Lately I’ve had a lot of Harry Potter conversations. I’d say the general consensus on favorite HP book is probably between 3 and 4 (#4 being my favorite… probably) and 5 and 2 as being the least celebrated. I didn’t realize so many people hated #5 until recently – like, there are a surprising number. Maybe you hate it too, who knows. Most say that it’s all cuz of that Umbridge lady. They say she’s annoying. I say she’s well-written. Most hate on Harry's complaining. I say that though he's annoying, it's realistic. To each his (her) own.
Order of the Phoenix picks up in the summer after Harry witnessed Voldemort’s return and Cedric Diggory’s death (sorry, did that ruin it for you? oh.) The catch? Nobody believes him. Well, no one except for his usual buds and a group of boss rebel adults who call themselves the Order of the Phoenix. Unfortunately, the Ministry of Magic has greater influence than this tiny army, so Harry and Dumbledore get a lot of crap thrown at them. Including the BIGGEST B in a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher that Hogwarts has ever seen. Harry ain’t pleased with the way things are goin’ especially with everyone ignoring the killer of an elephant in the room so he takes matters into his own hands…. again… and forms a rebel group of his own.
Hats off to Mrs. Imelda Staunton, first of all. Holy mother, she captures that evil cat-woman’s essence with a pink sweater and a Cruciatus Curse in pocket. Perfect choice. No one can say that the Harry Potter franchise didn’t try for English acting talent cuz golly they’ve got the best of the best. Professor Dolores Umbridge rivals Gilderoy Lockhart as the smarmiest, so awful that you’ve gotta love kinda character to have appeared from Rowling’s creation. She sweeps in, essentially takes over the school with her government reign, and tortures little twelve-year-olds as a disciplinary measure. I mean, who writes that kinda stuff? Another great new addition is Evanna Lynch as Loony Luna Lovegood. She’s definitely a strange character, but Lynch portrays her as more endearing than off-her-rocker. Helena Bonham Carter too jumps on the ride as lady-Death Eater Belatrix Lestrange, another crazy character that was well played. Lastly, though he’s nothing new, I must throw in some Gary Oldman love. Yates does a good job of re-creating a Lupin/Harry relationship like in Cuarón did in Azkaban. Sirius is one of the greatest characters and Oldman fills that role with dignity.
With that in mind, OotP has that heart and emotion and we really do get to know Harry better. After such a sad disappointment in 4, I was pleased as punch to see that David Yates could respectably salvage this series and push it forwards to the magical opus it had the potential to be. Each director will be remembered (though I can’t say much for Newell) but Yates will be the one that Harry Potter fans will always whole-heartedly applaud for carrying it to a satisfying and mature end. His mark on Order of the Phoenix pushes things back towards character development and heart, not crazy dragon chases and action-packed duels. Though there’s plenty of that too. The Dumbledore’s Army scenes are pretty dang fantastic to gawk over (almost, though not quite, an homage to the little-kid wonder and awe with the magic stuff), and that Dumbledore/Voldemort duel at the end is filled with some sick special effects. But those DA scenes would be nothing without Hermione stupefying Ron, Neville triumphantly disarming something, and Harry sharing his hard-learned wisdom with eager youngsters, wanting to do their part for the greater good. Gone are the wide-eyed little kids. Here are the ready to fight teenagers with something to prove. They stand up for what they believe in and they’re in it to make a difference. They’re unified, and their relationships with one another are emotionally grounded. Like I said, there’s heart and stuff.
Watson, Grint, and Radcliffe have finally reached a level where I, as a fan, am fully satisfied with their role as the fearsome threesome. I have no complaints for those three. Michael Gambon is still not Richard Harris, but he’s definitely getting there. Alan Rickman is still boss, and Yates also did well with some back-story stuff too. There’s all the other thousand of adult actors who masterfully play even the smallest of roles (Maggie Smith, Robbie Coltrane, Jason Isaacs, David Thewlis, Julie Walters, Brendan Gleeson, and Emma Thompson even!) I’m also pleased with the way the other kids are growin’ up – Matthew Lewis in particular. I love Neville. And, of course, there’s Ray Fiennes as the Big V – and words really can’t say what that evil dude does for the movie.
I feel like I always talk about the acting in these Potter reviews. You can’t blame me, the acting is definitely one of the most appealing elements with all those big names – and the characters are what make the books amazing. But there is a wonderful mystique and awe that goes beyond all that. The spells are getting more complicated, and the world of witchcraft and wizardry is expanding. The special effects, music, lighting, coloring, all that good crap contributes in their own ways to the finished product and I guess that’s worth mentioning. So, there.
I wish there was more Order of the Phoenix stuff – more Lupin especially – but I don’t regret their editing decisions. That’s a TON of material to cover, let’s get real. And, even though things are getting darker in wizard-town, there’s still that humor and wit that makes this series great. Fred and George stand alone as lovable comic relief with explosive escapes and Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes. The writing is humorous and Hermione’s getting more and more rebellious by the day. All in all, this has everything that I love about Harry Potter in here. I cheered, I cried, I applauded. Expecto Patronum. 7/10
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