Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)

Directed By: David Yates
Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Richard Griffiths, Ralph Fiennes, Brendan Gleeson, Gary Oldman, Julie Walters, Imelda Staunton, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Robert Hardy, David Thewlis, Maggie Smith, Mark Williams, Michael Gambon
Released:

In summer full of threequels which are beginning to show the strain, it’s refreshing to see that the new Harry Potter has managed to remain fresh, inventive and engrossing. Dismissing the subplots and asides which have hindered previous films and extend Rowling’s book to well over 700 pages, David Yates’ Order of the Phoenix is not only the shortest Potter to date, but also the most entertaining. Pipping Prisoner of Azkaban to the title of best Harry Potter, at least until next years Half Blood Prince, Yates has bought something which hasn’t been apparent in any of the previous instalments. A sense of purpose for the characters, most notably Harry. Not only have Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson all grown up emotionally and as a result their acting is a marked improvement on Goblet of Fire, but the supporting cast of child actors is becoming much more varied and more talented; notably the brilliant newcomer Evana Lynch as Luna Lovegood.

What Yates has delivered is a more focused drama about growing up and beginning to face the dangers of adulthood. With the now looming presence of Voldermort upping the tension from the outset, the audience begins to feel the weight of task ahead of Harry and more frighteningly, the fact the Harry’s time as a protected child is running out. Most of this of course comes from the book as Rowling begins moving toward the end of 7 book saga. But Yates, from TV drama State of Play success, keeps everything in check and the tension ticking over by focusing solely on Harry’s journey, and other characters suffer for it. Where the earlier instalments included much attention on Hermione and Ron, here there roles are somewhat sidelined to focus on the task at hand. And what more, it works wonderfully. As Harry begins to realise that he and he alone can defeat Voldermort, so entwined are their fates, that Yates downplays the roles of other characters thrusting Harry into an area of isolation he’s never had to contend with. Even Dumbledore seems to be keeping his distance. And so despite Order of the Phoenix delivering Harry’s first kiss, to Cho (Katie Leung), this is definitely a film about Harry finding himself, and doing it alone.

The Order of Phoenix, who are a secret band of wizards comprised on Sirius, Lupin and Mad Eye to name the important characters, comes in to prominence, and adds to the suspense around the forthcoming battle. This is juxtaposed against, perhaps the star of the show, Imelda Staunton’s Dolores Umbridge, the new Darks Arts teacher, who is hell bent of preventing the students possessing the ability to defend themselves. Her roles is superb, both funny and scary, evil and innocent, Umbridge hides behind the authority of the Ministry of Magic, still in denial about the return of You-Know-Who. One particular sequence, elaborated upon in the film is Umbridge’s punishment techniques, which make all those detentions seems like a walk in the park. Even Snape, the revolting enjoyable bad guy seems tame by comparison. In film touted as being much darker, Dolores, in her bright pink getups is one of the reasons for this description. Umbridge’s teaching methods leads to some great sequences between Harry and Dolores but also allows for narrative developments which begin to build up toward the climatic 6th and 7th instalments, whilst also allowing for some great demonstrations of teen acting.

What Yates manages to keep in sight though is Rowling’s wicked sense of humour and the film is interspersed with as many laughs and jolts and frights. The CGI, bar one noticeable exception is stunning and a finale which finally answers the questions about how wizard fighting with wands can be cool, exciting and exhilarating without ever look a little bit silly. This film may lack some of the narrative width of the earlier instalments, losing the meandering narratives in favour of a streamlined focus of the boy wizard himself. But at this stage of the franchise with the big payoffs still to come, Yates has shaped the future of Harry Potter more than any of the previous films and with news that he has begun work on The Half Blood Prince, the anticipation of instalment six in the franchise is stronger than ever.

Dropping some of the subplots and downsizing roles for a more focused look at the boy wizard as he begins to grow into a man makes Order of the Phoenix the best Potter to date. Yates deserves kudos for his deft handling of the story and bringing it in under two and half hours without stumbling in the same way Goblet of Fire did.