It's all in the detail...

Rating: 7/10 (8 August 2007)

I decided to leave it a week or two after seeing Order of the Phoenix to let it level a little in my mind. Mainly because I was really disappointed after coming out the cinema and if I were to have written this review then, I think it would have given the wrong impression!
I will also point out that I am an avid reader of the books. However, I only got into them very recently and so this is the first film version I have seen after reading the book (not the best way round I'm afraid). I wish I could have waited for the film to come out before reading the damm book but there you go, what's done is done!
So to the review
Firstly, the look of the film is pretty much what I imagined. There is of course large chunks of storyline taken out for timing reasons (though the film could have been 20 minutes longer, it would have made all the difference), but as to what is there, it looks good, it's fast paced and entertaining. The shots have the right amounts of darkness and mystery (though funnily enough not as dark as Azkaban) and the new characters (Umbridge, Bellatrix and Tonks) and places make the story grow with excitement of what's to come. What's missing is detail!
Now I'm not saying that I expected to see the whole book transposed on to screen (it was a bloody big book) but there were certain things that were merely touched upon that should have had an extra few minutes, just to give the film clarity, rather than filling it with amusing montages of Filch and Umbridge giving children horrible detentions.
On the good side, the child leads have also grown in appearance as well as acting ability (I had to keep reminding my friend how oooohing over the young Harry Potter was wrong in so many ways). Though to be honest the more I watch then the less I notice. Daniel is far better in this one and I've never had a problem with Ron. Hermione is still a little wooden but it never makes me as half as angry as watching Keira Knightly "act" so I'll get it pass!
As for the rest of the cast, they are wonderful as usual and under used! But we should be used to this by know I guess. Luckily, Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Robbie Coltrane, Michael Gambon and everyone I haven't named at Hogwarts are such gems of England; they steal every scene they are in, even if it's just a look (especially Rickman). The Hogwarts Staff are also joined my the elusive Order of the Phoenix, which along with most of the above names we are joined once again by Gary Oldman, David Thewlis and Brendon Gleason of the 3rd and 4th movies and regular sweethearts Julie Walters and Mark Williams, not to mention newbie Tonks played by Natalia Tena (barely introduced) who have re-banded together to raise an Army to fight Voldermort.
But no one will tell Harry Potter anything. He's not heard from his two best friends all summer and now has been called in front of the Ministry because he used magic outside school, defending himself (and his cousin Dudley) from Dementors. Worst of all, the powers at the Ministry refuse to believe the Dark Lord is back, calling Harry a liar and they've sent a she-devil in the form of new Defence Against the Dark Arts Teacher Dolores Umbridge to keep an eye out at Hogwarts.
There's only one option left. Rebellion!
I'm not saying there's anything wrong with Order of the Phoenix, it's an action packed, entertaining story and nearly everything that's stuffed into the 138 minute film is as I imagined. The acting is fantastic, praise to Imelda Staunton, it's exactly how I imagined she's be and the original story is there, I just hope that they've put enough of the detail in needed to explain it all when they finally make Half Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows!
Still not the atmostphere of Azkaban but bloody entertaining! But looses marks on detail!