Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Widescreen Edition) Reviews

• The longest Harry Potter book gets whittled down to the shortest Harry Potter film

  
  By A2NJO6YE954DBH on 2007-07-11
  I think that when you take the longest Harry Potter book and turn it into the shortest Harry Potter film, that a large number of complaints by fans as to what has been cut will be inevitable after they watch "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." Not that this means that the legions of fans will be bitterly disappointed by the film version, but rather that there will be regrets over not getting to see favorite scenes on the screen. For example, Quidditch is completely out of the film, denying Ron of his best moments in the sun (start singing "Weasley is our king"). So do not be surprised when your mind keeps shifting to what has been cut and distracting you from time to time while watching this summer's latest blockbuster.
  
  When last we left our hero, Harry fell victim to a trap to bring back Lord Voldermort, which cost Cedric Diggory his life. The Ministry of Magic wants things hushed up, but Dumbledore tells the students at Hogwarts that Diggory was murdered and Lord Voldermort murdered him. As this fifth film opens Harry and his wicked cousin Dudley are attacked by Dementors. Harry uses his wand to defend them and is summarily expelled from Hogwarts for using magic in front of a muggle. The good news is that Harry gets reinstated, but the bad news is that the Ministry of Magic uses the opportunity to appoint Dolores Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary at the Ministry, as the school's new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. However, Umbridge teaches only the theory and not the practice because she insists Harry is a liar and there is nothing the students need to learn to defend themselves from. Then things get progressively worse.
  
  "The Order of the Phoenix" was the most maddening book to read, not because it was the longest, but because I detest Dolores Umbridge. As far as I am concerned she makes Voldermort look good, because he knows he is evil, wicked, bad, mean and nasty inside, while Umbridge thinks the ends justify the means. She is puritanical, sadistic and hypocritical. If there were not going to be children reading this review I would tell you what I really think of her. Suffice it to say, she makes me sick and I do not even take pleasure in loving to hate her, which is why my only requirement going into the film is that the Weasley Twins get their moment of glory when they become the disloyal opposition to the new order at Hogwarts.
  
  Daniel Radcliffe continues to have the tote the heavy load in these films as Harry, with Rupert Grint's Ron Weasley being reduced more and more often to reaction shots while Emma Watson's Hermione Granger remains the Mistress of Exposition in these films. Alan Rickman as Snape remains pitch perfect casting and Gary Oldman as Sirius Black is also a joy to watch, but I discovered in this film that I really like Michael Gambon's performance as Dumbledore, mainly because he always plays up the character's intelligence and I find I prefer his interpretation to that of the late Richard Harris, forgive my heresy. Imelda Staunton does not look as much like a toad as Umbridge does in the book, but she captures the character's detestability from start to finish. We are always painfully aware how dangerous she is, whether she smiles or not. Also, Evanna Lynch steals more scenes as Luna Lovegood than Katie Leung does as Cho Chang, and it is certainly interesting to see Neville (Matthew Lewis) towering over everybody, with Ginny Weasley (Bonnie Wright) in the silent but strong role for the pivotal sextet.
  
  After seeing this film I raced home and got out my copy of the book and starting cataloguing things that had been cut. Such comparisons are, as I suggested up top, inevitable for anyone who has read the book. At this point what I missed the most were some of the conversations between Maggie Smith's Professor McGonagall and Umbridge where Minerva verbally flaws the Inquisitor. The omission that I am focusing on the most is the whole bit about why Neville's family was a target of Voldermort (I agree with Harry: always say his name and thereby reduce its power), since that suggests implications for what will happen in the final book, which gets released in just ten more days. I also would have liked to have seen an over reaction to Harry discovering his father bullied Snape at Hogwarts. My favorite part ends up being the impressive wizard's duel between Voldermort and Dumbledore. Screenwriter Michael Goldenberg does a good job of whittling down Rowling's book and director David Yates does a competent job, but fans will simply want more. Also, we know what happens in the next book and all of the bad things that happen in this film cannot help but seem inconsequential in comparison. Plus, fans will be distracted by mining this film for clues as to what will happen in the last book.
  
  

• Cliff's Notes adaptation of the book

  
  By A2N3N439PRGV3I on 2007-12-12
  
  
  I love Harry Potter, OK? So before you freak out, let me get that out of the way. The book version "Order of the Phoenix" was oustanding. I also think that previous directors have done pretty good to great jobs of translating the books to film (though I must say things went a little downhill once Chris Columbus left.)
  
  All that being said, here's the kicker:
  
  The movie "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" played like a Cliff's Notes adaptation of the book.
  
  It lopped off a lot of the charm and romance and heartfelt pathos of the book--- as well as a lot of the pure creative touches--- in order to get the main arc of the story down. On top of that, it made "adaptations" to the book in order to get the story moving along--- yet all these "compromises" were actually worse than what JK Rowling originally wrote!
  
  Don't believe me? Here is only SOME of what is wrong with this movie:
  
  --Poor devlopment of the Harry/Cho Chang arc (The kiss is about all you get. No real feeling behind it at all. No devlopement of Harry's crush. No final break up argument on Valentine's Day.)
  --Making Cho into an evil snitch (which is why she and Harry broke up in the movie.) In the movie SHE is the one who betrays Harry. Stupid.
  --No hospital scenes. No meeting of Neville's parents.
  --Perfunctory explanation of Grimmaud Place
  --Perfunctory development of Occlumency
  --Harry gets to hear the prophecy while standing in the Department of Mysteries rather than later with Dumbledore. On top of this, he gets to hear the prophecy just by holding it in his hand. That makes no logical sense at all!
  --The Department of Mysteries itself is compressed down into one room (the room with the prophecies.) All the cool rooms (with the blue lights, the 12 doors, the clocks, the brains, and so on) are all just ignored. Those were such tremendous inventions by JK Rowling--perhaps some of the most creative stuff in all the books-- that I can't believe they just cut them!
  --The room with the arch is made into a really boring place.
  --The battle scene is really short and rather stupid.
  --Snape's memory of being tortured by James Potter and his argument with Lily Potter is compressed into literally a total of 4 seconds of film. That scence is so PIVOTAL to the rest of the book series that I can't believe they got away with not fully developing the scene.
  
  On top of all these plot issues, the WORST part about this movie is that there was really no FEELING in it. The whole range of emotional arcs that are so well-developed in the book are done absolutely terribly in the movie. Yeah, Sirius dies. In the book, it is a devatating moment. In the movie, it's like "Oh, well." Harry, Ron and Hermione don't have many moments together. There is no laughing in the movie. We don't get to feel pathos for Neville because his parents are insane. We don't get to feel the gratefulness of the Weasleys when Harry saves Mr Weasley. There are no lighthearted moments. Almost every scene except one or two that could have developed the emotional attachment we feel to the characters has been summarily excluded.
  
