Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix review (originally written July 15 '07)

Note to reader: Although I took a look at this again, and edited it, this continues to be a very very VERY long piece. Now that I've included a bunch of stuff I missed before, this has become longer than the previous one - which was seven pages in a Word document, and single spaced. Not sure if you will reach the end without yawning or scrolling over swaths of paragraphs, but if you do, thank you.

So, where do I begin?

With the book, I suppose. “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” is the longest book in the series. It is also said to be the least favorite book of many Potter fans. I am one of the few, then, who do not share the same sentiment (my least favorite book was, and remains to be, “Prisoner of Azkaban”). Much ado has been made over the fifth movie, with plenty of people saying it is the best Potter film yet. I have seen it already and, while it boasts of truly excellent production values, I do not like to hold it in such high regard yet. Definitely, it was a huge improvement from “Goblet of Fire” - which seemed like a lightheaded romp - but it does not share the kind of success that Alfonso Cuaron had with PoA. All three post-Columbus directors were given some reasonable degree of cinematic license with the films, and yet only Cuaron was able to fashion a commendable movie hewing closely to his directorial style, and had both heartfelt emotion and digital bells and whistles that propelled, not just the main plot, but a number of subplots as well. (An obvious example of Cuaron being more successful in remaking the HP franchise was Yates’ continued use of Cuaron elements in OOTP, including the whirling locks on the Great Hall’s massive doors, and the look and position of Hagrid’s hut.)


My foremost complaint with OOTP was that it was short. I realize that the book is the longest, and that there will certainly be huge bits that need to go. And I was steeling myself for it. But I guess the missing parts do not really hit you until you are outside of the theater. Or worse, during a certain scene. Such as when Ron dares the whole Gryffindor common room to speak if they have a problem with Harry. That scene was supposed to establish Ron’s authority as a prefect. Since the whole prefect subplot was taken out, it just served to strengthen Ron’s role as loyal friend. But since we all know already that he is a loyal friend, it simply made it look as though Ron’s character had not expanded at all. (And worse for Rupert Grint, it had the effect of making it look like he was given very little to do in the movie – which is, and should, not be the case.)

However, short though the movie may be, it does seem to have the sort of snappy pace that helps most of the scenes along. The exposition provided by the Daily Prophet and the numerous Educational Decrees were ingenious devices. The rhythm of the Dumbledore’s Army training montage was quite good as well. And David Yates’ small screen training helped some scenes immensely by showing sweet restraint and subtlety. A good example would be Harry and Cho’s kiss. The only other scene from all the HP movies that I could think of that did not give in to audience indulgence and instead pulled off a similar sense of control was the scene in the Sorcerer’s Stone where Harry simply sits in front of the Mirror of Erised enjoying his parents. It was short, sweet, and quite emotional still.

With every HP film, there are certain plot devices in the books that I always look forward to seeing on screen; the ones that, when you read it in the book, makes you go “How in the world will they do that in the movie?” In the Sorcerer’s Stone, it was the Invisibility Cloak and Ron’s life-size Wizard Chess. In Chamber of Secrets, it was Harry entering Tom Riddle’s diary (yes, I was that clueless; it was not until the movie showed Harry being sucked into the diary with a flash of light that I got the visual the book was trying to give). In PoA, it was the Marauder’s Map (which was frankly AWESOME). In GoF, it was the Portkey. For OOTP, to me, it was supposed to be the giant brain that engulfed Ron at one point during the battle at the Ministry of Magic. BUT that was cut out (a shame, really, for it would have been intriguing to see how “thoughts could leave deeper scars than anything else” – a good thing to reflect on). So what was left for me to look forward to were three things: how Prof. Umbridge’s cruel quill would play out, the great Black tapestry, and the Veil. While I could understand the quill scene, I was more interested to see how it would look visually and whether it would come off as graphic as it was in the book. I was not disappointed, and it was one of the few times in the movies where I was thankful that the director did not hold back. As for the tapestry, I always visualized it in my head to be some sort of extravagant window dressing. I had no idea they were going to turn it into a sort of wallpaper. It was quite creative, actually, and I liked the idea. (Unfortunately, for those Book 7 theorists and so-called pundits, Regulus Black was not seen. Which means it will be up to the director/s of the sixth and seventh film to introduce Regulus Black – depending on what happens when the seventh book comes out. Narcissa Malfoy, nor Tonks, was not mentioned either.) Incidentally, the Black family manse was quite a nice piece of production design – looking ancient and forbidding – although I did miss Mrs. Black’s screeching (I expected it when Tonks nearly slipped in the hallway). What I also did miss was Phineas Nigellus.

