Jasonic's Favorites: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Hello, and good evening, Internet!
Harry Potter remains one of my favorites and I continue to revisit the movies in our current climate of us fans getting a new show at HBO Max.
Released in 2007, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is the first of the Harry Potter films directed by David Yates and continues to prove the success of the Harry Potter film franchise beyond the first four movies. It was a great opening weekend -- one, if not THE biggest at the time -- and box office success, and critics generally enjoyed it. As an adaptation of the thickest book in the series, it, shockingly, clocks in as the single movie adaptation with the shortest runtime -- that is only if you count Deathly Hallows Parts 1 and 2 as a single project, in which case, Deathly Hallows Part 2 is the shortest on its own. In all my years of watching Harry Potter and engaging with the fans and watchers, people have either liked this movie the least or remembered it fondly, and I might be in the latter camp. In the midst of the movies having slower action scenes than some might prefer, this movie, in my opinion, has some of the fastest and strongest action scenes in the film franchise with the finale being my favorite confrontation with Lord Voldemort. Generally speaking, it might not be the most memorable of the Harry Potter movies as it stands, but I still consider it charming, intriguing, engaging, and worthwhile for the fans and other people who continue to invest. Part of it being somewhat divisive among fans may be because of the stylistic changes between directors. Most are fond of Chris Columbus's warmer style in the early two movies and universally praise Alfonso Cuarón's grittier tone and direction in Prisoner of Azkaban. Most are mixed on Mike Newell's darker style in Goblet of Fire, but this one is right there in the middle for me. I like it as a movie and can appreciate what it did to condense the book -- the thickest in the series -- to a reasonable amount of screen time. All that said, does it really deserve any criticism? To find out, let's pack up for Hogwarts, open the Room of Requirement, and Patronus Charm our way into Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix!
***SPOILERS AHEAD*** (so turn away now unless you're a fan or know this story)
The film takes place a few months after Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (where Harry did NOT put his name in the Goblet of Fire, mind you); in it, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and his cousin, Dudley Dursley (Harry Melling), are attacked by Dementors on a summer-turned-stormy day. Upon making it back home, Dudley is "loopy" and the Dursleys, Vernon (Richard Griffiths) and Petunia (Fiona Shaw), are pleased to hear that Harry is expelled from Hogwarts for using underage magic in the presence of a Muggle. Though Harry is livid at first, he is shocked when a few members of the Order of the Phoenix including his professor, Alastor Moody (Brendan Gleeson), arrive to rescue him, informing him that Hogwarts' headmaster, Albus Dumbledore (Michael Gambon), is exonerating Harry, allowing him back into Hogwarts, pending trial with the Ministry of Magic. They bring him on broomsticks to Number 12, Grimmauld Place where Sirius Black (Garry Oldman) among others are members of the Order and are withholding too much information from Harry seeing as he's just a boy. While there, he reconnects with his good friends, Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) and Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and they overhear more of what they're not sharing -- including the presence of Severus Snape (Alan Rickman). Upon arriving at the Ministry of Magic, Harry undergoes his trial in which Dumbledore speaks in favor of Harry while Madam Undersecretary Delores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton) speaks against him. Harry is soon cleared of charges and allowed back at Hogwarts where he makes friends with Luna Lovegood (Evanna Lynch) while Umbridge becomes the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher as per the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge (Robert Hardy). Many of Harry's friends, however, are with Fudge's claims that the rumors of Voldemort's return are false and, as a result, he feels more alone than ever. With Umbridge not allowing students to use defensive spells in class, Harry and friends soon rally Dumbledore's Army in the secret Room of Requirement in order to prepare for a possible war against Voldemort on the horizon. All the while, Harry wrestles with Voldemort invading his dreams, hinting at the connection he has with the villain while Dumbledore actively avoids Harry and any eye contact with him for mysterious reasons. In the midst of darker times on the horizon, Harry must go against the new standards set by Umbridge, navigate his feelings for his new love interest, Cho Chang (Katie Leung), and learn to defend himself mentally against Lord Voldemort, not yet knowing the full story of what the latter is planning.