  Like one other reviewer said: The movie is too short, yet it feels too long.
  
  That is, sorry to say, a perfect description of a hack job.
  
  I am quite disappointed.
  
  

• Outstanding, best HP movie to date.

  
  By A3W13VVBRY5GL7 on 2007-07-15
  "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" - the movie version - IS missing lots of content from its book counterpart. Also, the screenplay has wrought a lot of big changes on the book's content and chronology. If you're a book-to-film conversion purist, or a HP Book fanatic, this fact, before anything else, might well keep you from enjoying the movie to the full. That said, if you can go into this one with an open mind (and I had to force myself to do just that, HP Book fanatic that I am), you might find yourself enjoying this movie version of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" for what it is - a fast-paced, well-made, beautiful-looking ride through Harry & co's fifth year at Hogwarts.
  
  The good: Acting-wise Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint keep improving, and this movie is no exception, they're very, very good in their roles. Michael Gambon is still an excellent Dumbledore and Alan RIckman's Snape is absolutely brilliant during the Occlumency scenes. It's nice to see the Dursleys back again at the start of the movie, and Harry Melling is excellent - loathsome and bullying - in his short turn as Dudley. Katie Leung is a great Cho - certainly we'll see more of her as an actress once the HP series is finished - and the rest of the cast, the heavyweights like Dame Maggie Smith, Gary Oldman, Julie Walters, David Thewlis and so forth - don't really get enough screen time to show off, but are perfectly plausible all the same.
  
  The newcomers are fantastic, too - Evanna Lynch makes for a great, believable Luna Lovegood and Helena Bonham-Carter's rendition of Bellatrix Lestrange is absolutely brilliant (let's hope she gets more screen-time in the "Half Blood Prince" adaptation!).
  
  But it's Imelda Staunton as Delores Umbridge who absolutely steals the show - she's brilliant. Turning on a dime from saccharine-sweet condescension to malevolent power-hungry bully, I can't imagine J.K. Rowling's original character being brought more wholly and satisfyingly to life. Okay, she may not look as much like a Toad as the book's character, but in the face of Staunton's excellent performance and faithful characterisation, that becomes immaterial. She's the best element of what must be the strongest set of performances in a HP movie to date.
  
  Direction by David Yates is superlative - this is a suitably adult-looking movie to reflect the changes in the HP characters' personalities and situations - and from the tense and frightening opening scenes, to the breathtaking and exciting close, Yates' talent and apparent love of this story is very palpable. Harry's "dream" sequences when Voldemort is invading his mind are brilliant - lovely to watch and very interesting from an artistic point of view - and the special effects, particularly during the closing scenes, are indescribably good.
  
  Production design by Stuart Craig is the absolute best in a HP movie since the original, and every element of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix", Umbridge's non-toadishness notwithstanding, is nigh-on perfect. The initial scenes at the Ministry for Magic made me sit up and go "wow!", the death eaters and dementors are more menacing than before, there's one panoramic shot of Azkaban that makes that place absolutely terrifying in its believability. No. 12 Grimmauld Place doesn't get enough air time but what's there is gold, and the character of Grawp is a lot more human and fitting than I had imagined him from the book.
  
  The bad elements of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" all stem from the fact that this film's running time really is too short to capture every great aspect of the original novel, and the missing scenes will, for fans of the book, cause some distress. Also, the Malfoy-Crabbe-Goyle trinity isn't particularly worthwhile or believable, and there are a couple of montage scenes, particularly involving the Educational Decrees and Argus Filch, that feel too comic, too flimsy, to belong properly to the movie. Also, there are some overconvenient events (such as Cho and the Veritaserum, and Arthur Weasley's recovery) that could have used some rewriting to get them up to par with the rest of the screenplay.
  
  But that said, as a movie in its own right, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" is across-the-board the most satisfying HP movie to date. Best performances, outstanding direction, excellent effects and some spectacular set and costume design have restored my faith in this series, and I for one left the cinema with a big grin on my face. Definitely a must-see for fans: newcomers; watch the others before this one - it's vital to understand what's going on. As a short adaptation of a VERY long book it works on many levels, as an entry to the movie series it's outstanding, and as a film in its own right, it's a thrilling, well-made fantasy tale that will certainly satisfy you if you don't mind the cuts.
  
  Highly ecommended!!
  
  

• Blu-ray version has extra content

  
  By A3UTJBZKOAF9TE on 2007-12-05
  For those of you with both high-def formats, you should be aware that the Blu-ray version not only has over twice as much bonus content, but it's in full 1080p video. The HD DVD version bonus content is only in 480p (DVD quality). The Blu-ray version also has over a dozen foreign language tracks, while the HD DVD version only has three.
  
  

• Cliff's Notes version of the book

  
  By A2N3N439PRGV3I on 2007-12-12
  I love Harry Potter, OK? So before you freak out, let me get that out of the way. The book version "Order of the Phoenix" was oustanding. I also think that previous directors have done pretty good to great jobs of translating the books to film (though I must say things went a little downhill once Chris Columbus left.)
  
  All that being said, here's the kicker:
  
  The movie "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" played like a Cliff's Notes adaptation of the book.
  
  It lopped off a lot of the charm and romance and heartfelt pathos of the book--- as well as a lot of the pure creative touches--- in order to get the main arc of the story down. On top of that, it made "adaptations" to the book in order to get the story moving along--- yet all these "compromises" were actually worse than what JK Rowling originally wrote!
  
  Don't believe me? Here is only SOME of what is wrong with this movie:
  
  --Poor devlopment of the Harry/Cho Chang arc (The kiss is about all you get. No real feeling behind it at all. No devlopement of Harry's crush. No final break up argument on Valentine's Day.)
  --Making Cho into an evil snitch (which is why she and Harry broke up in the movie.) In the movie SHE is the one who betrays Harry. Stupid.
  --No hospital scenes. No meeting of Neville's parents.
  --Perfunctory explanation of Grimmaud Place
  --Perfunctory development of Occlumency
  --Harry gets to hear the prophecy while standing in the Department of Mysteries rather than later with Dumbledore. On top of this, he gets to hear the prophecy just by holding it in his hand. That makes no logical sense at all!
  --The Department of Mysteries itself is compressed down into one room (the room with the prophecies.) All the cool rooms (with the blue lights, the 12 doors, the clocks, the brains, and so on) are all just ignored. Those were such tremendous inventions by JK Rowling--perhaps some of the most creative stuff in all the books-- that I can't believe they just cut them!
  --The room with the arch is made into a really boring place.
  --The battle scene is really short and rather stupid.
  --Snape's memory of being tortured by James Potter and his argument with Lily Potter is compressed into literally a total of 4 seconds of film. That scence is so PIVOTAL to the rest of the book series that I can't believe they got away with not fully developing the scene.
  