Phineas Nigellus is probably my most favorite new character in OOTP. He was certainly not a major character, but he was strangely arresting to my point of view. The way he was written – an immensely clever wizard who had achieved much (he was a former Hogwarts headmaster after all) but had a brutal honesty and a suspicious character about him (he was part of Slytherin House after all). In spite of his faults and his constant sniping at Harry, I loved the scene in the book when he learns of Sirius’ death. He gives an eerily controlled feeling of surprise, and simply storms off in a huff. That singular piece of emotion nearly brought me to tears, to discover how such a disdainful character can still feel a sense of familial love. Even Harry took notice, and seemed to find comfort in the fact that he was not the only one feeling his godfather’s loss. It was, to me, one of the best-written characters JK Rowling has ever produced in the series. Unfortunately, he only appears fleetingly in the movie, and does not even speak! I waited for his portrait to come alive in the bedroom in Grimmauld Place, but it never came. He may have been one of the portraits in Dumbledore’s office, but I never felt his presence.

Meanwhile, the Veil was quite an interesting bit of visual effect in the movie. I had envisioned it to be some sort of archway with a, well, veil billowing from it. Like a cloth or curtain. In the movie, however, it was some sort of hazy barrier, the kind that opens into another dimension. While fascinating to me visually, it was not entirely plot-friendly to those who had not read the book. The “death” was made to be nothing more than Sirius stepping back (flying even!) into an unknown place. What made the “death” more clear was Harry bursting to the seams with gut-wrenching emotion at seeing Sirius… disappear. Despite that clarification, it still gave some audience members a few seconds in which to feel puzzled initially, and I’m not sure that is forgivable. And it did not help that Remus Lupin was not forced to feel just as tragic; after all, another one of the Marauders had just died. And what I also wondered about was whether Bellatrix used the Killing Curse on her cousin, which the book never really revealed (nor did it say what color the jet of light was that struck Sirius to his death). But now that I heard what spell she used, it was now easy for the average viewer to conclude that Sirius was indeed dead. Meanwhile, what I DO appreciate was when David Yates focused on Bellatrix Lestrange’s reaction after Sirius steps into the Veil. While I think Helena Bonham Carter went to town with her characterization of the female Death Eater, her reaction to Sirius’ death paints a tragic sadness quickly replaced by triumphant glee. That quick shot of hers was pretty inspired, and gives off some sense of humanity to her. As I mentioned earlier in Nigellus’ characterization, it was a similar sense of familial love that overcomes Bellatrix for just a teensy moment. It was one of the few artistic licenses that I am willing to afford Yates and screenwriter Michael Goldenberg. And they gave her a cool exit, too.

It is nice that OOTP becomes a vehicle for interesting female villains. Apart from Bellatrix, Prof. Dolores Umbridge was maniacally superior in an ardently self-controlled way. Imelda Staunton was a great bit of casting, and she was amazing. In fact, one of the strengths of the movie is its inspired casting choices. Evanna Lynch’s Luna Lovegood was surprisingly well-played. I initially had my reservations about Luna’s character when I first read the book, but she grew on me as I re-read it. I was afraid that that might be the case in the film, that her character would take some getting used to. But she did well for a newcomer like her. Her vocal characterization of Luna was pretty much on the nose, exactly as I hear it in my head. Goldenberg wrote her with an obvious sense of affection and it is nice to see her best scenes in the book played out in the film.