Storywise, this movie separates itself from the initial four movies in terms of establishing tone; whereas Goblet of Fire had more moments of levity amidst the darker setup, this movie opens with a darker version of the Harry Potter theme, the establishing shot leading into a brighter, cinematically lit park outside of London as Dudley and his gang begin to torment Harry. Once Harry threatens Dudley with his wand, it becomes overcast in time for the Dementors to arrive, leaving icy depression in their wake. The book did a great job describing these scenes in their own ways, but something about seeing them cinematically adapted really captivates the new tonal direction for the franchise starting with this movie. As far as the story itself, there is definitely a lot of condensing from the book and it shows; the explanation of Number 12, Grimmauld Place as Sirius Black's family home isn't stated until much later in the scene where Harry and Sirius talk over his family tree with it being mentioned right away in the book from what I remember. There is also a small scene of Buckbeak being present at the home in the book, which I think is a cool bit of continuity in the source material, but is something not in the movie at all -- Buckbeak never returns in the movies for that matter. There are a lot more scenes padding and explaining certain buildups in the novel such as the ways in which Harry forms and trains Dumbledore's Army, the presence of Dobby as a lookout, and more development between Harry and Cho Chang.
The breakup between Harry and Cho is particularly more awkward in the book because they officially go on a date to Hogsmeade at one point and Harry mentions that Hermione might join them, which, among other things, makes Cho sad and jealous that she leaves. The movie changed their breakup to be arguably more tragic by making it where Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) and some other students forced HER to out the location of Dumbledore's Army to Umbridge -- unlike the novel where it was Cho's side character friend whose name I forgot instead. Harry then refuses to speak to her after watching Dumbledore take the blame for forming the army and avoiding arrest, making the end of their relationship more of a choice on Harry's end as opposed to awkward teen drama. A big Wizarding World idea that is completely absent from the movie is the wizarding hospital, St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries; it is visited in a single chapter of the book after Arthur Weasley (Mark Williams) is attacked by Voldemort's snake, Nagini, which, as fans know, Harry witnesses in his dream from the POV of the snake. The Weasley family tends to Arthur as he recovers, Harry and the cast encountering a returning Gilderoy Lockhart from the Chamber of Secrets. This entire sequence and the Lockhart cameo is cut from the movie likely for runtime and conciseness and, in some ways, the movie is better for it. The main downside is that we don't get the full explanation of the prophecy from Dumbledore at the end such as the fact that it was made by Sybil Trelawny (Emma Thompson) and that Neville Longbottom (Matthew Lewis) was the other potential candidate for being the Chosen One in addition to Harry. This was something I first saw theorized through YouTuber, Film Theory, so I was very surprised that the book was detailed enough to outright confirm it. That said, I have adored both the books and films in different ways since and I'm fine with what they did to cut this film down.
Once again, the actors are part of what bring the charm of the Harry Potter series to life and this film is no exception. Daniel Radcliffe still excels as Harry Potter himself and here he manages to show more volatility in the way that Voldemort inches toward taking over his mind throughout; I was always so enthralled by him lashing out with lines like, "Look at me!" when Dumbledore refuses to look at him. Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley and Emma Watson as Hermione Granger don't have as huge of roles in this one as the other films, but the acting styles and character dynamics are there with Ron showing better appreciation for Hermione in small interactions, planting the seeds for them falling in love by the series' end. Many side characters such as Devon Murray as Seamus Finnigan -- who gets a mini arc going from bashing Harry to siding with him -- and Matthew Lewis as Neville, the latter getting a small moment of reflection when he learns that Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham Carter) has escaped Azkaban. Realizing this was the mad witch who tortured his parents to insanity with the Cruciatus Curse, he and Harry share that moment with Harry encouraging him that they're proud of him now. Joining the student cast is Evanna Lynch as Luna Lovegood; I believe she is best girl in Harry Potter and her dreamy, quirky personality shows it. As a younger student meeting Harry's classmates for the first time, she is welcomed into his group and Dumbledore's Army with her and Harry bonding over the loss of parental figures and both being able to see the Thestrals. Evanna's dreamy voice and autism-coded personality is what draws me to her character as a person and I adore her for having her fun demeanor and overactive imagination. The Dursleys also return for the last time in the film series with Harry Melling being a much older Dudley who gets scared after the Dementor attack, Richard Griffiths (RIP) as Uncle Vernon having his signature bile against Harry's magic abilities, and Fiona Shaw being there as Aunt Petunia, but not really doing much.
