Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: Review By Dan

Playing a bit of catch up since I haven't seen Potter 5 and 6, and 7 coming out in less then 2 months from now. While some may not like director David Yates directorial style, I find that he did a more then commendable job with the 5th movie in the series. I'll admit, I'm not entirely familiar with the books, as I've only heard Half Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows on audio CD, so maybe that is why I enjoyed it more then others, since I don't have the knowledge of the book to compare it against.

The 5th movie starts with Harry's cousin Dudley and his little gang of misfits teasing Harry at a what looks like a playground of sorts, and they are interrupted by dementors (ghost-like creatures) that attack Harry and Dudley, and in desperation Harry uses magic to defend them, which is forbidden outside of their magic school under the age of 17. Harry is then brought before the Ministry of Magic and put on trial for his magic usage in witness of what they call "muggles" (people without magical ability), where Headmaster Dumbledore appears and defends Harry, and is vindicated by a close vote. Following his trial, the Ministry sends Dolores Umbridge to Hogwarts for that year, where she keeps tabs on Harry, and becomes a royal bitch to the entire school. And from there, I'll leave it :)

The thing I appreciate more and more with the Harry Potter movies is that they continually get darker in mood and story. Harry's story is not a happy one, it's filled with loss, torment, and anguish. But it's not all darkness, it's of course tempered by Ron and Hermione, always his faithful friends, and this year Harry is slightly distracted with a crush on this Asian student named Cho (which I found a bit forced, but whatever, I'm sure that's explained in much greater detail in the book). And you can't have a Potter story without Ron's older brothers Fred and George causing endless trouble.

Filled to the brim with excellent actors (notably Gary Oldman as Sirius Black, and Ralph Fiennes as Lord Voldemort), fantastic wizardly action (the showdown between Dumbledore and Voldemort is enough to warrant a repeat viewing), I was thoroughly entertained, and felt it was a good chapter in the film series.

Certainly check it out and get caught up before the final 2 parts get here in November.