Meanwhile, although the general quality of the acting has risen in this film, much more remains to be done. What I was particularly disappointed in was the casting of Mrs. Arabella Figg. Speaking as a fan of the book, however, I may be irrationally out of line by criticizing that Mrs. Figg was not “batty” enough. The newer cast members, those in Dumbledore’s Army, also provided weaker performances. And two of them were not even credited properly (Slightly Creepy Boy and Slightly Doubtful Boy?!?). Those who have read the books can tell that they were most likely Terry Boot (who had asked about Cedric) and Zacharias Smith. Ron even tells “Zacharias” off for doubting Harry in the Hog’s Head. It seems to show that producers are looking to cast these two boys properly in the next film (should they even appear in the next film – although I think Zacharias should). This myopic view of casting hurts the film acting-wise. Another example of a poor performance goes to Devon Murray’s Seamus Finnigan. Although the initial confrontation in the Gryffindor common room was fine enough, his apology scene was weak and uncomfortable to watch (you would think that, after five movies, he had learned something from them). And, despite providing a richer emotional tone to her voice, Emma Watson continues to act with her eyebrows and retain her signature “heavy sigh complete with drop of the shoulders”. Meanwhile, I was confused at the inclusion of "Nigel" at the DA, because I initially thought he was Colin Creevey. Where was Colin Creevey, anyway? I realize that Nigel was in GoF, but I don't think he warranted enough importance to come back for OOTP. I preferred seeing Colin again than the Nigel kid; at least the former was more familiar. (Unless Yates was trying to do a Cuaron and force on us an unknown Hogwarts student with a large amount of screentime - like how the African-British kid in PoA did some of the exposition.)

Rupert, meanwhile, has shown great strides in his acting. It was certainly nice to hear him say more than just “I dunno really!” (haha). Although he continues to bite his lip in that strange (yet oddly familiar) way of his, he has gone a long way in terms of performance. Which is why it is such a pity that Ron Weasley, even in the hands of another screenwriter, was given so little to do except dish out the zippy one-liners and feel protective of Hermione. As I wrote earlier, much of the major and interesting subplots in the book have been cut out, and much of that have to do with Ron’s character: the prefect issue, Quidditch, and the brain scene. Quidditch I realized I did not miss very much (although I do expect it to be a major plot point in the next movie), but the other two I did miss. As I said before, much of Ron’s character growth is explained in these subplots and sadly, they were not in the films. That being said, I suppose I should be grateful for the characterization they gave Ron in this movie – that of fiercely loyal and protective friend. The few scenes that Rupert is given to work on are amazingly well-played. When Ron asks the Gryffindors if they had a problem with Harry, he gives off a subtle but threatening look. In the boy’s dormitory, when Harry unfairly tells Ron to sod off, Rupert reacts with perfectly controlled indignation while looking like a haplessly stung boy. When Ron tells Harry that “maybe you don’t have to do it alone, mate”, he says it with just the right mixture of pathos and affection, as though he realizes that Harry is as much his friend as he is a victim. To be frank, it all brought back memories of Ben Marshall and his tyrannical mum all over again. And when he duels with Hermione, prior to being disarmed, he feeds off Neville’s fraternal support and displays a boyish swagger that is more adorable than arrogant. Rupert has improved so much in his performance that the movie lets me down somewhat whenever they obviously shove Ron in the background. Indeed, I have lost count of the number of frames that Rupert is in the background (one shot – the scene of Prof. Trelawney’s banishment – even has Rupert’s face entirely blocked from view by a Hogwarts student extra). In contrast, I have lost count of the number of times Emma is in frame even though she does not have much to do in the scene. I was not pleased that they even cut out what could have been an interesting scene of Ron giving a “fist up” to Harry (which was shown in the trailers – during Harry’s speech about how “every great wizard started out as nothing more than what we are now; if they can do it, why not us?” - while that speech was in the movie, Ron's fist up action was not; Neville's made it, though).