  On top of all these plot issues, the WORST part about this movie is that there was really no FEELING in it. The whole range of emotional arcs that are so well-developed in the book are done absolutely terribly in the movie. Yeah, Sirius dies. In the book, it is a devatating moment. In the movie, it's like "Oh, well." Harry, Ron and Hermione don't have many moments together. There is no laughing in the movie. There are no lighthearted moments. Almost every scene except one or two that could have developed the emotional attachment we feel to the characters has been summarily excluded.
  
  Like one other reviewer said: The movie is too short, yet it feels too long.
  
  That is, sorry to say, a perfect description of a hack job.
  
  I am quite disappointed.
  
  
• Please go back to director/producer of first two films
  By A23FP9TTAVHT8D on 2007-11-29
  Poor. Would give 1/2 star if available. Looks exactly like someone took the characters names from the book and made their own story to show on film - and not a well-done story at that.
  Please go back to the director/producer of the first two movies. We would pay double or treble the money to have a well-done, accurate, albeit necessarily abbreviated, rendition of a very well-written book. And would not mind in the least sitting through a 2- or even 4-hour movie - indeed, would relish the experience.
  This movie is like someone ripping the hood ornament off a Rolls-Royce and putting it on a Mini-Cooper then calling it a Silver Ghost and getting mad when everyone complains about the quality of the ride. Just Not Done.
  
  
• What?
  By A2B9CNO0TW9QBP on 2007-07-16
  I was really dissapointed when I saw this movie. I felt that there was too much cut out from the book, and many of the scenes felt rushed or unfinished.
  
  I was very upset when I learned that Nevil and Kreacher were denied their fairly major rolls that they had in the book, which contribute to future books and plot points.
  
  If you have not read the book, and know nothing about the book, you may have a hard time following the movie. It really cannot stand on its own at all. Action wise, it's pretty good, and some scenes were very well done, but over all I found it to be lacking. I've never felt like walking out of a movie until I saw this one. I'm not even going to bother seeing the 6th movie when it comes out. It will be even worse because of things that were cut out of this one.
  
  If you've read the book, save your money and don't get the movie. You'll just want to cry because of what was lost and the pointless scenes that were added.
  
  
• Cliff's Notes Adaptation of the Book
  By A2N3N439PRGV3I on 2007-12-12
  I love Harry Potter, OK? So before you freak out, let me get that out of the way. The book version "Order of the Phoenix" was oustanding. I also think that previous directors have done pretty good to great jobs of translating the books to film (though I must say things went a little downhill once Chris Columbus left.)
  
  All that being said, here's the kicker:
  
  The movie "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" played like a Cliff's Notes adaptation of the book.
  
  It lopped off a lot of the charm and romance and heartfelt pathos of the book--- as well as a lot of the pure creative touches--- in order to get the main arc of the story down. On top of that, it made "adaptations" to the book in order to get the story moving along--- yet all these "compromises" were actually worse than what JK Rowling originally wrote!
  
  Don't believe me? Here is only SOME of what is wrong with this movie:
  
  --Poor devlopment of the Harry/Cho Chang arc (The kiss is about all you get. No real feeling behind it at all. No devlopement of Harry's crush. No final break up argument on Valentine's Day.)
  --Making Cho into an evil snitch (which is why she and Harry broke up in the movie.) In the movie SHE is the one who betrays Harry. Stupid.
  --No hospital scenes. No meeting of Neville's parents.
  --Perfunctory explanation of Grimmaud Place
  --Perfunctory development of Occlumency
  --Harry gets to hear the prophecy while standing in the Department of Mysteries rather than later with Dumbledore. On top of this, he gets to hear the prophecy just by holding it in his hand. That makes no logical sense at all!
  --The Department of Mysteries itself is compressed down into one room (the room with the prophecies.) All the cool rooms (with the blue lights, the 12 doors, the clocks, the brains, and so on) are all just ignored. Those were such tremendous inventions by JK Rowling--perhaps some of the most creative stuff in all the books-- that I can't believe they just cut them!
  --The room with the arch is made into a really boring place.
  --The battle scene is really short and rather stupid.
  --Snape's memory of being tortured by James Potter and his argument with Lily Potter is compressed into literally a total of 4 seconds of film. That scence is so PIVOTAL to the rest of the book series that I can't believe they got away with not fully developing the scene.
  
  On top of all these plot issues, the WORST part about this movie is that there was really no FEELING in it. The whole range of emotional arcs that are so well-developed in the book are done absolutely terribly in the movie. Yeah, Sirius dies. In the book, it is a devatating moment. In the movie, it's like "Oh, well." Harry, Ron and Hermione don't have many moments together. There is no laughing in the movie. There are no lighthearted moments. Almost every scene except one or two that could have developed the emotional attachment we feel to the characters has been summarily excluded.
  
  Like one other reviewer said: The movie is too short, yet it feels too long.
  
  That is, sorry to say, a perfect description of a hack job.
  
  I am quite disappointed.
  
  
  
• Utterly Forgettable
  By AXW1018PICQWA on 2007-12-13
  I don't get it. I watched the movie in the theatre as soon as it was released. I liked 1, 2, and 4. I thought too much license was taken in 3, but it was still a good movie, even if it didn't follow the book very well. However, HP and the Order of the Phoenix is completely forgettable. While waiting for the DVD to be released, I realized I could barely remember the movie. I wrote it off to age, but after viewing the DVD, I realize it was like watching a bad dream.
  
  The entire movie is a disjointed jumble of unexplained images of Harry being confused and angry. There is no story development whatsoever. How this movie could lead into Half Blood Prince is beyond my reckoning. Everything that is going to happen in 6 is based on what was cut from 5. This is the WORST adaptation of the series ever.
  
  There was so much missing that what was left didn't make sense. Harry arrives at Grimmaud place and is angry at his friends for not writing. Why, we never find out. It was well explained in the book, but in the movie, we just show the anger. We don't even learn that Grimmaud place is unplottable, we just get a quick cgi of the building stretching.
  
  We see Kreacher, but learn nothing of what or why. Kreacher is pivotal to this story, but gets 15 seconds of the movie, if that. Weasleys Wizard Wheezes is written totally out of the story and has been since Goblet of Fire.
  
  I could go on, but I think the title says it all, this is a totally disjointed and forgettable movie. If I could give it a negative 2 I would.
  
  
  
  
• Dark wizards
  By AUSATFDSU2INS on 2007-10-12
  The filmmakers behind Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix have done something unbelievable. Not only they have parted completely from the light and happy world created by the first two films, but they've also ignored any type of film summary. There's no synopsis of everything that's gone before. And good for that, I say. Go rent the other four if you need to catch up.
  
  Year five at Hogwarts begins with our hero Harry angrier than ever. Harry has spent the summer being ignored by everyone after he was discredited by the Daily Prophet for daring to suggest that Lord Voldemort has returned.
  
