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Customer Rating:

Summary: A successful adaptation of the book
Comment: I have read some very derogatory reviews of this film here, which were invariably hugely unfair, as
they seem to be from people who cannot bear the thought of the books undergoing editing to make them
into manageable films.

The reason I am so impressed with this film in particular was
that it makes those changes so effectively. I love the books, and of course if you want the true
Harry Potter experience then you should read those rather than watch the films, but I am realistic
enough to understand that, with almost any book, there are changes and cuts that need to be made in
order for it to work on screen, and I think that to a large extent this film succeeds.
/>The book upon which this is based is arguably the weakest of the series, it is by far the longest
but does not have the clear and direct plot device that the first 4 books have, so the result is
that, while it is still a great read, it is definitely a bit too sprawling, and could do with some
pruning.

To this end, the filmmakers have taken the longest book of the series, and
produced the shortest film of the series so far. To do so without really losing the important
aspects of the story is quite an achievement.

David Yates, who came to my attention
first as the director of the excellent TV series State of Play, shows a fine grasp of both the
dramatic and humourous parts of Harry Potter. Lord Voldemort is back, but the Ministry of Magic is
doing its very best to make life difficult for Harry and Dumbledore, because it would much rather
live in blissful ignorance than confront the alarming truth. As such, the meat of the story is much
darker than the previous ones, as this is no longer just a schoolboy adventure for Harry, but a very
serious fight against both an oppresive authority, who try to isolate him from the rest of the
wizarding world, and Lord Voldemort.

The Ministry of Magic set is beautifully realised,
and the Spanish Inquisition-like robes of the court bring a suitably menacing air to Harry's trial
at the start of the film, and sets the tone for the further struggles Harry will face in the
film.

The two main plotlines of the film are the Ministry's interference at Hogwarts,
and Harry's visions of what Voldemort is doing.

The former plotline involves Dolores
Umbridge, of the Ministry, taking up the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts,
and rapidly initiating a despotic regime, with Ministry approval, of oppression of those who dare to
disagree with official policy. Imelda Staunton is quite well suited to the role, but there
certainly isn't quite the same air of petty vindictiveness and malevolence about the character as
their is in the films, which is perhaps a shame, but the message certainly gets across that she is a
very nasty piece of work indeed - and representative of the digraceful attitude of those in power,
who are too attached and in love with that power to acknowledge anything that might threaten it. />
In an attempt to fight back, Harry, Ron and Hermione start a secret Defence group, where
Harry teaches any students who would like to learn how to defend themselves better, as Umbridge
refuses to teach them any defensive magic. I think the film captures the sense of rebellion about
this group very well, and shows that there is always value in standing up for what is right, even if
it may land you in further trouble.

Harry's visions of Voldemort, and his unwillingness
to do anything to stop them, eventually lead to the exciting set-piece ending of the film, a magical
battle of a scale never seen before in the films at the Ministry of Magic, and again I think the
action is handled very well, we do get a sense of the speed and danger of the fight, capped with the
tantalising duel between Dumbledore and Voldemort, which again is pretty well done. The scene in
which Harry is fighting being possessed is, in my opinion, very moving, and Daniel Radcliffe seems
to have improved considerably as an actor for this film.

The acting in general is fine
- as I said, I think Radcliffe has improved, Rupert Grint continues to do a good job with his
natural comic ability as Ron, but Emma Watson is a bit too hammy as Hermione. Evanna Lynch is
convincingly oddball as Luna Lovegood, and I think Matthew Lewis as Neville Longbottom also gives a
creditable performance. The Phelps twins are much better in this one as well, and I thoroughly
enjoyed seeing the Weasley twins' chaotic exit from Hogwarts.

Of course, it isn't a
perfect film - the problem with converting a series as rich as Harry Potter into films is that you
will end up with important characters being reduced to little more than cameos, with no real chance
to develop or shine. Dumbledore is probably the most significant character who suffers in this way,
as his role and paternal bonding with Harry is no where near as strong in the films as in the books,
and the role is underwritten, but it is not a major issue, and his important moments in this film
are still handled pretty well.