And even sadder still was this one scene in the movie that I thought should have been expanded. When Harry first wakes up in his dormitory bed after having his regular nightmares, he finds Ron watching over him from his bed. THAT scene should have been played out longer even though it was not in the book (where was cinematic license when you needed it?). I found it interesting because it would have reinforced the impact of the dreams Harry has been having about the Ministry of Magic. And it would have given Ron a more pivotal role in pursuit of that plot. Plus, it would have also strengthened his character as loyal friend (not that it was inadequate, but still). That, apart from Phineas’ fleeting screentime, was what I personally found unsettling.

In the meantime, the Ron/Hermione scenes became even more suggestive, despite their low-key nature. The exchanged looks over the table at Christmastime, the constant compliments (“You’re the most wonderful girl I know”/”That’s really clever, Ron”), Ron’s protectiveness, and his jealousy over Grawp. In spite of what other fans said, the latter I did not find to be the foremost R/Hr shipping moment of the movie. To me, it was that scene in the Gryffindor common room after Harry kissed Cho. The moment towards the end, when both smile widely at each other and laugh unabashedly is quite a moment that deserves its own Pause button (and gratefully revisited towards the end of the movie as part of a series of flashbacks - thank God for Youtube!). It is actually that scene that I love the most in the OOTP book, and it also has my favorite conversation of all:

Ron: Are you bad at kissing?
Harry: I dunno. Maybe I am.
Hermione: Of course you’re not.
Ron: How do you know? (God I miss this line, because it was just hilarious in the book.)
Hermione: (explains Cho’s feelings)
Ron: One person can’t feel that all at once or they’d explode.
Hermione: Just because you’ve got the emotional range of a teaspoon doesn’t mean we all have.

Well, at least that last line made it into the film (a shortened version of it anyway). It was my favorite line in the whole book, actually (next being the line about Ron being the most insensitive wart Hermione has had the misfortune to meet), so I’m happy with that at least. The post-kiss scene seemed like a disjointed piece of the whole movie, however, largely due to its funny and lighthearted nature. It was comic relief that brings together the burgeoning feelings of romantic love and sexual tension while immersing itself in the unpretentious follies of friendship. While the shadows and firelight in the scene was in tune with the darker tone of the film, it was nevertheless a light comic romp that gave the audience a welcome breather. According to the trio, the laughter in the scene was genuine, and I believed them. It certainly did come out that way. It was probably the only sincere moment in the whole film. Not even the scene in Dumbledore’s office towards the end was as affecting as it was written in the book. No, it was a simple moment of adolescent dishing that felt strangely real and comforting to me.

There are other scenes that I felt deserved to be fleshed out more. All the foreshadowing from Ginny – her impending romance with Harry, and her being the best spell-caster among the Weasleys – were good, but poorly established and lacking, particularly for non-readers. But the bits that did make it into the script were good enough, and Bonnie Wright does well with them (also nice that she is growing up just as nicely as Emma Watson – although her real-life wardrobe choices leave much to be desired). There was no closure from Cho; the relationship seemed to end abruptly when Harry chose to ignore her after the DA’s detention with Umbridge (it was also confusing because the other members of the DA were not as determined to ignore her as Harry). The subplot of the Weasley twins being serious about their joke shop was not established very well. And it did not help that the ultimate rebellion scene was written loosely, like some sort of juvenile fun as opposed to the cruel but delightful premeditated prank it was in the book. It cannot be stressed how impressive the kind of the magic the twins are capable of - comical results notwithstanding. Even Hermione was impressed at the kind of magic their products could create. It should have been a nice point to make in the movie, especially since their products will be instrumental in the sixth book (and probably the final book). Kreacher’s appearance in the movie was obviously an afterthought (it was admitted by the producers as well), although his short stint in the film gave off a truly remarkable and sinister presence. Percy Weasley was seriously underutilized, which might cause non-readers to forget he is also a Weasley. I do not think they adequately established Snape as a member of the Order, despite that throwaway line in the beginning of the movie. And I do not think they adequately established how Neville, Luna, and Ginny were caught outside of Umbridge’s office when Harry sought to use her fireplace to contact Sirius.

