives. I, too, found it the same. I have not read any of the books, but I've seen - and enjoyed - the four previous movies, so I expected to full enjoy this one.

This film disappointed me because (1) - I felt the story was nothing I could make a lot of sense out of, since I hadn't read the 800 or 900-page book. If one didn't read the book and knew this story, it was easy to get lost about a number of things in here. The screenplay was "choppy," hard to follow in spots. Some of the things, like the death of Sirius Black, happened so fast I didn't know exactly what happened. This was just too uneven and rushed to keep us non-HP readers interested, story-wise; (2) - Harry wasn't the nice little kid throughout most of it, and he admitted it - that he was angry most of the time. Well, I agree, and he wasn't fun to watch, as he had been in the other films. I am used to a good-kid HP, not an angry teen; (3) - His two closest buddies, Ron and Hermione, looked like they mailed in their roles, especially Ron who looked like he was half-asleep during the film. (Maybe he was pouting because he had so few lines, who knows? I wouldn't blame him, frankly.); (4) I get tired of filmmakers giving us the rebel-as-hero and authority figure-as-villain. Enough is enough on that theme, which is so heavy-handedly presented here it becomes ludicrous. (5) If you are going to have a major villain, SHOW him, don't hide him for 99 percent of the film, which is what they did here with Voldemort.

On the positive side, I DID get enjoyment out of all the little special effects, many of which were humorous and always fun to watch. I got a kick out of many of the new faces in the film, and it also was fun to see some characters we had seen only in perhaps one previous film, such as Emma Thompson's teacher role. I also thought the music was outstanding: the best I've heard in the five Potter films. I wonder how many others appreciated it in here?

All in all, it was visually fun to watch and hear, as all the HP movies have been, but the story was just not entertaining as much as the others.

Not without its flaws, but highly entertaining.

[PizzicatoFishCrouch · 8/10 · 14 July 2007]

After his fourth traumatic year at Hogwarts that ended with a showdown with the franchise's very own Mr Bad, Lord Voldemort, it doesn't seem too much for Harry Potter to be asking for a peaceful Summer. However, he doesn't get such a wish – from the opening scene in which Harry and his despised cousin Dudley have close encounters of the life-threatening kind with two dementors in an underground passage, it is clear that Voldemort has unfinished business with the scarred lad, and that he has every intention of finishing it. Plus, nearly everyone in Harry's school believe him to be a liar, Professor Dumbledore refuses to look him in the eye, his friends don't understand him, and, on top of that, Harry must grapple with the skills required in mastering his first kiss. My, my, aren't teenage lives complicated?!

A word of warning. This is not a film for the uninitiated. If "patronum", "Avada Kedavra" and "ministry of Magic" sound like code to you, then best avoid watching this. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix makes no attempt to guide the newbies along the story (and rightly so, because any attempt at that would detract from the film and patronize its viewers). To fully comprehend the plot, you must have seen the four previous films as well as read the book from which this film is based.

The film itself is a wonderful jumble of goods, bads, and uglies. There is plenty to enjoy here, starting with the flawless turn from Imelda Staunton as the sadistic Dolores Umbridge. The woman who we are so used to seeing in roles as the sweet old lady, whether it be in Shakespeare in Love, or her Oscar-nominated turn in Vera Drake, her performance here is a shock and a half. Kitted out from head to toe in pink and sporting a sugary air, we soon find that Umbridge, whose methods of punishment include using quills that protract blood on her students, is anything but sweet. Staunton captures Umbridge's ruthless oiliness perfectly; never before has evil been such fun to watch.

Rupert Grint is also a joy. His ginger hair, large blue eyes, bumbling demeanour and spot-on comedy timing make him the true star of the show, and every scene that he features in benefits as a result of his appearance. Simply put, he is Godly. Sadly, the other two teen stars are nowhere near as good as Grint; Radcliffe, who gave an adequate performance in the West End's Equus, is back to his shoddy self here with an array of overreaching facial expressions and laughable deliveries of his lines. He is most embarrassing of all in the lead-up to kissing Cho Chang, in which everyone in my cinema was collapsing with laughter at his "performance." But it gets even worst, for Emma Watson, aspiring Cambridge student, World Peace Representative (probably) and general object of annoyance to average, frumpy teenage girls such as myself, gave a performance that was so awful, it damn near lost me the will to live. She just couldn't portray any of her emotions convincingly, and just settled for saying the lines that were written for her. Whereas Hermione was one of my favourite characters in the book due to her kindness, knowledge and appreciation for others' feelings, Emma's presentation of Hermione makes her insufferable and punch-worthy. It ain't good.

