Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix (2007)

"... born to those who have thrice defied him, born
as the seventh month dies..."

Goblet of Fire was, upon second viewing, a bit of a let down. It was scattershot, and failed to ably adapt one of the largest books in the series. I was worried about Order of the Phoenix. I remember being a bit upset with it when I first saw it, due, in large part, to my nerd-rage at the film's omission of "absolutely essential details from the book." These years later, does that critique stand?

Summary:

Harry Potter is headed back to Hogwarts for his fifth year. But he'll get some help from burgeoning wizarding resistance movement, The Order of the Phoenix. There is a new, bureaucratic evil at Hogwarts, and she has nothing to do with Voldemort. Harry is going to need to step up and take his, and his friends', education into his own hands.

Pros:

Beautifully Shot: David Yates steps into the director's chair for this outing, and would remain there for the rest of the series. It is immediate, from the first scene, that Yates has a keen eye. The colors pop, the shots are more dynamic, and the film is more artful, overall, than any of the movies in the series save Prisoner of Azkaban. The blues are hiked up, but, unlike Goblet, the oranges are hiked up in contrast, which keeps the images from appearing muddy and hard to see.

One of the Series' Best Villains: Dolores Umbridge is nothing short of a dastardly revelation. In a series crowded with dark wizards and Voldemort lackeys, Umbridge is her own kind of banal, bureaucratic evil. She is obsessed with rules and order, and will do anything to keep everything, and everyone, in line. She is played to perfection by Imelda Staunton. Small in stature, and violently pink, she resembles, at first glance, a kindly grandmother, but, in action, she is anything but. Staunton makes my blood boil, and that is the mark of an excellent villain. The she is from the ministry, and has nothing to do with Voldemort, is a wonderful touch. Evil is in the world, and it isn't always a Dark Lord hidden in the shadows. Sometimes is comes doffed in pink wool and a perm.

Dumbledore vs. Voldemort: For the first time we see the two most powerful wizards in the world collide, and it is genuinely thrilling. Dumbledore strides into the Ministry of Magic (one of the series most striking, beautiful sets: all black marble and shiny golden gild), steps in front of Harry, and addresses LORD FUCKING VOLDEMORT by his birth name: "You shouldn't have come here, Tom." It is one of the most legitimately bad ass moments in the whole series. And with that, the two go at it in earnest. I loved the addition of the sloshing smelty magical plasma that splatters off of the men's energy beams as they collide. Yates keeps the confrontation short, but compelling: a taster for what could be.

Heart-rending Loss: We lose a main character in this film, and it breaks my heart every single time. It is wonderfully staged, and beautifully acted. It gives us a good reason to hate series addition Helena Bonham Carter (playing Bellatrix Lestrange to the nines).

A Return to Learning: As an act of defiance, Harry starts Dumbledore's Army, a kind of club meant to prepare students for their looming battle with the dark arts. He teaches them how to cast defensive and offensive spells, and the film gains some of the magic it's lost. We got away from the fact that Hogwarts was a school, and Harry teaching the other kids is fun and thrilling. We are watching these characters grow and hint at the powerful wizards they might become in the future. I had a great deal of fun with the Dumbledore's Army sequences.

PoliticalI: This is perhaps the most political of the films (and the books).  The evil, this time around, comes largely from the Ministry, not Voldemort. Harry and his friends fight back against the dangers of denialism, and the horrors of abusing the people's belief in the law. Laws can be changed by those in power to outlaw anything they deem inappropriate. Umbridge embodies this petty, vindictive form of governance. Sometimes you HAVE to fight back. Sometimes authority figures need to be checked. I like that the movie embraces Rowling's message, and makes a statement that can resonate in the real world, too.

Cons:

Angsty Martyr Harry is the Worst Harry: Turn that teen angst up to eleven! It is frustrating, even if it is completely understandable. As they are teenagers, after all. At least we lost that godawful emo haircut.

Why Does Voldemort Want the Prophecy?: Voldemort already knows what the prophecy contains, why would he go through the trouble of trying to steal it? The film avoids addressing this, and it is a little confusing, considering that the entire action of the film revolves around the prophecy and its acquisition.

In Conclusion:

I don't know what I was thinking when I was younger: this is probably my second favorite film in the series. Yates comes crashing through the door, breathing life and vigor into the series with clever cinematic tricks and slickly shot action.

Should You Watch It?

Yes, absolutely. It features a series' best villain, some genuinely thrilling and emotional moments, and sets the stage for the last few films of the series.

Miscellany:

- Radcliffe suggested that Harry wear clothes similar to Remus Lupin during his Dumbledore's Army sequences, as he thought Harry would be paying tribute to one of his best teachers. Yates liked the idea, and implemented it.

- JK Rowling provided names and familial details for over 70 members of the Black family for the family tree in Grimmauld Place.
- The production team brought in dance choreographer Paul Harris to develop wand fighting techniques, and to coach the actors on how to adapt those styles to stay true to their characters.
- Helen McRory was originally cast as Bellatrix Lestrange, but had to drop out of the role due to pregnancy. But don't worry: she'd come back to the fold as Narcissa Malfoy (Bellatrix' sister) in the last three films.
- Although based on the longest book in the series, this is the second shortest film in the series.
- This is one of only two Potter films NOT nominated for an Academy Award in any category.
- This is the only Potter film not written by Steve Kloves.