The professors excel as always with Maggie Smith (RIP) as McGonagall, Alan Rickman (RIP) as Snape, and Michael Gambon (RIP) as Dumbledore. As far as Gambon's Dumbledore personality here, he is much more pensieve and distant from Harry for the sake of protecting him and himself from Voldemort's connection, which sets up his character's eventual conclusion in Half-Blood Prince. Joining the professors is Imelda Staunton as the reviled Delores Umbridge; everyone calls her the "devil in pink" for a reason and it's her posh personality, strict rule-enforcing and punishment toward students, ignorance towards the evil out there, and giving her no redeeming qualities. Her level of villainy makes me more angry than I do toward Voldemort himself because, let's face it, even Voldemort is a lovable arch villain with his charisma and personality despite his immense amount of unforgivable actions. That said, Ralph Fiennes does a great job returning as Voldemort even with what little he's given here, being seen mainly in Harry's dreams and the climax of the movie. Also joining the cast of villains is Helana Bonham Carter as the aforementioned Bellatrix Lestrange and, boy, does she steal the show! Her teasing, often cackling mad witch demeanor makes for a welcome presence amongst Voldemort's ranks and she quite literally steals the spotlight by killing Sirius Black. Her sing-songy boasting of "I killed Sirus Black!" to provoke Harry is a tune that makes my blood boil given that she's so crazy and I feel sad every time I rewatch Sirius's death. For that matter, Gary Oldman continues to be a win with this being his last appearance as Black while the character is still alive -- it touches me especially to see him act so loving toward Harry, encouraging him to act on the right parts (light vs. dark) to know who he is.
All Harry Potter movies continue to be great in the special effects department, but this one also ups the action as I mentioned. The general CGI looks of everything from the Dementors to the spells and Patronus effects to Fred and George's fireworks to Voldemort's nose has come a long way since the beginning of the franchise that I almost can't say what hasn't already been said about it. That said, one thing that separates this film from the first four is the use of shaky cam as early as the first ten minutes; on top of the more depressive tone the opening scene establishes, the two of them (Harry and Dudley) running from the storm in a shaky cam sequence really escalates the tension before the Dementors show up. Contrasting with that first action scene, we get that moment of levity with the Order of the Phoenix members and Harry flying on their broomsticks across London, over the river, and passing the Parliament. It's a wonderful moment that reminds us this is a Harry Potter film when one would expect this movie to be much darker based on the first ten minutes. While there is not much battling throughout the movie, I can't help, but smile at the montage of Harry and friends putting forth the effort to train everybody in Dumbledore's Army; their magic abilities have increased since Year 1 and the rate at which they can cast spells is more instantaneous, but even then, there's still time for enjoyment later on when everyone is casting their Patronus Charms. In terms of their being faster spell casting, this movie introduces an actual battle with that later at the climax in the Department of Mysteries; the Order members showing up and battling the Death Eaters is a stellar sequence with everyone casting their spells at lightning speed, shooting them off and blocking them with sound effects that often sound like cracking whips. It was a great way to introduce wizard-to-wizard combat to the film series, but even so, nothing can compare to the ultimate duel between Dumbledore and Voldemort following this. It is THE most fast-paced action sequence in the entire series with the two combatants locked in Priori Incantantum with the spells locking and crackling like electricity. Voldemort then proceeds to "vomit" a flaming snake that Dumbledore contains before countering with a ball of water that he contains Voldemort in while holding Harry back. And the coolest part? Voldemort pulling a bunch of glass shards that Dumbledore sets up a shield against, the glass dispersing into sand as it makes contact! That was an underrated special effects shot and almost nothing, but positive things can be said about these two master wizards going head-to-head in the duel of the century -- besides Dumbledore vs. Grindelwald, that is.