  Once again, Harry and company will have to fight he-who-shall-not-be-named while combating an government that insists and refuses to acknowledge the return of Voldemort. In doing so, the government steps up and introduces a new headmistress at Hogwarts: Dolores Umbridge.
  
  You will find that these are indeed "darker" times for all the HP characters. Working with writer Michael Goldenberg, director David Yates have crafted a dark tale to entertain anyone watching. The effects shows us fantastic creatures. But it's the performances where a film is really sold and here they are wonderful.
  
  The three leads, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, have all settled easily into their roles. But it's in the supporting cast where these films really shine. Filling out secondary roles with the cream of British theatre and cinema, like Gary Oldman, Imelda Staunton, Helena Bonham Carter, David Thewlis and Ralph Fiennes, everyone else must rise to their level, and they do.
  
  The movie shows us the "weird" phase we all go between adult and child, between doing what's right and following the rules and between knowledge and comprehension. When all is said and done, Harry has grown as a character. He is on his way to adulthood with an understanding of the things he's learned in the previous four films.
  
  However, there are worrying signs that there are no real developments from film to film: there are no substantial increase in maturity in the films themselves. Every time I sit down to a new Harry Potter movie, I'm surprised by how very similar it is to the previous one.
  
  There is a definite feel with The Order of the Phoenix that the story is killing time - setting the scene for the battles yet to come in the last two chapters. This isn't a criticism as such, it's just that having to do that does leave a few unanswered questions. But then, what good would a series be without a few cliffhangers?
  
  
• Harry's growing up!
  By A23TY8BVT4C43U on 2007-11-29
  I think a lot of reviews missed the point of this chapter of the Potter Saga. Harry and the rest of the students are growing up. Harry's glum bitter mood is appropriate for his age and the constant stress of his life. Readers of the books will be aware of this. The instalments grow up with the cast. If J.K. Rowling and/or the films producers would have kept the "Disneyesque" tone of the earlier books it would have become derivitive and boring. The cutting of many of the sub plots was needed otherwise we would have been watching a 3 hour plus film.
  
  
• The Magic is Maturing
  By A18G7GG53G2X8A on 2007-07-11
  At the very end of "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," Emma Watson says, "Everything's going to change now, isn't it?" I remembered that quote going into "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," the fifth installment of the series; the films have greatly changed, especially in terms of heavy-handed subject matter. Not only is this film even darker than the last, it's also more mature. This is somewhat disappointing, but it is to be expected; the main characters, after all, are now fifteen years old. I have to admit that I was ready to give this film a lower ranking, simply because it lacks the bright, whimsical charm of Chris Columbus' brilliant "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone." But then I realized that I was unfairly trying to compare two very different films. On its own, "Order of the Phoenix" is an incredibly well made fantasy film--well written, well acted, and great to look at, all while retaining the essence of J.K. Rowling's novel.
  
  The plot, while a bit complicated, is quite engrossing. In his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) will find that the odds against him are increasing. It begins when he's put on trail for breaking the rules and using magic outside of school (he had to save his cousin from a Dementor). Cornelius Fudge, the Head of the Ministry of Magic (Robert Hardy), is convinced that Harry never witnessed Lord Voldemort's resurrection. He also believes that he and Headmaster Albus Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) are conspiring to take control of the Ministry. In response to this, Fudge gives the Ministry the power to enforce new rules at Hogwarts, rules so strict and unreasonable that they practically become dictatorial.
  
  As part of the regime change, a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is introduced (as they have been in each of the films). Here enters Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton), a woman that truly redefines what it means to be the teacher from hell. She oversees a complete overhaul of Hogwarts' policies, from dress codes to class schedules to curriculums. Even social interaction is highly restricted, as seen when a kissing couple is forcefully separated. Her uncompromising attitude is only made worse when joined with bright smiles, girlish giggles, and frilly pink dresses. This woman is incredibly phony, a ruthless, seething control freak who unfairly demands respect and loyalty. Harry understands this all too well; while in detention, he's forced to write sentences with a special quill. Let's just say that it makes a definite impression.
  
  Fearing that their defensive skills aren't being challenged enough--and fearing that Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) is nearing--Harry and his friends Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) and Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) secretly form a rebellion of sorts. Harry teaches the students a number of spells, hoping to prepare them for battle with Voldemort's army. The youthful passion and naivety is just as fascinating as it is baffling; a group of teenagers are willing to fight against evil, even if they don't have what it takes. Of course, no one understands this more than Harry, who begins to have terrible dreams and disturbing visions directly related to Voldemort. Unfortunately, Professor Dumbledore is of little help; for as yet unknown reasons, he's been avoiding Harry the entire school year.
  
  The film progresses quite smoothly for something so convoluted. Consider the fact that the students still maintain social relationships while all this is going on. For Harry, a teenage romance between him and Cho Chang (Katie Leung) is alluded to, as is a strong bond with Luna Lovegood (Evanna Lynch), an eccentric yet understanding young girl. His enemy, Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton), remains a force to be reckoned with. But his connection to Ron and Hermione has and always will be the strongest. It was a pleasure to see them continue to develop, both as friends and as individuals. There's a moment when Hermione says, "It's quite exciting, isn't it, breaking the rules?" "Who are you, and what have you done with Hermione Granger?" is Ron's reply, which I found amusing. Up until then, he only knew her as a perfect student, always keeping her nose stuck in a textbook, flaunting her intelligence to both students and professors.
  
  As with all the other "Harry Potter" films, "Order of the Phoenix" features a number of well-established British actors. These include: Maggie Smith as Professor McGonagall, Alan Rickman as Professor Snape, Richard Griffiths as Uncle Vernon, Fiona Shaw as Aunt Petunia, Robbie Coltrane as Hagrid, and Gary Oldman as Sirius Black. David Thewlis, Emma Thompson, Warwick Davis, and Jason Isaacs also reprise their roles. Helena Bonham Carter joins the cast as Bellatrix Lestrange, Sirius' evil Death Eater cousin. All add dimension to the story without becoming overbearing, which is good because room was needed for special effects, all of which are incredible.
  
  Yes, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" is a top-notch movie, despite its dark tone. Having read the sixth book, I can only say that the next film adaptation will be even darker, which may be problematic for some viewers. Many--myself included--have to accept that the wondrous atmosphere of Chris Columbus' original film has long since developed into something denser, less innocent. But in no way does it lack any of the imagination or style that brought the original story to life. This is a thoroughly entertaining film, full of magic and surging with energy.
  
  
• Why Isn't This Available Yet For Pre-Order?
  By AAXXE7X01EPR1 on 2007-10-01
  It was announced weeks ago that Harry Potter & The Order Of The Phoenix is being released on DVD on December 11, 2007. Why isn't this available for pre-order yet? While I enjoyed the film and what was shown, if you've read the book you know how much they left out. My only hope is that some of the deleted scenes will cover stuff that was edited out of the movie.
  
