Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

UK, 2007

Director:

David Yates

Starring:

Matt: C

Adam: -

My views of the Harry Potter series have provoked controversy. Oh yes, you had better believe it. Here's what I would grade them:

The Philosopher's Stone (D-)
The Chamber of Secrets (F)
The Prisoner of Azkaban (B)
The Goblet of Fire (C+)

Can this one help to complete the alphabet?

What aroused the consternation of some is how I can view one of the series so positively and others so negatively. Are they really that different? I think you have to confront every film on its own merits and judge it for what it is, with an open mind. And I really enjoyed Azkaban, I thought the characters were interesting and much better developed than the previous films, even the kids, and the plot actually made sense. Goblet disappointed in relation to it but I still had high hopes for this (despite having read the first 200 pages of the very dull book before giving up).

One thing that helps is the improvement in acting ability by the film's young leads, in particular Daniel Radcliffe, who has rightly been on the receiving end of some praise for his effort here. And the plot makes a lot more sense than the frankly baffling, hole-ridden, nonsense of Goblet. However, as with all the other films, with the notable exception of Azkaban, the interesting older characters are shunted into the background. This is particularly criminal in the case of the majestic Alan Rickman (thankfully they are not going to be able to do this with Potter 6), as the mysterious Snape, and David Thewlis' Remus Lupin, who lights up Azkaban with his performance and his relationship with Harry. He barely even has a line here. Shocking. The same must also be said of Gary Oldman. Having got such brilliant actors involved and, it must be said, cast them brilliantly, it's particularly criminal to underuse them to such degrees.
That said, the film kept me engaged and got me interested with the general Potter mythology, so much so that I've started reading Book 6, which I'm already enjoying. I think Book 6 will make a good film.

In summary, I don't think there is particularly anything here that will convert non-Potterlovers but it certainly doesn't plunge the depths of the insipid first two films (so annoying because the first book is so good). For a neutral like me just out to be entertained, it's no more, or no less, than okay.

ME