All in all, this is probably my joint favourite (with
Prisoner of Azkaban) film so far, and considering how much better the Prisoner of Azkaban book is to
the Order of the Phoenix, that is very high praise. I feel that there are very serious 'adult'
themes in this film - the fight for the truth, standing up for what is right, coping with isolation
and loss, and that those themes are put across very well. An excellent film.

Customer Rating:

Summary: Brill
Comment: Hi i'm the daughter or Corene. I like this film. I think its really gd. Its one of my fave films. My
dads fave is the 3rd one.!!
U I would bi it if i was u. If you have little ones
then i wouldn't let them watch it by there selths (especislly if it's the first time they have ever
watch it). Bi Bi
XXXXX

Customer Rating:

Summary: I suspect nargals are behind it.
Comment: Based on the fifth book in J.K Rowling's "Harry Potter" series, "The Order of the Phoenix" first hit
the big screen in 2007. The film opens with the end of the summer holidays approaching, in a
playground close to the Dursley family home. Harry and Dudley are enjoying a little verbal sparring,
which is unfortunately brought to a sharpish end when a group of Dementors attack the pair. Harry
naturally performs the Patronus. However, this leads to a rapidly delivered letter from the
Ministry, threatening our young hero with expulsion - although the cavalry, led by Moody and Tonks,
aren't long in arriving. Harry is quickly escorted to 12 Grimmauld Place - the ancestral home of the
Black family and headquarters to the Order of the Phoenix.

The Order of the Phoenix is
a secret society formed by Dumbledore, consisting of people who had fought Voldemort previously. Its
members include Mr and Mrs Weasley, Tonks, Professor Lupin, Mad Eye Mooney and Harry's godfather,
Sirius. Harry's parents were also members, and Harry is quite keen to join the fight. However, it
soon becomes clear there are differences of opinion within the Order on how much Harry should be
involved - with his age being only a partial concern. Sirius, naturally, believes Harry should be
told everything...however, it appears he's been kept in the dark on Dumbledore's instructions.
Still, Harry is relieved to learn the threat of expulsion has been withdrawn - pending a hearing at
the Ministry.

It proves to be a tough year for Harry. This year, he's due to sit his
OWLs - wizard's exams - so his workload has increased dramatically. Things aren't made any easier by
the series of nightmares he suffers from - generally centred around Voldemort. Furthermore, after
the events outlined in "The Goblet of Fire", both Harry and Dumbledore are being viewed with scorn
by the Ministry of Magic and the Daily Prophet. Neither organisation is willing to believe that
Voldemort is back, fully recovered. Therefore, they're attacking anyone who says differently - Harry
and Dumbledore are the two biggest targets. (Dumbledore reckons Fudge is anywhere but in his right
mind - largely due to fear). As a result, it's barely a surprise that the Ministry decide to
interfere at Hogwarts. Dolores Umbridge, a Ministry employee who is devoted to Fudge is appointed to
the staff as Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. She proves to be an absolute nightmare : she
loves pink, squeaks a great deal, oozes insincerity and inspires more contempt than even Malfoy. As
the year progresses, she increasingly interferes with the running of Hogwarts, and bullying anyone
she feels isn't following the party line. Additionally her teaching is woefully inadequate. She
believes a purely theoretical approach to the Defence Against the Dark Arts will be sufficient as,
she claims, there are no Dark Wizards the pupils need to defend themselves from.

Harry
feels a real sense of isolation during the year - Dumbledore appears to be avoiding him, while
Hagrid is missing for long stretches. Some of the other pupils feel his claims about Voldemort are
making their lives unnecessarily complicated and, at times, he even pushes Ron and Hermione away. In
fact, at times his letters to Sirius seem to be his only way of getting things off his chest.
However, it's not all bad - he makes some nifty progress on the Cho front, and he also finds a new
friend in Luna Lovegood. Luna, played by Evanna Lynch, totally steals the show. Luna is something of
a conspiracy theorist and is picked on and gossiped about behind her back. However, for all the
apparent ditziness, she occasionally gets things that no-one else does and is quite clever in an
un-Hermione sort of way. She's also able to get through Harry's defences and offer him a bit of help
and support just when he needs it the most.