The music also continues to be a stellar part of this franchise and this movie is no exception; composed this time by Nicholas Hooper, the film opens with the Harry Potter them being slightly altered into a darker tone followed by a more melancholic piano with Harry on the swingset. I almost can't give the opening enough wins and the music is one of the reasons why! The aforementioned broomstick flight scene plays one of my favorite tracks, "Flight of the Order of the Phoenix"; with its rising strings and horns section, this song provides the magical levity that Harry Potter is known for as he and the Order fly across London to Number 12, Grimmauld Place. This song was one of the ones that the video game, LEGO Harry Potter Years 5-7, brought to my attention with the way it's used as the level clear theme and, therefore, it makes me feel triumphant listening to it. Everybody hates Professor Umbridge with a passion and with her theme song, "Professor Umbridge", it's easy to see why; as soon as I hear those bouncy strings and the triangle accompanying it, I just imagine the montage of Umbridge strutting around the school, ruining the day for everyone by enforcing strict rules everywhere. The thought of what she does to make the school suffer for the smallest reasons is enough to make me despise her character, and Imelda's acting plus the theme song makes my blood boil at the mere thought of her. This movie is the Harry Potter movie with quite possibly the most montages and my favorite would have to be the one accompanied by "Dumbledore's Army". This is another song that makes me think of playing LEGO Harry Potter, particularly the level/sequence where you're running around helping/recruiting Dumbledore's Army; in the movie, it opens with the slow flute before being accompanied by the strings and light horns. The instrumentation here signifies things looking up for Harry and friends as they go about training and helping Dumbledore's Army being prepared for the war coming. In and otherwise darker movie, it is one of the purest moments of levity that reminds me, "This is Harry Potter where friendship and affection win at the end of the day."
All that said, I do belive Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a great Harry Potter movie and movie in general, underrated at worst. It condenses everything from the book to a digestible degree, which does result in loads of details being lost, but regardless, the actors continue to be stellar, the special effects great, the action takes a front seat with faster pacing, and the music continues to remind us that this is Harry Potter. Some of my favorite memories with my family was when we went through all the Harry Potter movies together and I specifically remember us watching Goblet of Fire and Order of the Phoenix in one day; by the end of the day, I joked that watching a lot of Harry Potter, "makes you want to talk British" -- which I spoke in a British accent. Seriously though, I have always had a fondness for British accents and now British media and Harry Potter is one of the reasons I adore getting to read it, if not talk to actual British people. Many attribute Harry Potter to being an uplifting franchise on their darkest days and, while my Christian self sees better ways to get better, it's not hard to see why anyone, literature fan or otherwise, could enjoy this. I can hardly stress enough that the franchise is one of my go-tos for book to movie adaptations and the fact that I eventually read the books and became more of the fan I am today says a lot about what I divulge into in these reviews. With that, I give Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix a B+ and recommend it to fans of the franchise and those willing to give Harry Potter a spin.
Thank you all for reading and I will see you in the next review!
Harry Potter remains one of my favorites and I continue to revisit the movies in our current climate of us fans getting a new show at HBO Max.
Released in 2007, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is the first of the Harry Potter films directed by David Yates and continues to prove the success of the Harry Potter film franchise beyond the first four movies. It was a great opening weekend -- one, if not THE biggest at the time -- and box office success, and critics generally enjoyed it. As an adaptation of the thickest book in the series, it, shockingly, clocks in as the single movie adaptation with the shortest runtime -- that is only if you count Deathly Hallows Parts 1 and 2 as a single project, in which case, Deathly Hallows Part 2 is the shortest on its own. In all my years of watching Harry Potter and engaging with the fans and watchers, people have either liked this movie the least or remembered it fondly, and I might be in the latter camp. In the midst of the movies having slower action scenes than some might prefer, this movie, in my opinion, has some of the fastest and strongest action scenes in the film franchise with the finale being my favorite confrontation with Lord Voldemort. Generally speaking, it might not be the most memorable of the Harry Potter movies as it stands, but I still consider it charming, intriguing, engaging, and worthwhile for the fans and other people who continue to invest. Part of it being somewhat divisive among fans may be because of the stylistic changes between directors. Most are fond of Chris Columbus's warmer style in the early two movies and universally praise Alfonso Cuarón's grittier tone and direction in Prisoner of Azkaban. Most are mixed on Mike Newell's darker style in Goblet of Fire, but this one is right there in the middle for me. I like it as a movie and can appreciate what it did to condense the book -- the thickest in the series -- to a reasonable amount of screen time. All that said, does it really deserve any criticism? To find out, let's pack up for Hogwarts, open the Room of Requirement, and Patronus Charm our way into Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix!
