Okay very funny. Now show us the real movie!!

Rating: 2/10 (22 July 2007)

I'm not usually one to post comments on films. As a matter of fact this is my first time writing a review, but as a fan of the Harry Potter series(both books and films), I felt it my responsibility to warn fellow moviegoers of the latest adaption of our favorite boy wizard's adventures at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Weeks before the movie's release I already had my doubts. After all how can the longest and possibly most revealing book in the series be the shortest of the five films to date. How do you fit over 900 pages of near perfect dialogue into a 138 minute movie and still hit all the key issues covered in the book. Well after watching the film it all became quite clear, you can't.
Don't get me wrong, I realize you can't possibly fit every little detail in a film. Order of the Phoniex's predecessors never did, but what those films were was informative to the point that the only question needed to be asked was "I wonder what will happen in the next one"? The latest leaves viewers not familiar with books asking "what the hell was all that about"? In the end it's just a poor storyline that been disguised with state of art special effects.
Quite a shame really because this could have easily been the best in series by far. I will end the review on a somewhat positive note however. Despite the numerous flaws in the writing, direction and editing, the individual performances of the cast were outstanding. I can only imagine how great they would had they been working with an adequate adaptation.