ALARIS' REVIEWS

31st May 2009
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a feature film based on the fifth novel in J.K. Rowling's hugely popular Harry Potter fantasy series, and the fifth instalment of the reasonably faithful movie adaptations.

For those who've completely missed the phenomenon, the Harry Potter series follows a boy wizard in contemporary England , whose destiny is mysteriously tied to a powerful dark lord thought vanquished long ago.

Having greatly enjoyed the novels, I was deeply impressed by the first film (Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone, 2001), slightly less impressed by the still enjoyable second and third (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, 2002; Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, 2004), and so disappointed by the socially regressive creative decisions made in the fourth (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, 2005) that I neglected for quite some time to watch the fifth film.

Thankfully, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is easily enjoyable from start to finish, and at two hours in length it feels as though it could have gone for longer. The film is a rousing return to the solid storytelling and vivid physical and emotional landscape of the novels, and I suspect that the new director (David Yates) and new writer (Michael Goldenberg) are partly to thank for this.

Despite sitting in the middle of the series, the story is a classic hero's tale, with allies and foes, revelations and setbacks, injustices met with fortitude, tragic losses, bittersweet triumphs, and themes of friendship, compassion, truth and fidelity that come thumping from the heart. The pacing is excellent, and scenes brim with warmth, wonder, and tension.

The cinematography, lighting, set design, and special effects all work seamlessly together, creating a gorgeous fantasy world that feels real, textured and marvellous (something decidedly missing from the flatly lit and blandly shot fantasy miniseries Tin Man, 2007).

The cast of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix all give solid performances, and Maggie Smith (Minerva McGonagall) and Emma Thompson (Sybil Trewalney) are wonderful to watch. Alan Rickman as Professor Snape is always my highlight, and he delivers his usual sarcasm on a stick with delightful comic timing. Imelda Staunton delivers a formidable antagonist in Dolores Umbridge, conveying the parochial menace and ordinary evil of those who use legitimate means to justify a monstrous agenda.

As a standalone movie, it's probably quite entertaining, but you'll definitely feel as though you've walked into a party where everyone already knows each other and you've arrived eight years late. Nonetheless, it's a still a great party.

Verdict: An entertaining, engaging fantasy film, and a reasonably faithful adaptation of J.K. Rowling's novel.

If you like Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, you'll probably like this.

Alaris' Rant:

Every so often, a novel or series of novels becomes phenomenally successful, exciting people to feverish obsession across the world. The Harry Potter series deserves this status, as the stories are well written, wildly imaginative, carefully plotted, and inhabited by characters who are flawed, empathetic, and courageous. Themes of injustice, corruption, bigotry, and the banality of evil are interwoven with stories of wonder, love, strength, and humanity.

The Harry Potter novels draw from the well of classic storytelling, unlike another hugely successful book series which shall remain unnamed, which borrows heavily from the lurid gothic romances of the 1700s, perpetuating disturbing stereotypes disguised as modern chick lit.

One can only hope that there will be more children aspiring to become heroic, unattractive, British wizards, than there will be aspiring to become unnaturally pretty pregnant teens who don't want to grow old.