***SPOILERS AHEAD*** (so turn away now unless you're a fan or know this story)
The film takes place a few months after Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (where Harry did NOT put his name in the Goblet of Fire, mind you); in it, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and his cousin, Dudley Dursley (Harry Melling), are attacked by Dementors on a summer-turned-stormy day. Upon making it back home, Dudley is "loopy" and the Dursleys, Vernon (Richard Griffiths) and Petunia (Fiona Shaw), are pleased to hear that Harry is expelled from Hogwarts for using underage magic in the presence of a Muggle. Though Harry is livid at first, he is shocked when a few members of the Order of the Phoenix including his professor, Alastor Moody (Brendan Gleeson), arrive to rescue him, informing him that Hogwarts' headmaster, Albus Dumbledore (Michael Gambon), is exonerating Harry, allowing him back into Hogwarts, pending trial with the Ministry of Magic. They bring him on broomsticks to Number 12, Grimmauld Place where Sirius Black (Garry Oldman) among others are members of the Order and are withholding too much information from Harry seeing as he's just a boy. While there, he reconnects with his good friends, Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) and Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and they overhear more of what they're not sharing -- including the presence of Severus Snape (Alan Rickman). Upon arriving at the Ministry of Magic, Harry undergoes his trial in which Dumbledore speaks in favor of Harry while Madam Undersecretary Delores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton) speaks against him. Harry is soon cleared of charges and allowed back at Hogwarts where he makes friends with Luna Lovegood (Evanna Lynch) while Umbridge becomes the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher as per the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge (Robert Hardy). Many of Harry's friends, however, are with Fudge's claims that the rumors of Voldemort's return are false and, as a result, he feels more alone than ever. With Umbridge not allowing students to use defensive spells in class, Harry and friends soon rally Dumbledore's Army in the secret Room of Requirement in order to prepare for a possible war against Voldemort on the horizon. All the while, Harry wrestles with Voldemort invading his dreams, hinting at the connection he has with the villain while Dumbledore actively avoids Harry and any eye contact with him for mysterious reasons. In the midst of darker times on the horizon, Harry must go against the new standards set by Umbridge, navigate his feelings for his new love interest, Cho Chang (Katie Leung), and learn to defend himself mentally against Lord Voldemort, not yet knowing the full story of what the latter is planning.
Storywise, this movie separates itself from the initial four movies in terms of establishing tone; whereas Goblet of Fire had more moments of levity amidst the darker setup, this movie opens with a darker version of the Harry Potter theme, the establishing shot leading into a brighter, cinematically lit park outside of London as Dudley and his gang begin to torment Harry. Once Harry threatens Dudley with his wand, it becomes overcast in time for the Dementors to arrive, leaving icy depression in their wake. The book did a great job describing these scenes in their own ways, but something about seeing them cinematically adapted really captivates the new tonal direction for the franchise starting with this movie. As far as the story itself, there is definitely a lot of condensing from the book and it shows; the explanation of Number 12, Grimmauld Place as Sirius Black's family home isn't stated until much later in the scene where Harry and Sirius talk over his family tree with it being mentioned right away in the book from what I remember. There is also a small scene of Buckbeak being present at the home in the book, which I think is a cool bit of continuity in the source material, but is something not in the movie at all -- Buckbeak never returns in the movies for that matter. There are a lot more scenes padding and explaining certain buildups in the novel such as the ways in which Harry forms and trains Dumbledore's Army, the presence of Dobby as a lookout, and more development between Harry and Cho Chang.
The breakup between Harry and Cho is particularly more awkward in the book because they officially go on a date to Hogsmeade at one point and Harry mentions that Hermione might join them, which, among other things, makes Cho sad and jealous that she leaves. The movie changed their breakup to be arguably more tragic by making it where Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) and some other students forced HER to out the location of Dumbledore's Army to Umbridge -- unlike the novel where it was Cho's side character friend whose name I forgot instead. Harry then refuses to speak to her after watching Dumbledore take the blame for forming the army and avoiding arrest, making the end of their relationship more of a choice on Harry's end as opposed to awkward teen drama. A big Wizarding World idea that is completely absent from the movie is the wizarding hospital, St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries; it is visited in a single chapter of the book after Arthur Weasley (Mark Williams) is attacked by Voldemort's snake, Nagini, which, as fans know, Harry witnesses in his dream from the POV of the snake. The Weasley family tends to Arthur as he recovers, Harry and the cast encountering a returning Gilderoy Lockhart from the Chamber of Secrets. This entire sequence and the Lockhart cameo is cut from the movie likely for runtime and conciseness and, in some ways, the movie is better for it. The main downside is that we don't get the full explanation of the prophecy from Dumbledore at the end such as the fact that it was made by Sybil Trelawny (Emma Thompson) and that Neville Longbottom (Matthew Lewis) was the other potential candidate for being the Chosen One in addition to Harry. This was something I first saw theorized through YouTuber, Film Theory, so I was very surprised that the book was detailed enough to outright confirm it. That said, I have adored both the books and films in different ways since and I'm fine with what they did to cut this film down.