The two "actors" aside, my main other foible with this film was how it cut/altered some very important details of the book. For example, in the book, it is Kreacher who betrays Sirius and puts him in danger. The appearance of Snape's past as a hated and bullied student is also poorly put together and left to linger rather than properly dealt with. The Cho Chang storyline is pitiful, whereas in the book, we had been led to see that she wasn't all that she had cracked up to be as a person, in the film, she is the sketchiest of sketches and written off practically before she has begun. In terms of 2007 releases, only Pirates of the Caribbean III had more plot holes than this.

That said, I had a huge amount of fun in the 2 and a half hours that this film played, with three newcomers to this movie, Yates (director), Michael Goldenberg (screenwriter) and Hooper (composer). The direction was apt, not perfect, but acceptable. The score was acceptable. The visual effects were stunning, especially in the climactic finale between Dumbeldore's Army and Voldemort's Deatheaters, led by Jason Isaacs, where an entire storeroom containing shelved globes containing prophecies, one of which concerns Harry. It is here that Helena Bonham Carter emerges as Bellatrix Lestrange, one of the final and greatest joys of the film. Laughing manically and sporting long hair greasier than a Professor Snape-Cristiano Ronaldo mixup, she makes the most of her limited screen time to deliver one of the best performances in all the Harry Potter movies. Utterly haunting.

Thus, verily I say, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a worthwhile outing. If you can put up with the abomination commonly known as "Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson trying to act", as well as the slightly pretentious over-editing of Harry's dream sequences, not to mention the ten thousand odd plot holes, then you should venture out to the cinema to see this. Not capital film-making, but, as I'm yet to see Ratatouille and The Simpsons movie, about as good as you'll get this Summer from the cinema.

An adaptation that cannot stand on its own

[kylopod · 6/10 · 30 July 2007]

It's been years since I wrote the following words in my user comment for the first Harry Potter movie: "I enjoyed this movie immensely. But...I'll never know how I'd have reacted had I seen this movie without having read the books." By now, I must admit that the movie has held up well over all those years. It is a superior fantasy, despite my reservations about Chris Columbus's directorial style.

Unfortunately, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" is not likely to hold up well in the future. It has precisely the problem that I worried the first film would have: it seems designed for those who have already read the book. Those who haven't will be confused out of their mind. Necessary plot connections are left out, and the relevance of certain material is never explained. One pivotal scene even references a particular character's code name from the Marauder's Map, something that has never been mentioned before in the movie series and which will make no sense at all to non-readers. And yet, as a reader, I did enjoy the film. I once called the first Harry Potter movie a "preview of the book," but this one fits that description much more.

Part of the problem is not the movie itself, but the gradual decline of the books. In "Order of the Phoenix," the series lost much of its sense of fun as it got bogged down in the ongoing story. It contained a few elements I really liked, amidst pages of matters I found unappealing. What held it together was a wonderfully horrible villainess, Professor Umbridge, who functions as a satire of England's educational system. Even as an American, I can relate to the criticism of schoolteachers who favor theory over practice, preferring textbook assignments to practical skill-building. In the Harry Potter universe, that leaves the students in mortal peril, keeping them from learning the skills they need to protect themselves against Voldemort, the super-villain whom Umbridge, a puppet of the magical government, denies has returned. Harry creates a secret club to teach students how to defend themselves. All the while, Umbridge inflicts a reign of terror on the school, with harsh and sometimes painful punishments for anyone--student and teacher alike--who steps out of line.

At 870 pages, it is the longest Harry Potter book, and I believe it should have been cut down. The manner in which Harry languishes through the ordeal becomes monotonous, with long sections in which not much happens. By contrast, the movie is the shortest in the series so far, less than 2 hours and 15 minutes if you don't count the credits. I expected this condensation to benefit the film, but instead it makes the whole proceedings choppy. Just a few minutes of extra screen time could have substantially improved the coherence. It gives me a greater appreciation for how the third movie--still by far the best one--achieved the paradoxical effect of streamlining the story while seeming richer and fuller in some ways.

I have never heard of the director, David Yates, and I don't understand why he's already been chosen to direct the next Harry Potter film. The series has already had two skillful directors, Alfonso Cuarón and Mike Newell, each brought on for just one film. Maybe Harry Potter directors face the same Catch-22 as James Bond actors, namely that anyone good enough for the job has better things to do in their career.

Yates makes a mixed impression at best. He gives the film some of the most unoriginal imagery the series has yet seen, drawing upon old horror movie conventions as Harry is haunted by dreams and visions of Voldemort. The technical credits show some lack of continuity with the previous films. A couple of creatures look different, and John Williams' charming score has been inexplicably replaced by a more generic one.