  
• Just Plain Awesome esp. in HD
  By A3F61C6GEAYXC3 on 2007-11-28
  Purchased Import HD DVD and it is just amazing. PQ is a 10, audio a 9, HD bonus content a 10 also. If you have a HD DVD player why buy anything else? Also the whole HDi, that only HD DVD can give you, is going to blow Blu-Ray out of the water! I think we have found the next-gen winning format! Check out www.hddvd.com for more information on HDi.
  
  
• OOTP becomes POS
  By A16IRCKUPASG2R on 2007-11-21
  My favorite book has become my least favorite movie in the series. Director David Yates seemed to borrow from Alfonso Cuaron's style of directing and failed miserably. Rushed and too short by Potter movie standards, this movie left me scratching my head, wondering what the heck just happened. Two of the strongest female characters in the series, Tonks and Bellatrix, were given nothing more than a few seconds of screentime. Huge disappointment. Daniel Radcliffe, though a good actor, seemed a bit too stretched at times. All of the actors simply look exhausted. Gone was the chemistry of past movies. The writers and directors of the series really have to scramble to play into Rowlings book series, but it only makes the movies more and more lackluster, especially to those who do not read the books (most moviegoers). I miss Cuaron's style, his interpretation of the series was brilliant and cannot be topped in my opinion. I'm not looking forward to the rest of the movie series, since the ending was the biggest disappointment in fiction I have ever known. The only brightside to this movie, Helena Bonham Carter. The few seconds she got onscreen were absolutely brilliant. Other than that, this movie was a huge letdown.
  
  And regarding the special 2 disc set - don't waste your money! Seriously, this is one of the worst DVD sets I have ever seen. Buy it used, buy it cheap.
  
  
• Lots of drama, not much magic
  By A10G4BPT5MGBHY on 2007-11-22
  I have mixed feelings about this film. On one hand, it's certainly well crafted, and as a dark melodrama it's a lean, mean moody machine. But on the other hand, it's so empty.
  
  Remember the delight you felt watching the earlier films? It's gone! There's no joy in this one, and without it the fact that nothing much happens to advance the plot makes the whole thing kind of a drag. In the other movies I especially liked the charisma of Hermione and Ron, and in this film I don't know if either of them smiled once. Even Harry's first kiss has had the fun sucked out of it. Perhaps that's all inevitable, as of course everything here is based on the book. But in this case the 800-page novel didn't become the 2-hour movie without losing much of its appeal.
  
  That said, of course I bought it! I'm a huge fan of this series, and know the characters so well that even these mediocre moments are still entertaining to watch. But if I wasn't familiar with the series and the characters, this movie would hold little appeal for me. It can't stand on its own.
  
  
• Great Next Gen Blu Ray Entry
  By A1QLQNTDJZR0AJ on 2007-12-11
  Despite the fact that the overall movie and poor character development wasn't quite what I has hoping for the next entry in the Harry Potter series, it is an excellent Blu-Ray entry in the world of next generation high definition picture and sound. Both HD-DVD and the Blu Ray disc contain VC1 1080p video. The only difference is the HD-DVD also contains the standard definition DVD on the reverse side of the disc. The Blu Ray picture is unbelievable in quality and is filmed in the film's original aspect ratio. The audio is PCM 5.1 uncompressed and is an amazing experience and true to the theater going experience. It is one of the better 5.1 PCM tracks currently on Blu Ray. However, it is unfortunate that Warner Bros didn't give the Blu Ray the same edge as the HD-DVD version with its Dolby True HD track. Of course, it would have been even better if Warner Bros had provided a DTS Master Audio Track on both formats. We will just have to wait for the studio master feature to become more wide spread on both formats, including the use of the 7.1 channel sound. The HD-DVD version goes par for par with the Blu Ray version in special features but neither are overly impressive. This is no surprise for anyone who has ever owned a Warner Bros DVD. The Blu Ray ultimately falls short of the HD-DVD in overall special features. The HD-DVD version contains an exclusive Picture in Picture commentary and behind the scenes look at the making of the film that is not found on the Blu-Ray. All in all, from a technical standpoint, the film is an excellent addition to the slowly growing blu-ray library.
  
  
• Lots of drama, not much magic
  By A10G4BPT5MGBHY on 2007-11-22
  I have mixed feelings about this film. On one hand, it's certainly well crafted, and as a dark melodrama it's a lean, mean moody machine. But on the other hand, it's so empty.
  
  Remember the delight you felt watching the earlier films? It's gone! There's no joy in this one, and without it the fact that nothing much happens to advance the plot makes the whole thing kind of a drag. In the other movies I especially liked the charisma of Hermione and Ron, and in this film I don't know if either of them smiled once. Even Harry's first kiss has had the fun sucked out of it. Perhaps that's all inevitable, as of course everything here is based on the book. But in this case the 800-page novel didn't become the 2-hour movie without losing much of its appeal.
  
  That said, of course I bought it! I'm a huge fan of this series, and know the characters so well that even these mediocre moments are still entertaining to watch. But if I wasn't familiar with the series and the characters, this movie would hold little appeal for me. It can't stand on its own.
  
  
• Worst of the five - new director please!!!
  By A3NX73DH3V7KR5 on 2007-12-18
  I am a die-hard Harry Potter fan, but have to say this movie was a HUGE disappointment. The scenes were short and choppy. It felt almost like a poorly constructed Cliff Notes version from someone who hadn't read the books all the way through. I recognize that it was a long book to condense into a movie, but the movie bounces from scene to scene without taking the time to develope relationships between the characters, or even the characters themselves. Not even Emma/Hermione's usually superior acting has a chance to shine through the limits imposed on her by a fragmented script.
  
  I would give the previous movies a 5, 5, 5, 4. I have not always agreed with the decissions the director made with what he cut. For example, I missed Dursleys and Dobby in the 4th movie, but those difficult decissions on the part of the director and screenwriter allowed for the scenes that remained to be fleshed out in a meaningfull way and relationships to be developed in a way that was fufilling to the viewer and characters. The harsh reality that the director and screenwriter of Order of the Phoenix failed to grasp is that you simply can't include everything without making a longer movie (which is what I would vote for and pay extra to see - it is possible, think of the Lord of the Rings trilolgy).
  
  For example, what is the point of introducing Tonks to see her grump at Moody for 2 seconds, and see her change her nose. She wasn't even given the opportunity to show her dueling skills in the ministry (she is only on the screen a few seconds). Why bring Lupin back for the scant couple minutes of screen time he gets? It is just disjointed and ultimately unsatisfying.We do not feel the pain at the loss of Sirius the way the reader did with the book because the director does not give their relationship the screen time it needs. Indeed, it would have been an incredibly difficult movie to follow or even understand for someone who has not read the book at least once, and probably twice.
  
