Getting better and better

Rating: 8/10 (16 July 2007)

I admit to being a huge fan of the books and a moderate fan of the movies,a although I've only seen them a few times each. I knew bits, some favourite subplots, would be removed for time so I won't make any reference to removed plots lines or differences, simply reviewing the movie for what it is. However I will assume you've either read the books or seen the previous movies, simply because explaining each term would take too long.
At the end of the fourth movie Cedric Diggory had been killed and Voldemort has risen again, but only Harry had seen him. At the start of this movie Harry hasn't heard a word from the magical world but has to save Dudley from a Dementor attack so is summoned to a hearing to decide whether he should be expelled from hogwarts for practising magic in front of a Muggle. He's taken to the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, the anti Voldemort society, where he discovers that no one believes his story and he and Dumbledore have become effective outcasts of the magical community.
He gets through the hearing and is allowed to return to Hogwarts with some help from Dumbledore, who unfortunately ignores him, making Harry angry.
On his return to Hogwarts the new teacher, Professor Umbrige, soon takes over the school, overriding Dumbledore to make the school more in line with the Ministry of Magic. Harry, at Hermione and Ron's urging, starts "Dumbledore's Army", a club teaching defence spells which Umbridge has banned. All clubs are also banned so the meetings must be done in secret. At the same time Harry keeps having strange dreams about a corridor, and these dreams have some disturbing consequences.
The movie is basically about the dreams Harry has, the struggle he has getting his fellow pupils to believe him, and Dumbledore's Army. Umbridge is also quite prominent as her influence has resulted in the Army and the general chaos Hogwarts finds itself in.
Harry is angry at pretty much everyone this time round; he's angry at Dumbledore who keeps ignoring him, he's angry at his friends for not keeping him in the loop, he's angry at his fellow pupils for treating him like an outcast, and he's obviously angry at Umbridge who basically makes life as hard for him and the other pupils as possible.
The effects are brilliant this time round, from the lines which are written out on Harry's hand to the final battle, which is spectacular. Also, because things are getting more desperate the whole mood is far more dark and tense, with fewer jokes and more angst. All the younger actors play their parts very well and the adults, when they do appear, are also great. Especially Imelda Staunton, who plays Umbridge, she is just the right balance of sugary sweetness and cruelty to make the character seem like a nice lady on the outside but show how cruel she can really be. The adults playing the bad guys also do their parts very well, being spooky and scary when necessary. The only new young actor is the girl playing Luna Lovegood, which she also does very well.
Definitely worth going to see whether you are a Harry Potter fan or not. I wouldn't take young children to see it, probably 10 and over I would be quite comfortable with. Younger children may find it a bit frightening and the length would probably be an issue too.