Apart from the ones I mentioned earlier, some of the other scenes in the book that I missed from the movie were Dumbledore’s howler to Petunia (which I thought to be significant in the book, but apparently was not as important as Kreacher), the Slytherin three (Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle) wanting revenge on Harry Potter, the mention of Crabbe and Goyle’s fathers as Death Eaters (I feel that the Death Eaters are just as important, and their connection to Slytherin House should be established), the thestrals being boarded by those who could not see them (what I would give to see Ron and Hermione clambering on an invisible steed), and Ron being protective of Ginny. Surely, if he can be written as protective of Hermione, it should be logical that he is as protective of his sister (but apparently that was not significant as well). In those scenes that had found their way into the movie, there were some obvious nitpicks, such as misplacing the stone wizard away from the fountain centerpiece of the Ministry of Magic, Harry being wandless at the Occlumency lessons (although he wasn't at the last lesson), and the use of the Levicorpus Charm during the DA training (that does not figure until the sixth book – although it was already seen in Snape’s memory).

And speaking of Snape’s memory, Goldenberg and Yates found an interesting way to condense it, including taking out the Pensieve (the Protego Charm should be the new deus ex machina) and shortening the memory. All it took was a series of excellent casting choices. You could definitely recognize Sirius, James, and Severus, as well as a split-second glimpse of Remus and Peter (although I would have liked it if they also showed Lily longer). As with all moving pictures (including those in the Hogwarts castle), I enjoyed seeing the photograph of the original Order of the Phoenix, and looking at the adult Longbottoms for the first time. It was crucial to introduce Neville as part of the grand scheme of things, and this, as well as his reaction to the news of the mass breakout at Azkaban, was a good step in that direction. The digital re-rendering of the centaurs was a good decision, and they looked much better than last time (although I did miss Firenze a bit). I also enjoyed Argus Filch’s increase in screen time (earning another round of cinematic license forgiveness from me), particularly when he camped out in front of the door of the Room of Requirement. Likewise, Prof. Flitwick’s short stint in this film was as enjoyable and charming as ever. The sweet scene depicting Arthur Weasley's fascination with Muggle technology is wonderful, and I am thankful they included it, because I thought Mr. Weasley had been woefully underwritten in the series so far. And I personally liked how they continued to visually incorporate Cedric Diggory in the story, even as a photograph. He was, after all, the first character in the books that I shed tears over. It was an ingenious touch that his picture was posted in the Room of Requirement (alongside that of the original Order), as an inspiration to them all that there are dangers out there, and that there are things worth fighting for.

There was one thing that I noticed in the movie, that I thought was a nice touch to realism. It may seem irrelevant to everyone, but I give props to the costumer for having Hermione and Ron wear the same outfit (or top, at least) in separate occasions. Hermione, as far as I can remember, wore her fuchsia knit twice (during the Hogwarts train ride and the encounter with Grawp). And Ron, as far as I can remember, wore his red sweater twice, too (during the Hogwarts train ride and the adventure at the Ministry). I thought it was in character for Ron to repeat some of his wardrobe (not being rich and all), but I also realized it also in character for Hermione to do the same thing (it is canon in the books, after all, that Hermione is not very fashion-conscious).

The climax of the movie was supposed to be the battle between Lord Voldemort and Dumbledore. In the moments leading up to it, we find the ragtag team of Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Ginny, and Luna taking on the Death Eaters at the Hall of Prophecies. As to be expected, cinematic license takes hold once again and nearly ruins the whole scene, and even Ginny finally figuring out to cast the Reducto Charm seemed anticlimactic. Admittedly, however, the whole scene plays out great in visual terms. And if I were a non-reader, I would have instantly taken to the suspenseful pacing as the youngsters run for their lives in the Hall of Prophecies. Yates likewise gave them a cool entrance into the Death Chamber, as well as a different series of events prior to their rescue by the Order: all the students held at “wandpoint”, Harry actually handing over the prophecy to Lucius Malfoy (who proceeded to break it), and Sirius non-magically punching Malfoy in the face.

