Longest Book, Shortest film...you find the logic!!??

Rating: 7/10 (15 July 2007)

If you were to read my previous review on Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, you will note that I entered into a rather long diatribe on the fact that due to the Harry Potter books growing in length, subsequent movies will have to outgrow the confines of a mere two hour movie for them to prove true to the original text and have any credibility at all to the Harry Potter Legend.
I used for examples other great novels which have benefited from extended run times such as the Lord of the Rings Trilogy or Gone with the Wind.
With such a stark and obvious truth staring us in the face, it therefore baffles my belief that they decided to take Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix, which as many Potter and Rowling fans can tell you is the longest book in the series, and adapt it to the screen in what is so far the shortest film!!!???!!!
I know, no matter how hard I try I am still trying to find the logic.
As a result, once again as with The Goblet of Fire we are presented with a final film that fails to do either Harry Potter or JK Rowling justice with so many things having been left out.
I know they cannot fit everything in or that will take my idea of an extended runtime to bum numbing extremes, but it all seemed so rushed.
The Hearing, Dumbledores flight after the DA's discovery, Occlumancy lessons with Snape and the final fight at the Department of Mysteries, all made for great and exciting reading, but was glanced over so quickly that it failed to even raise an eyebrow on the screen.
Its not even mentioned that Lucius Malfoy and his fellow death eaters end up in Azkaban at movies end, nor does it mention that The Dementors finally defect to the Dark Lord once more. There is no mention that it was in fact Umbridge who set the Dementors onto Harry and Dudley the previous Summer, nor does Severus Snape get any mention for being the one who alerts the Order of Harry's trip to the Ministry, thus saving his and his friends lives.
Also in the final two chapters of the book Harry is consumed by loss and guilt over Sirius' death. In the movie he seems to take it on the chin with a British stiff upper lip.
Also the whole cast seems to be severely underused. Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, Robbie Coltrane, Helena Bonham Carter, Gary Oldman, Julie Walters, Mark Williams even Rupert Grint and Emma Watson seem so absent in places.
Instead the film seems to be overshadowed by Imelda Stauntons Delores Umbridge. Ms. Staunton is superb throughout though and I guess this feeling of Umbridge Overdose was exactly the desired effect an audience should have felt, as, I suppose that is how every student and teacher at Hogwarts must have been feeling also.
Also special mention to Evanna Lynch who completely nailed the part of Luna Lovegood...exactly how I pictured her in my mind while reading. Well done Evanna. Her first film and I hope not her last. I hope she has a long and successful career in front of her.
Again Sir Michael Gambon fails to impress as Dumbledore. Although now with three films under his belt compared to Richard Harris' original two, he is the predominant Dumbledore of the series, he just fails to convince me of the greatness, wisdom, wit and bravery of the Late Mr. Harris's portrayal.
Even now 5 years after his death, when I read a Potter book, it is only Harris's Dumbledore I can bring myself to picture in my head.
Surely Peter O'Toole, can do better. Go On Peter have a go!
Maybe film lovers who have never read the books will probably enjoy this film more than those who have, but I can't help but feel that many die hard Potter fans will feel a tad disappointed as what could have been the biggest, boldest and most exciting potter yarn yet, has turned out to be a mediocre and unmagical limp squib.
Come back Chris Columbus, Potter needs you for the final two movies.