  A serious disappointment.
  
  
• by far, THE best of the movies to date... but it could be better
  By A2K3L0DOPQQ697 on 2007-08-22
  It is Harry's fifth year at Hogwarts School of Withcraft and Wizardry, and things are about to go from bad to worse. First, Harry and Dudley encounter a pair of dementors in Little Whinging, one of which almost manages to steal Dudley's soul. Harry happens to have his wand on him, however, and repels both dementors using the Patronus charm. That action causes him to get expelled from Hogwarts, but soon after, his expulsion is rescinded pending a trial hearing. Mad-Eye and the rest of the Order come to break Harry out, and they head to the headquarters of the Order, formerly Sirius' childhood home. From there, they speed onward to Hogwarts, where things are anything but how they've been.
  
  For starters, Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, is absolutely resolute in denying that Voldemort is back. Also, he uses the incident with Harry's Patronus to place more and more Ministry restrictions on Hogwarts, starting with the appointment of one of Fudge's own subordinates, Senior Undersecretary Dolores Umbridge, as the new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher. Soon, under Umbridge's tutelage, DaDA becomes, not a place where magic is used, but a place where magic is taught, because, in the words of Umbridge, "Who do you think would want to use magic against you out there?" Not only that, but Umbridge (through Fudge) gets a whole load of Ministry Decrees passed, further tightening the Ministry's control over Hogwarts.
  
  A main part of the Order of the Phoenix movie is Harry's formation of Dumbledore's Army (DA). Since Umbridge won't teach them defensive magic, Harry vows to do just that for anyone who is willing. The DA originally consists of Harry, Ron, and Hermione, but soon a whole slew of other characters join, including Neville, who, up until this point, had been lacking in the magical abilities department. Also, Harry's Occlumency lessons with Snape are included here, as is Voldemort's attempts to get into Harry's mind using Legilimency. Finally, the Battle at the Ministry, where Voldemort finally reveals himself to the Ministry and the remainder of the Order.
  
  As my title says, Order of the Phoenix is the best movie out of the five that have been released, but I have a few big problems with how they handled the transition from book to movie, the main one being time. How can they justify taking the longest Harry Potter book yet and making into the shortest Harry Potter movie yet? Many crucial scenes were cut out, including (not really crucial, but certainly enjoyable) Ron's Quidditch tryouts (and Quidditch in general is cut completely out), Harry and the gang's meeting with Neville and his Crucio-ed mother in St. Mungo's during Christmas break, Dumbledore's conversation with Harry at the end was cut by about 3/4, Harry's excursion into Snape's memory changed (in the book, he found out about his father's torturing Snape through the Pensieve, but in the movie, it's when Harry Protegos Snape's Legilimens spell)... I realize time constraints are a factor, but cutting an 870-page book down to a mere 2 and 1/2 hour movie is beyond me.
  
  In spite of the completely unsatisfactory length, I was very much satisfied with the actor choices for the new parts. Coming in for her first ever movie role is the beautiful Evanna Lynch, who plays the eccentric Luna Lovegood. Personally, Evanna is the best actor in the whole movie, not to mention my favorite actress; she really captures the personality of Luna very well. Gary Oldman returns for his second stab at the character of Sirius Black, and pulls off a very convincing performance. Michael Gambon is at his best this film, as he plays Dumbledore's character to a tee. Another actress making her first Harry Potter movie debut is Helena Bonham Carter, who plays the demented Bellatrix Lestrange; Imelda Staunton performs admirably as Professor Dolores Umbridge, the most hated character in the movie; and finally... returning for his fifth time is Alan Rickman, who once again shows the world that there can only be one true Severus Snape, and that is he.
  
  Also, character development is a key part that OotP and director David Yates pull off spectacularly. We see Neville, who before couldn't do as much as a Disarming Spell, grow into quite the formidable wizard, even attempting to battle Bellatrix when they meet in the Ministry. We see Hermione... okay, so no real change occurs in Hermione; she's still the brave know-it-all, except this time around, she's more accepting of breaking the rules (leading to Ron's classic line "Who are you and what have you done with Hermione Granger?"). And then there's Ron, who, unfortunately, is pretty much shunted to the back in favor of Hermione's more affable personality; his biggest scene (not including the battle scene) is his defending of Harry when Seamus rips him for believing that Voldemort is back. Finally, Luna really gets her time in the spotlight, being one of the first to master Harry's teaching the Patronus spell; also, her relationship with Harry deepens alot (does anyone else besides me think that Luna's got a HUGE crush on Harry?) and she starts making friends with Ron and Hermione a bit more, too.
  
  To close... the innumerable omissions may irk many a die-hard Harry Potter fan, but don't let that discourage you from going to see Order of the Phoenix. It's still the best Harry Potter movie to date- it just could have been a little bit longer and, by extension, a little bit better.
  
  
• Darker is better!
  By A3T3USBHXZ5Q7F on 2007-11-29
  Part of the fun of watching the Harry Potter films is watching the actors and the tone of the films age. Columbus created two cheery, mildly dark films that are fun yet candy-coated. Cuaron had a darker style and brought his actors into more mature form with a tighter faster-paced story. Newell showed the trio as the teenagers they've become while Yates created the first truly adult Harry Potter experience. I've read all the books and while I'm disappointed with some of the cuts I must say they've done wonderfully in capturing the spirit of the books. Order of the Phoenix is arguably the best in the series so far. Harry's become isolated and it's meant to be a darker story so I don't see the complaints on this end. It may not be as magical as the previous entries but neither was the book! Anyway, I highly recommend this film for Potter fans and simply casual film goers. It really shows how well the series is maturing and bridges the gap for the next two installments.
  
  
• Combo Format Prone to Failures - Beware
  By A11G5FN9FTO6RG on 2007-12-15
  I will now be looking forward to receiving yet another replacement for this disc - I'll be on my third copy. Apparently the process of creating combo discs that work in HD-DVD drives and regular DVD drives is flawed, and involves basically gluing two discs together. The first disc played until 1:50 into the film, then tiled horribly then froze completely. The second made it only to 1:05 before doing the same. Both were reproducible errors. They have done a horrible job in terms of quality of manufacturing..the movie was great, if I could actually watch it all...avoid this until they can make these well.
  
  EDIT: This is apparently very widespread, and is now a thread on engadgetHD - this combo disc is poorly made, and many users are finding that it won't play without freezing. This is true not only on the Xbox 360 add-on, but also found to be true on my A3 model. It's not the hardware - it's this disc being poorly made.
  
  
• BEWARE THE COMBO DISC
  By A1D6MXM3KAL05U on 2007-12-15
  IF you have the xbox 360 HD DVD add on do not buy this movie it will not work. Neither WB or Microsoft have a solution. Do not buy this.
  