With such creative digressions, I had expected the Dumbledore vs. Voldemort battle to be an indulgence in CGI. Surprisingly, it was just like Harry’s first kiss: short and sweet (albeit of a different kind). It was a display of nonverbal but fearsome magic. The special effects team did a tremendous job visualizing how different the fighting styles and spells used were for the two great wizards (fire and water, for example). And the scene after the battle, when Harry becomes possessed by Voldemort, turns into a protracted version of the one in the book. It basically rounds up the key themes of the film, themes that were responsible for Harry’s survival up to this point: friendship and love. His life and loves flash back before his eyes (incidentally, it was telling that there was no Cho – and unfortunately no Ginny). He has the Weasleys, Sirius, his parents, and particularly Ron and Hermione, who are represented by their adorable SS, CoS, and PoA selves. (Also telling was the lack of GoF footage. I wonder why.) It lingers on a fairly recent and lovely memory of them laughing in front of the fire in the Gryffindor common room. And this snaps Harry back to reality, telling Voldemort that he is to be pitied because, unlike him, Harry is loved. He had seen Ron and Hermione, who had come from the Death Chamber, and he was moved with emotion. The realization that he is surrounded by friends who are willing to fight with him and for him, and the humiliation that they saw him like this - overcome by the Dark Lord - he fights back, and is filled with hope once again . Voldemort, refusing to be cowed, intimidates Harry by saying that he has much more to lose. He Disapparates, but not before Ministry members arrive and see him before their eyes. And just like that, they transform into believers. That prolonged scene was a good creative decision, even though the script bordered on being cheesy. Nevertheless, it was effective in portraying love and friendship as formidable weapons against Voldemort.

In the meantime, as always, the HP films continue to churn out weak endings for the movies. So far, Mike Newell provided the franchise with their best ending yet (although Cuaron had the most creative end credits so far). I liked how Harry verbalized what he learned from the battle at the Ministry, but I wished the actual scene had been visualized better. (I do like the blocking involved; seeing the Slytherin three off to one side looking regally sinister while Harry marches to another summer.)

All in all, it was a great piece of work. As I said, production values were excellent, and some were at par with the precedent set by Cuaron in PoA. Emotion was pretty much at the core of the film, even though some of it lacked heart. The pacing was quick, and contributed well to those scenes with a distinct message. Despite the absence of some subplots, it cannot be denied that the key scenes did combine to tell the main story coherently. Despite some plot inadequacies, some interesting stylistic and creative pursuits did serve the story well. Acting was stellar among the cast members who had been in the previous films. The villains, including Umbridge, were fantastic. Dan Radcliffe has finally found his inner Harry Potter, and his maturing angst goes well with his performance in the movie. It helps that a lot of the film is spent inside Harry’s head, thus delivering a pretty insightful analysis of Harry’s psychosis. Dan wonderfully rises to the occasion. I am particularly impressed with his acting during the possession scene. It is one of my two favorite scenes in the movie (the first being the post-kiss scene in the Gryffindor common room.) Emma continues to be Hermione. And I have already said that Rupert is the most improved of them all. Indeed, we all know by now that Dan, Rupert, and Emma are excellent casting choices even six years on (thank God they will go all the way until the seventh film). It is truly a blessing to have such a committed crew of actors.

With this movie, it serves to whet the appetite for the sixth film. And most especially, the final HP book. What do I think will happen? Personally, I think Voldemort will die, Snape is really good, Pettigrew will save Harry at some point, there will be massive losses amongst the Death Eaters (probably Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange among them), the centaurs and some giants will side against Voldemort, and… Ron could die. It has been foreshadowed three times already in the books, but I seriously hope he lives on. In the meantime, while we are tragically aware that the end is near, the films have more to go. And I will be waiting.