Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Rating: 8/10 (8 August 2007)

I will admit that by this point the films may have become just a little dark for the younger members in the audience, but this fifth instalment in the series is never the less, as with the others, great viewing. Basically Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and his cousin Dudley (Harry Melling) are attacked near Privet Drive by two Dementors, forcing the young wizard to summon the Patronus charm, but of course spells are forbidden by young wizards in the Muggle world. So he is devastated to be told he has been expelled, but he is going to the wizard court in the Ministry of Magic to plead his case, with the help of Professor Albus Dumbledore (Sir Michael Gambon) and other members of the society called the Order of the Pheonix. After being cleared of the charges, he is allowed to go back to Hogwarts with friends Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) and Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint), and they also meet student Luna Lovegood (Evanna Lynch), and the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton), seen at Harry's hearing, and appointed by Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge (Robert Hardy). The Ministry do not believe the claims that Lord Voldermort (Ralph Fiennes) has returned, and Umbridge is severely punishing Harry by forcing him to write with a cursed quill, carving the words "I must not tell lies" onto his hand. Her control over the school grows and grows as more rules are brought in on behalf of her and the Ministry, and she is not even teaching the students the right spells and skills in the Dark Arts classes that they will need to fight off any threat coming. Therefore Harry, Ron and Hermoine, along with many other rebellious students, find the secret Room of Requirement that can be hidden away, and they use to become "Dumbledore's Army" and train their skills, with Harry as teacher. While Dumbledore seems to distance himself from Harry, and he and Cho Chang (Katie Leung) develop romantic feelings that leads to a kiss under the mistletoe, Harry also experiences more nightmares seeing a dark room full of shiny globe prophecies, dark forces attacking Arthur Weasley (Mark Williams) and his godfather Sirius Black (Gary Oldman), so Professor Severus Snape (Alan Rickman) trains him to block out these dark thoughts. The Dark Lord meanwhile is slowly gathering his army, realising nine Death Eaters and Sirius's deranged cousin Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham Carter), known to have killed the parents of Neville Longbottom (Matthew Lewis), from Azkaban prison. After discovering "Dumbledore's Army" and Dumbledore himself escaping arrest, Umbridge becomes the new Headmistress, and things fall apart even more, until a revolt finally comes in the form of the Weasley twins Fred (James Phelps) and George (Oliver Phelps) causing chaos during an exam with fireworks and flying papers. After this Umbridge threatens the illegal Cruciatus Curse on Harry unless they reveal their intentions, but Hermoine tricks her to follow them into the Dark Forest where the brother of Rubeus Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane), Grawp, and the herd of centaurs get rid of her. Seeing a vision, Harry, Ron, Hermoine, Luna, Neville, and Ginny Weasley (Bonnie Wright) fly to the Ministry of Magic, where Sirius was last seen, and find the Department of Mysteries where thousands of prophecies are kept, including the one revealing truths about Voldermort and Harry's fates. Dumbledore's Army end up in a small fight against the Death Eaters, including Lucius Malfoy (Jason Isaacs) when he does not get the prophecy they want, and all are eventually caught and threatened to be killed unless Harry hands it over. Just when he does give it to Malfoy all the Order of the Phoenix, including Nymphadora Tonks (Natalia Tena), Kingsley Shacklebolt (Raiders of the Lost Ark's George Harris),Professor Remus Lupin (David Thewlis), and Professor Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody (Brendan Gleeson) show up to join the fight, the prophecy is destroyed accidentally, but in the process of battle Bellastrix Lestrange manages to kill Sirius, and Voldermort shows up before she can be tortured by Harry. Dumbledore shows up to have a quick battle with the Dark Lord, and before vanishing he quickly possesses Harry's body in the hope of killing him as well, but the love inside the young wizard overpowers and he leaves his body. In the end Fudge and all the Ministry accept that Voldermort has indeed returned, the school returns to form, Dumbledore explains the distancing was because of their connection, and Harry accepts that the prophecy is that he or Voldermort will kill each other in the end. Also starring Fiona Shaw as Petunia Dursley, Richard Griffiths as Vernon Dursley, Dame Maggie Smith as Minerva McGonagall, Julie Walters as Mrs. Weasley, Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy, David Bradley as Argus Filch, Emma Thompson as Professor Sybil Trelawney and Warwick Davis as Filius Flitwick. The casting is spot on, with the young actors still giving great performances, but also the new addition of Staunton normally really nice characters but here actually quite sinister as the Nurse Ratched style teacher, the action is exciting, and as always the special effects really engage you and take you into this magical world, a terrific family fantasy fantasy. It was nominated the BAFTAs for Best Production Design and Best Special Visual Effects. Harry Potter was number 45 on The 100 Greatest Pop Culture Icons, but he was also number 35 on The 100 Worst Britons (the only fictional person, why?). Very good!