On the bright side, the performances are mostly quite good. Familiar cast members like Maggie Smith, Robbie Coltrane, and Gary Oldman continue to bring warmth and style to their roles. Daniel Radcliffe maintains his natural, understated performance that goes well with the introspective tone of the story. Actors I have not admired as much, such as Rupert Grint as Harry's friend Ron, and Michael Gambon as Dumbledore, seem to have improved significantly. There are also some impressive newcomers to the series: Evanna Lynch as the flaky Luna Lovegood, Helena Bonham Carter as the Wicked Witch-like Bellatrix Lestrange, and Imelda Staunton, who seems to provide a perfect embodiment of the short and shrill Umbridge. The weakest link is Ralph Fiennes, whom I suspect spent no more than a day filming his scenes as Voldemort. He seems to disappear into the makeup, making me wonder what was the point of bringing such an esteemed actor to this role.

The movie has some nice touches that weren't in the book, such as Umbridge's office being lined with moving photographs of meowing cats (I suspect that Yates is a cat lover, like myself) and Filch crowding the walls with Umbridge's inquisitorial decrees. But my favorite scene from the book--Dumbledore's hilarious exit--is truncated here and considerably less effective. Other crucial scenes seem to have no purpose except for setting up what is to come in the later films. Overall, this is the worst Harry Potter adaptation to date.

'Phoenix' May Be Best 'Potter' Yet!

[redsoxmb545-1 · 9/10 · 26 July 2007]

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is the 5th installment out of 7 in the story of Harry Potter. With the release of this film as well as the final literary installment of the series, 'Potter 'has received a great abundance of exposure (as if it needed it). In 'Phoenix', Harry and Dumbeldore are targeted by the Ministry of Magic after claiming (correctly) that the dark Lord Voldemort has been reborn. A sadistic member of the Ministry is installed in Hogwarts who slowly takes over the entire school. Meanwhile, a secret organization, the Order of the Phoenix, recruits Harry, and prepares for the Dark Lord's return. As the story gets darker, the films get better. This film (while it was not the best book in the series), is quite possibly the 'Potter' film yet. The teenage as well as adult cast excel while visuals and special effects are nothing less than top notch. While the film did do a good job making a page 896 book into a 2 hour and 15 minute movie, I do wish that it could have been longer to include more details and sub-plots which were cut either in post production or during the writing process. The explosive finale is incredible and will cast a spell on you throughout. 'Phoenix' is a must see for any 'Potter' fan, while others will still find it an enjoyable ride.

Haphazard film-making makes for a rather disappointing fifth part of the series

[DonFishies · 7/10 · 1 August 2007]

Even though I am only a moderate fan of the books (meaning I have yet to finish the last book, despite having it since the day it came out), I usually look at the release of a new Harry Potter as something to get excited about. Even though the quality is not always spot-on, there is just something about them that allows them to feel wondrous and fantastical all at once. And even with their numerous problems (albeit, not as bad as those associated with The Lord of the Rings trilogy), they still end up being rather enjoyable. Sadly, I think the quality has really begun to slip, as Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was the first film since Philosopher's Stone that actually disappointed me as a film-goer and reader of the books.

I will not shed too much light on the plot (and the numerous subplots) that densely layer this fifth instalment, but suffice to say for those who have yet to venture through the book, will find Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) on thin ice with the wizarding world in regards to his accusations over the return of Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes). But as those close to him rally to fight against the Dark Lord, Harry just may have to face a few more problems than he probably would like to.

Going in, I knew Order of the Phoenix was going to be a challenging watch. The book is the longest of the entire series, and is probably the densest. I liked it when I first read it, but subsequent re-readings of mere selections from the book have proved tiresome, and quite long-winded. Much the same then, has to go for the film. There is quite a bit going on, but you never quite feel like you are truly experiencing a genuinely well written storyline. Yes, it does feel very in tune with being just part of the larger framework of an entire series, but at least the others (with the minor exception of Goblet of Fire), have attempted to stay fairly within itself and not completely determinant on the audience having seen the previous films in order to fully understand this one.

While Order of the Phoenix does pack in a whole lot more of the book than the previous film did, it does so at a price. Many of the key subplots and even key story lines have been compacted into sometimes lengthy montage sequences. And while this would not be a problem in any other movie, it quickly becomes irritating here for just how many times it is done as time progresses on. At one point, it would be safe to say two montages were split by a sheer two minute scene. And these were five-minute montages! I am certain that they could have either compacted some of these scenes even further, or just fleshed a few more out. It would have helped the characters and the story be so much more well rounded than it is.