Once again, the actors are part of what bring the charm of the Harry Potter series to life and this film is no exception. Daniel Radcliffe still excels as Harry Potter himself and here he manages to show more volatility in the way that Voldemort inches toward taking over his mind throughout; I was always so enthralled by him lashing out with lines like, "Look at me!" when Dumbledore refuses to look at him. Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley and Emma Watson as Hermione Granger don't have as huge of roles in this one as the other films, but the acting styles and character dynamics are there with Ron showing better appreciation for Hermione in small interactions, planting the seeds for them falling in love by the series' end. Many side characters such as Devon Murray as Seamus Finnigan -- who gets a mini arc going from bashing Harry to siding with him -- and Matthew Lewis as Neville, the latter getting a small moment of reflection when he learns that Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham Carter) has escaped Azkaban. Realizing this was the mad witch who tortured his parents to insanity with the Cruciatus Curse, he and Harry share that moment with Harry encouraging him that they're proud of him now. Joining the student cast is Evanna Lynch as Luna Lovegood; I believe she is best girl in Harry Potter and her dreamy, quirky personality shows it. As a younger student meeting Harry's classmates for the first time, she is welcomed into his group and Dumbledore's Army with her and Harry bonding over the loss of parental figures and both being able to see the Thestrals. Evanna's dreamy voice and autism-coded personality is what draws me to her character as a person and I adore her for having her fun demeanor and overactive imagination. The Dursleys also return for the last time in the film series with Harry Melling being a much older Dudley who gets scared after the Dementor attack, Richard Griffiths (RIP) as Uncle Vernon having his signature bile against Harry's magic abilities, and Fiona Shaw being there as Aunt Petunia, but not really doing much.
The professors excel as always with Maggie Smith (RIP) as McGonagall, Alan Rickman (RIP) as Snape, and Michael Gambon (RIP) as Dumbledore. As far as Gambon's Dumbledore personality here, he is much more pensieve and distant from Harry for the sake of protecting him and himself from Voldemort's connection, which sets up his character's eventual conclusion in Half-Blood Prince. Joining the professors is Imelda Staunton as the reviled Delores Umbridge; everyone calls her the "devil in pink" for a reason and it's her posh personality, strict rule-enforcing and punishment toward students, ignorance towards the evil out there, and giving her no redeeming qualities. Her level of villainy makes me more angry than I do toward Voldemort himself because, let's face it, even Voldemort is a lovable arch villain with his charisma and personality despite his immense amount of unforgivable actions. That said, Ralph Fiennes does a great job returning as Voldemort even with what little he's given here, being seen mainly in Harry's dreams and the climax of the movie. Also joining the cast of villains is Helana Bonham Carter as the aforementioned Bellatrix Lestrange and, boy, does she steal the show! Her teasing, often cackling mad witch demeanor makes for a welcome presence amongst Voldemort's ranks and she quite literally steals the spotlight by killing Sirius Black. Her sing-songy boasting of "I killed Sirus Black!" to provoke Harry is a tune that makes my blood boil given that she's so crazy and I feel sad every time I rewatch Sirius's death. For that matter, Gary Oldman continues to be a win with this being his last appearance as Black while the character is still alive -- it touches me especially to see him act so loving toward Harry, encouraging him to act on the right parts (light vs. dark) to know who he is.