Unsurprisingly, given the length of the
book, not everything makes it into the film. Despite the fact there are OWLs on the horizon, nobody
- not even Hermione - seems to be remotely concerned. There's no Quidditch and a little more time
spent on Neville would have been nice. While Harry made big progress with Cho, I thought it odd that
the post-mistletoe events were brushed over. However, the film is hugely enjoyable : in addition to
Luna, Tonks is gorgeous, Gary Oldman was great as Sirius and Helena Bonham Carter was outstanding in
her too-brief appearance as Bellatrix. (Hopefully, we'll get much more in the films to come). Some
of the sets are fantastic too : Grimmauld Place is very stylish in a tatty and dusty sort of way,
while the Ministry is hugely impressive. Great stuff overall, certainly recommended.

Customer Rating:

Summary: Harry Potter in good order
Comment: Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix

Starring Daniel Radcliffe
Directed by
Peter Yates

This series just gets better and better and though a lot of the credit must
go to the writers and directors, much of it can go to the increasing maturity of the leading
actors.
Daniel Radcliffe is superb, showing a real understanding to the role. He gives Harry
Potter a very real presence and is fast becoming a very accomplished actor. He is ably supported by
Rupert Grint and Emily Watson as well as a whole who's who of the theatre world who offer vital
support to the vast world of witches and wizards.

The original book was rather a heavy
going and forgettable one from what I remember, the only part that stood out was the fight and the
demise of...!
I am pleased to say that though the fight is superb, the whole film keeps going
at a great rate with Luna Lovgood proving to be a wonderful addition.

Peter Yates
really brings pace to the story and a sense of reality. I am pleased that he has been asked to carry
on. That is not to say that previous directors have done a bad job, but he seems to have a handle on
the realism that these stories have. The sense on loneliness and frustration that HP feels. It is a
story of growing up and can be translated into any field, fantastical or not. Previous directors
caught the wild universe that Rowling created, Peter Yates has placed that firmly in the here and
now.

One thing I did remember from this book was the awful Dolores Umbridge and Imelda
Staunton is fantastic in this role, really bringing the Nanny state of New Labour to this world and
giving us a kind of weird female version of Gordon Brown and his ridiculous meddlings (that almost
sounds like a book in itself), I almost wanted to `boo' and `hiss' her every scene. She is great,
everyone is great and I look forward to the next.

Customer Rating:

Summary: Nicer in bitesize pieces.
Comment: I like most of the books having read them all a few times (except the sixth and seventh which were
rubbish) and really enjoy Stephen Fry's readings of all of them, but so far the films have been
nothing but annoying. I don't know whether it's the dumbed down dialogue or the massive parts
missing, but there's something about them which always has me feeling I ought to be enjoying them
more. They look amazing and the acting (other than the main characters) is very good but overall
they never work for me. They sum up a lot of what's wrong with a lot of films. They take you to a
place magical and wonderful, but everything seems like it's got no substance. I always love the
scenes where the camera flies over Hogwarts or takes us through cloisters and gothic interiors, but
everything that happens there from the way the characters talk to each other and what they do,
leaves me feeling empty. I'm not sure if it's just the way the stories are edited to fit the two or
three hours allowed, or whether the stories are better suited to the printed page, or whether
they're just not that good in the first place.
This film looks as good as they always do but
the problems with the plot which I noticed when I read the book seemed far more obvious. The magical
room which appears from nowhere to allow Harry and the rest to have somewhere to practice their
spells was ridiculous in the book and even more reidiculous on film, and the giant Grawp, who was
unnecessary in the book, was so badly done I can't watch this one without fast forwarding! Why did
they need a King Kong moment with Hermione and the giant? And how corny was the bicycle bell scene?
And how can Hagrid be a half giant when he's less than a fifth the size of the young giant? It
becomes very silly after one or two viewings.
I found this to be easier to watch if you watch
in 15 minute sections. Then it's a lot more welcoming and the problems with plotting and acting are
less obvious.

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