What the film also does not do is improve upon the shallow and ultimately anti-climactic ending. Instead, as hard as it is to believe, it is made worse. The initial start of the build-up towards the finale is very well done, and very well realized, but right when the real heavy hitting elements begin to pop up, the film falters. Besides not looking anywhere near what J.K. Rowling's original written words described, it feels genuinely rushed, and almost a second thought. If I had not read the book, I probably would have found much of the sequence to be rather incoherent, and other parts just totally misplaced. It just does not seem to be as well made and polished as other scenes in the movie, and everything from the acting, to the special effects, to even the story itself, suffer as a result.

Speaking of special effects, what happened to them? In previous films, the artists and designers worked hard to make everything look so realistic and so well blended together that one would never realize the difference between reality and fantasy. But here, almost every effect (with a few minor exceptions, one being the awesome opening sequence of the finale) looks very haphazardly created, and with zero to no enthusiasm for what was being created. People look fake in a lot of scenes, and the totally CGI-rendered characters stand out as almost blatantly not real.

But then, that is what this film really stands out to me as: a blatant unenthusiastic romp through a very messy book. The performances are all very well done (with a brilliant standout being Imelda Staunton as the quintessentially evil Dolores Umbridge), even those with very miniscule roles. But they are the only thing holding this production together. Everything is very erratically designed, but nothing feels anywhere near as magical or as fantastical as those earlier films. It just lacks the genuine zest that has become accustomed to the Harry Potter films, and replaces it with a very dull sheet of blandness. Yes, this can be blamed on Rowling's flawed fifth book, but the last four films have had even their most boring pieces cleansed over into something that feels keenly tied to the fantasy elements of the books. Here, there is a more heightened sense of realism for the actors, and not much else. It feels devoid of any of the magic that made these films so popular in the first place. Pitch black darkness content-wise is nowhere near a viable excuse for poor film-making.

With its problems, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix still pulls through as being heartbreakingly average. The story is still there, and the performances are some of the best to date, but I cannot help but feel that the magic is sorely missing from this instalment.

7/10.

Slow story, but ends with the highest high of the series.

[tmans713 · 8/10 · 16 July 2020]

For the first time in the series, HP and his friends are left to their own devices due to the bureaucratic takeover of Hogwarts. Slow plot development aside, this movie culminates in the breathtaking and visually stunning duel between Dumbledore and Lord Voldemort.

Harry Potter Back in Hogwarts

[josiemortean-1 · 9/10 · 30 June 2007]

Harry comes back on to our screens for his fifth year at Hogwarts School. This time, Lord Voldermot is back after the cliffhanger of him at the end of Harry Potter and the Goblet Of Fire. Everyone is concerned about the Dark Lord's return, but things get worse The Ministry Of Magic hired a mysterious women named Dorles Umbridge who is the new Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts... Harry forms up a group of Hogwarts students and gathered Dumbledore's Army. So Harry taught them about magical spells to defend Lord Voldermout's dark forces... Harry and his army is in the biggest battle yet between Lord Voldermout and his deadly Death-Eathers... Absoutley outstanding special effects, the quality of the acting was 100/100, the script was mind-blowing and the casting was top-notch!!! Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and all of the outstanding cast should deserve an Oscar for all their stupendous work! Seriously I was speechless when I left the theatres! This is the BEST Harry Potter movie yet!

The Order

[RobTheWatcher · 8/10 · 29 December 2022]

The Order of the Phoenix is the first of the series from the best Director Harry Potter had (David Yates) and it shows. I'm going back and rewatching these all in sequential order and this one surprised me the most as it's a lot better and more enjoyable than I remember. The story line is fantastic. Harry and his crew train and gear up for what's to come. The Order is introduced and helps. And Voldemort and his side also start to gain power and momentum. We also get to see the Order fight Voldemort's minions AND Dumbledore fight Voldemort. This was an extremely fun and underrated movie in the series.

A low down

[enigmaticmaniac · 7/10 · 28 July 2011]

I was pretty much excited about this installments as by now I've become a fan of Harry Potter. The movie though didn't stand on my expectations. It has plot holes and things are left unexplained mostly. Rushing the things just offers us to wonder. People are saying that the book is lengthy and therefore they were not able to accommodate things properly in the short duration of movie. Nonetheless its still a good movie and you won't wanna miss it. Well no comments on vfx which is always appealing and a treat. So again its visually good and screenplay is good as well. Yes you will find yourself waiting for the next eventually.