All Harry Potter movies continue to be great in the special effects department, but this one also ups the action as I mentioned. The general CGI looks of everything from the Dementors to the spells and Patronus effects to Fred and George's fireworks to Voldemort's nose has come a long way since the beginning of the franchise that I almost can't say what hasn't already been said about it. That said, one thing that separates this film from the first four is the use of shaky cam as early as the first ten minutes; on top of the more depressive tone the opening scene establishes, the two of them (Harry and Dudley) running from the storm in a shaky cam sequence really escalates the tension before the Dementors show up. Contrasting with that first action scene, we get that moment of levity with the Order of the Phoenix members and Harry flying on their broomsticks across London, over the river, and passing the Parliament. It's a wonderful moment that reminds us this is a Harry Potter film when one would expect this movie to be much darker based on the first ten minutes. While there is not much battling throughout the movie, I can't help, but smile at the montage of Harry and friends putting forth the effort to train everybody in Dumbledore's Army; their magic abilities have increased since Year 1 and the rate at which they can cast spells is more instantaneous, but even then, there's still time for enjoyment later on when everyone is casting their Patronus Charms. In terms of their being faster spell casting, this movie introduces an actual battle with that later at the climax in the Department of Mysteries; the Order members showing up and battling the Death Eaters is a stellar sequence with everyone casting their spells at lightning speed, shooting them off and blocking them with sound effects that often sound like cracking whips. It was a great way to introduce wizard-to-wizard combat to the film series, but even so, nothing can compare to the ultimate duel between Dumbledore and Voldemort following this. It is THE most fast-paced action sequence in the entire series with the two combatants locked in Priori Incantantum with the spells locking and crackling like electricity. Voldemort then proceeds to "vomit" a flaming snake that Dumbledore contains before countering with a ball of water that he contains Voldemort in while holding Harry back. And the coolest part? Voldemort pulling a bunch of glass shards that Dumbledore sets up a shield against, the glass dispersing into sand as it makes contact! That was an underrated special effects shot and almost nothing, but positive things can be said about these two master wizards going head-to-head in the duel of the century -- besides Dumbledore vs. Grindelwald, that is.
The music also continues to be a stellar part of this franchise and this movie is no exception; composed this time by Nicholas Hooper, the film opens with the Harry Potter them being slightly altered into a darker tone followed by a more melancholic piano with Harry on the swingset. I almost can't give the opening enough wins and the music is one of the reasons why! The aforementioned broomstick flight scene plays one of my favorite tracks, "Flight of the Order of the Phoenix"; with its rising strings and horns section, this song provides the magical levity that Harry Potter is known for as he and the Order fly across London to Number 12, Grimmauld Place. This song was one of the ones that the video game, LEGO Harry Potter Years 5-7, brought to my attention with the way it's used as the level clear theme and, therefore, it makes me feel triumphant listening to it. Everybody hates Professor Umbridge with a passion and with her theme song, "Professor Umbridge", it's easy to see why; as soon as I hear those bouncy strings and the triangle accompanying it, I just imagine the montage of Umbridge strutting around the school, ruining the day for everyone by enforcing strict rules everywhere. The thought of what she does to make the school suffer for the smallest reasons is enough to make me despise her character, and Imelda's acting plus the theme song makes my blood boil at the mere thought of her. This movie is the Harry Potter movie with quite possibly the most montages and my favorite would have to be the one accompanied by "Dumbledore's Army". This is another song that makes me think of playing LEGO Harry Potter, particularly the level/sequence where you're running around helping/recruiting Dumbledore's Army; in the movie, it opens with the slow flute before being accompanied by the strings and light horns. The instrumentation here signifies things looking up for Harry and friends as they go about training and helping Dumbledore's Army being prepared for the war coming. In and otherwise darker movie, it is one of the purest moments of levity that reminds me, "This is Harry Potter where friendship and affection win at the end of the day."
All that said, I do belive Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a great Harry Potter movie and movie in general, underrated at worst. It condenses everything from the book to a digestible degree, which does result in loads of details being lost, but regardless, the actors continue to be stellar, the special effects great, the action takes a front seat with faster pacing, and the music continues to remind us that this is Harry Potter. Some of my favorite memories with my family was when we went through all the Harry Potter movies together and I specifically remember us watching Goblet of Fire and Order of the Phoenix in one day; by the end of the day, I joked that watching a lot of Harry Potter, "makes you want to talk British" -- which I spoke in a British accent. Seriously though, I have always had a fondness for British accents and now British media and Harry Potter is one of the reasons I adore getting to read it, if not talk to actual British people. Many attribute Harry Potter to being an uplifting franchise on their darkest days and, while my Christian self sees better ways to get better, it's not hard to see why anyone, literature fan or otherwise, could enjoy this. I can hardly stress enough that the franchise is one of my go-tos for book to movie adaptations and the fact that I eventually read the books and became more of the fan I am today says a lot about what I divulge into in these reviews. With that, I give Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix a B+ and recommend it to fans of the franchise and those willing to give Harry Potter a spin.
Thank you all for reading and I will see you in the next review!
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