Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
On his fifth – and perhaps darkest – trip to the big screen, it’s easy to remain wild about Harry. The incredibly successful “Harry Potter” franchise could have become just a one-dimensional cash machine with the producers thoughtlessly adapting the J.K. Rowling books to celluloid. But “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” proves a captivating fantasy tale with the title character (Daniel Radcliffe) going through growing pains, showing his romantic side, coming to terms with the sense of loss all around him and facing dangerous new challenges. Most of those are provided by the evil Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes of “The English Patient”).
The PG-13 picture, which often deals in life-and-death issues, seems at times to follow a “Star Wars” template. That certainly adds to the climactic action elements.
Headmaster Albus Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) becomes a butt-kicking Yoda, Harry transforms into a truth-seeking Luke Skywalker and Voldemort becomes the soul-sucking Emperor in this sometimes chilling fifth installment of the franchise.
Although this new movie lacks the complex undercurrents in some previous pictures (particularly Alfonso Cuaron’s haunting “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” in 2004), debuting director David Yates, who learned his filmmaking skills on British television shows, succeeds. He accomplishes that by stressing themes about loyalty, love, devotion, trust, justice, family and friendship and making us care about the characters on screen.
The chrome-and-steel epic “Transformers” may give viewers a lot more bang for the buck, but “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” ultimately provides something more important. Yates and his very talented cast create a heartfelt story, put increasingly paranoid characters whom we care very much about in jeopardy and then weave a spell that will easily capture the hearts of both “Potter” fans and those totally unfamiliar with the series.
In the story, Harry and his best friends, Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson), are reluctantly adjusting to a repressive regime that assumes control of Hogwarts, their school of magic and sorcery.
A power-hungry dark-arts professor, the frighteningly humorless, casually sadistic Dolores Umbridge (scene-stealing Imelda Staunton of “Vera Drake”), snuffs out all joy at the school as she assumes control, employs physical punishment, forms inquisition squads, scoffs at individual rights and attempts to put everyone under her thumb.
That change in the school’s power structure camouflages the deadly deeds of Voldemort, the dark wizard who uses mind games and manipulation to further his agenda.
Much of the joy for viewers in “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” comes from the interplay between Harry and those important to him, including his beloved godfather Sirius Black (Gary Oldman). The film also benefits from some talented British performers – Jason Isaacs, Emma Thompson, Robbie Coltrane, David Thewlis, Fiona Shaw, Julie Walters, David Griffiths and Maggie Smith – returning in various roles.
Those joining the ensemble include Helena Bonham Carter (“Fight Club”) as Sirius’ crazed cousin, the evil witch Bellatrix Lestrange, and newcomer Evanna Lunch as the flower-child- like student Luna Lovegood. Katie Leung, who was also in “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,” plays Harry’s romantic interest Cho Chang, a fellow student still coming to terms with a personal tragedy.
“The Order of the Phoenix” turns Potter into a young man who witnesses the sacrifices of those who mean the most to him and pledges to continue the good fight despite the dangers that wait around every corner.
Postscript: J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” the seventh and final book in the series, arrives in stores at midnight on July 21. According to Entertainment Weekly, Scholastic will publish 12 million copies for the first U.S. printing, an industry record.
FILM REVIEW
“Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”
Grade: B+
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, Gary Oldman, Michael Gambon, Robbie Coltrane, and Imelda Staunton; produced by David Heyman and David Barron; screenplay by Andrew S. Walsh, based on the novel by J.K. Rowling; directed by David Yates.
Running Time: 138 minutes.
Parental Guide: PG-13 (frightening images, scenes of fantasy violence, unsettling themes).
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