A flawed yet still superb performance.

Rating: 8/10 (9 August 2007)

My chief complaint about this film was that certain key (comical) scenes that I anticipated for months were disappointingly not there. Am I the only one who was looking forward to seeing the DA give Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle what for when they attacked Harry on the Hogwarts train at year end? Or the swamp created in the Great Hall by the Weasley twins? Granted the movie was meant to be dark and somber, but a little humor never hurts, especially when it is so delightfully described in JK Rowling's prose.
That said, the overall movie was a resounding success. The acting on all parts was superb. I haven't seen a better casting of a Hogwarts "villain" than Imelda Staunton as Dolores Umbridge since Kenneth Brannaugh's delightful portrayal of Gilderoy Lockhart. Staunton had the best (worst?) traits of the character down cold. Her oozing patronizing speech as she spoke down to the students. Her vile cold-hardiness as she "tortured" Harry in detention. I could go on and on. As for other "villains", Helena Bonham-Carter as the malevolent and somewhat mad Bellatrix Lestrange was also riveting, if somewhat underused. David Bradley really shone as Argus Filch in this movie, more so than any of the preceding ones. The Dursleys were as always dreadfully good, but very underused. I did not get a good sense of Uncle Vernon's delightful villainy this time around. Tom Bradley as Draco Malfoy was also woefully underused, but I am sure this will be remedied in Half-Blood Prince. And Kreacher couldn't have been done better, although I was disappointed to see his part in the villainy that resulted in Black's death was woefully absent in the picture.
The two newest female "good guys" were also superb, although in one case woefully underused. The casting of Evanna Lynch and Natalia Tena as Luna Lovegood and Nymphadora Tonks, was brilliant. Tonks' character was not seen nearly enough, but in both cases when the characters were seen, Evanna and Natalia stole the show.
Of course the old regulars did their usual superb jobs (well for the most part anyway). Dan, Emma, and Rupert really shine in this movie, showing how much the characters of Harry, Hermoine, and Ron have grown through the years because of their trials and just because kids just have a way of growing up. I especially like the transformation of Hermoine from "follow the rules to the letter" bookworm to actually enjoying being a rebel. I have always enjoyed Maggie Smith's portrayal of McGonagal and she did not disappoint me in this movie. Robbie Coltrane as Hagrid was not used enough, but this was true to the book. (Grawp was fantastically done by the way, although not quite the way I pictured him). I can't get used to Professor Flitwick's amazing youthful transformation that took place in an earlier film, but Warwick Davis still does a fine job. Snape as always is delightful (Alan Rickman is one of my all time favorite actors), and the way he reacts to Harry seeing the memory of him being taunted and teased by James Potter was superb. Speaking of that scene, however, the aftermath (Harry coming to grips with the fact that his father wasn't perfect and maybe Snape had a reason to be the way he is) was just glossed over. A wonderful opportunity for character development lost.
I have never been a fan of Michael Gambon's Dumbledore. Richard Harris was so much better, and I couldn't help but wonder how he would have interpreted the Dumbledore scenes in this movie. Gambon did okay, more so than in the last film, but he just doesn't have the magic that Harris did.
The plot, except for the disappointment I expressed at the beginning of this review was actually handled quite well and the story was moving. I can't complain at all there. Like others have mentioned, some more detail in the Hall of Prophecy scene would have been an improvement, as could have Fred and George Weasley's last stand. And not having the centaurs speak about why they hate wizards made what they did to Umbridge a bit confusing. Still all in all, a great movie that I recommend to all Potter-fanatics.