  
• Boycott combos !!!
  By A277OJ9IYQHH9T on 2007-12-15
  The single star is not a review of the movie, but to agree with other reviews that object to Combo releases. I question there is a real market for Combo releases and see this as a means to charge higher prices for the most popular movies. I refuse to buy any Combo releases for the higher $$$ and urge other buyers to do as well. We need to send a message or we will see everything released in Combo adding up to 40% to the price!!! The arguments made for Combos are that (1) you can also play it on standard DVD players and (2) it "future" protects us in case the HD DVD format becomes obsolete. For (1), there may be some interest in this but for me I didn't buy an HD DVD player to watch movies on a standard DVD player. For (2) frankly, I'll take my chances because if HD DVD becomes obsolete, existing players will last for quite a while and combo players will be available. Also, I can afford to buy into Blu-Ray or any other new technology with the money I saved not buying Combos (I wouldn't take a step backward to DVD). If the studios think there is a market for Combos, fine! -> Just release a HD DVD only version also at the same time. See how many they sell of each. Frankly, I only moved up to HD DVD when I saw Amazon pricing them comparable to DVD. If you don't think there is a strategy on the part of the studios using Combos to generate more revenue just look at the upcoming releases of White Noise (HD DVD only) and White Noise 2 (Combo). What sense does that make other than to create interest with the first movie and then sock it to you on the second! Look at this and other series (Harry Potter, Bourne, Oceans 11-13, etc.) same pattern. If they truly want the launch of HD DVD to be successful (as I do!), Combos pricing is very counterproductive. Annoyed and frustrated.
  
  
• You can't please all the people, all the time
  By A311L6YC4N0BKN on 2007-12-04
  Pity the poor director of a Harry Potter movie. One one side we have the Indiana Jones contingent, who want a jolly romp through Hogwarts without any serious undercurrent. One the other you have the book nuts, who want the HP series to play like Wagner's Ring cycle and not leave anything out. Then there's your cast, and here a specially dishonorable mention must go to Michael Gambon's Dumbledore, who seems intent on portraying him as a faintly psychotic aging hippy. (When he roughs up Harry in the Goblet of Fire - what was that about??)
  
  It is indisputable that as the series progressed, the books become more serious. At some point, then, the "jolly romp" contingent will be disappointed. I think HP5 marks the break. It is really hard to imagine how a moviegover who had not read the book could understand how sinister Umbridge is. This trend will only deepen: in HP6 we'll be handling Tom Riddle's childhood, horcruxes, and themes of suffering and betrayal, and HP7 of course is even deeper. The scene where Hermione is tortured in Malfoy Manor whilst Ron screams for her in the basement is unlikely to be a happy one.
  
  So, accepting that HP movies from 5 on will not be happy adventures, how does 5 stack up for the book nuts? I'd give it a 3 or 4 out of 5. I think it should have been darker, like the book. The fact that it wasn't is due to some of the material being cut (well, that's ok, let's not watch a 15-hour movie) and some of the actors' limited range. Daniel Radcliffe is not a bad actor, but he's not up to the job of acting like HP in the book, who is going through wild teenage angsty mood swings. Well, what do you expect from a young man who is at the start of his career. It's like Hamlet; by the time an actor has lived enough to handle the soliloquy, he ain't no young prince.
  
  I liked Imelda Staunton's performance but it wasn't quite sinister enough. She can't be too pink 'n' fluffy or else some of that menace is lost. Remember that the DA is an underground resistance movement for which the members are risking expulsion; it's way more serious than a group of disgruntled students who don't like a particular teacher.
  
  
  
  
• Short on Story, Short on Magic
  By A35KEBJ6YQQU5B on 2007-07-12
  Maybe it's because I loved the book enough to buy IMAX tickets weeks in advance and stand in line for 2 hours for prime seating. Maybe my expectations were a bit high. But I found this movie to be terribly disappointing.
  
  It's as though the director sought to cover every chapter in the 800 page book in 2 hours. The result was a lot of fast-paced nothingness. The characters we love became two-dimensional because didn't have enough time to develop any believable emotional response.
  
  The director's desire to include as much of the book as possible resulted in the omitted scenes appearing even more obvious. For example, Ginny spoke almost five words throughout the whole movie, despite being in half the scenes.
  
  Finally, as the movie was about to end, we come to the first real action scene: the battle in the Ministry of Magic. What should have been a dramatic battle, with dueling and new spells we've never heard of, was short and too quickly resolved. Isn't this what the whole book was leading to? This great battle? What about all the wonders of the Department of Mysteries we witnessed in the book? Unfortunately, there was no magic in this movie.
  
  PROS: Performances by Helena Bonham Carter, Gary Oldman, and Evanna Lynch brought life into the otherwise dismal plot.
  
  CONS: The plot was rushed and uneventful; Characters were two-dimensional.
  
  
• More Phoenix Than One Movie Can Hold
  By A392BU15592V2V on 2007-07-17
  SPOILERS
  We've got
  
  SPOILERS
  
  so read no more if you do not like
  
  SPOILERS
  
  In the movie version of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," the director takes the novel, as complicated as a bowl of spaghetti, and turns it into --
  
  a plate of spaghetti.
  
  I defy anyone who hasn't read the novel even to have a clue to what's going on in the first third of the movie. This, trying to fit in every plot point, is the visual equivalent of listening to a 33 rpm record played at 78 rpm. From a technical point of view it was simply astonishing to watch all of the tricks used to telescope action. It was impossible for me, though, to get any emotional connection with the characters. As it is, I'll have to watch this part of the movie at least once more so that, by blinking in different places in my second viewing from where I blinked it the first, I'll see what I missed.
  
  I will say one good thing of the first third of the movie: its frenetic pace let the director get through the necessary Dursley material in record time. In respect of handling the Dursleys, "Order of the Phoenix" has been bettered only by "Goblet of Fire," which left them out completely.
  
  The middle section of the movie suddenly turned into the Harry Potter that we've known and loved. From the formation of Dumbledore's Army to the Weasley twins' pyrotechnic exit from Hogwart's, we got character development, emotion, and humor, along with a great deal of magic and sinister teaching. Harry's speech at the formation of Dumbledore's army was the best scene that Daniel Radcliffe has played in the series, and the much-maligned (by earlier reviewers) kiss between him and Cho Chang was actually both tender and magical. I expect that we'll recall it fondly when we get to the snogfest between Ron Weasley and Lavendar Brown in "The Half-Blood Prince."
  
  Alas, in the final section of the movie, we went back to 78 rpm. Again, only having read the book would let a viewer make any sense of the climactic magical duel in the Ministry of Mysteries. It was a technically impressive sound-and-light show, but it lost the audience's emotional connection with the characters. I speak the truth when I say that during Sirius Black's death scene many members of the audience laughed, and I, who usually am in favor of the death penalty for those who make inappropriate responses in a movie, hardly minded at all.
  
  I wish to praise two performances that stole the movie. Both of these represented radical revisions of Ms. Rowling's characters.
  
  The actress who played Dolores Umbridge did an incredible job of playing the character as a pink-clad British matron who reminded me of the female lead in "Keeping up Appearances." Umbridge was both chillingly sinister in a 1984 way, and comical, often in the same scene. I was stupefied when a reviewer suggested a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for this role, but, having seen the movie, I now must say, "Eh, maybe."
  
  I must confess to falling in love with Luna Lovegood. Who knew that the uber-dork of the novel could be turned into someone charming, winsome, and waifish, albeit still daft? I wish that they'd given Luna more lines.
  
  As I wished that they'd given more lines to Dumbledore, Ron, Hermione, and especially to Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix Black. Altogether too many of the Harry Potter characters were shuffled onstage and off as fast as if they were just flashcards to remind us of their being in the story.
  
  Over all, "Phoenix" is the most technically impressive, but also the least human, of the Harry Potter movies to date. If I were to rate my favorite, "Prisoner of Azkaban," as a five, I'd have to rate "Phoenix" as a two, at least one step below any of the other movies.
  
  
  
  
• Too abridged
  By ANEDXRFDZDL18 on 2007-07-26
  I really think the Harry Potter films would be better as a mini-series than a movie. Too much was taken out. If I hadn't read the book I would be clueless as to what was going on. I think, overall, this is the last Harry Potter film I will see. I found it slow and a tad boring. Harry looked too old to be 14. The weasley brothers, clearly young adults should've been out of 'high school' a while ago. The mystery and the threat of this film was missing. Too much time at the beginning taken up with the trial, which of course went nowhere. Harry's relationship with Cho wasn't nearly developed enough.
  
  I was glad they put the scene with Snape in the film, since I believe it does show a character flaw with Harry's dad. Overall... This was an average film but not great. I'd wait until video. 3 stars.
  
  
• Luna likes pudding!
  By A2GPEV42IO41CI on 2007-07-16
  David Yates took on a thankless job as director of "Phoenix," based on what was (to me) a dull and dreary book. He's stuffed in all the book's action, such as it is, but it feels very much like a checklist:
  
  Dementors in Little Whinging (check)
  The Order of the Phoenix in London (check)
  Dolores Umbridge in pink (check)
  Dumbledore's Army (check)
  The battle at the Ministry (check)
  
  Yes, it's all there, but done without the slightest bit of emotion, suspense, or magic. Handsome Daniel Radcliffe (Harry) gets no chance to play the matinee idol; he's reduced to rushing breathlessly from scene to scene looking surprised and saying little. Rupert Grint (Ron) and Emma Watson (Hermione) have so little to do and say that they're virtually lost in the shuffle. Ralph Finnes (Voldemort) is more annoying than scary, and Helena Bodham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange) utters just two lines. Even the long-awaited Kiss with Harry and Cho is totally lacking in feeling - just do it and move on. (check)
  
  The cast and crew aren't to blame for this tepid, choppy, confusing mess; the interminable book Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Book 5) had about 800 pages of filler. It bothered me that we don't really learn anything about the titular "Order" in either book or movie. The mysterious (ooooh!) "prophesy" deserved a single paragraph in the book and a short scene in the movie, yet it's the centerpiece of both(?). Yates did the best he could with this tedious story, but it's the first Harry Potter film that didn't leave me dreaming wistfully of the wizarding world.
  
  
• amazing book, horrible movie! SPOILER warning
  By A2TP6NFFEAN5DL on 2007-07-28
  This was an overall disappointment and waste of $10 bucks to see. The acting remains superb (excellent casting!), but terrible writing and attention to detail. I did like that Hogwarts was depicted as a more realistic school, however in the previous HP movies, the camera angles and screenshots were taken at a wider frame, leaving room for the eye to adjust, absorb, and enjoy all of the detailing. This movie was filmed with more close-ups of everything, not just the main characters, and it has the feeling of a Hollywood action film instead of the magical experience we're used to. Several sets were different - the Dursley's definitely had a different house in the previous films. It's a darker novel to adapt to screen, but certain details should never have been altered.
  
  I hate to spoil it for those who haven't read it, but: SPOILER ALERT.
  Mrs. Figg is way too calm when she finds Harry - she is raging in the book over Mundungus having left while he was supposed to be on duty. Umbridge NEVER breaks into the Room of Requirement and Cho Chang does not tell on the D.A., her friend does. Cho is supposed to be more weepy and they entirely skip over her jealousy at suspecting Harry to be involved with Hermione. The detail on Fred and George's retaliation at Hogwarts is more long-lasting, with the entire school rebelling instead of them merely applauding their fireworks (where did the pesky swamp go?). Also, Umbridge never gives the D.A. detention and she does not oversee their OWL exams. In the Department of Mysteries, the D.A. gang are left to their own devices until the bitter end before the Order shows up. In this film, they are reduced to defenseless children, having only managed to stun a few, instead of leaving several Death Eaters on the ground as is told in the book. They were definitely more empowered. Also, they weren't in the Hall of Prophecies from the beginning. Harry NEVER even heard the prophecy and Lucius Malfoy certainly did not drop it because he never held it in his hands. After the prophecy falls, Voldemort freaks out, but it's never mentioned again in the film. The battle between Dumbledore and Voldemort was shown incorrectly (for instance, where were the moving statues that held Harry back?) and when Harry was possessed, he did not go into that whole shpeal about feeling sorry for Voldemort. He passed out. And the talk between Harry and Dumbledore in the headmaster's office...where was Harry's anger? In the book, he's literally destroying Dumbledore's belongings - in this...nothing, just bitterness and grief.
  
  I know that many events and details have to be edited out for the film (the St. Mungo scenes were appropriately left out and Neville's history was adequately explained), but I think that Ron should have had his Quidditch spotlight and that the Ministry of Magic scenes at the end should have at least been correctly executed if anything. J.K. Rowling provides more detail than the average author - there is plenty of material there without having to make anything up and the common belief that the original book is better than any film adaptation holds true - her version is much more entertaining, while still retaining the raw emotions of Harry, and the oppressive atmosphere of such dismal times.
  
  A friend told me that anyone who hasn't read the book would have no inkling of what's really going on. He was right. This movie felt like the edited version of the true one that should have been filmed. I own the previous four and look forward to the final two, but I will not be purchasing this one on DVD. It would be an eyesore and I would never watch it again. A detrimental waste to J.K. Rowling's series and to its film-version predecessors.
  
  

• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Full Screen Edition) (Harry Potter 4)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Two-Disc Special Edition) (Harry Potter 3)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Widescreen Edition)
• The Santa Clause 3 - The Escape Clause