Improved acting from all but about as rushed as it's predecessor...

Rating: Null/10 (28 July 2007)

I was really apprehensive going to see this as the film before this, Goblet of Fire was a major disappointment. This, while an improvement on the last has some problems in pacing and scenes just don't last that long and feel tacked together with a shot over Hogwarts or something.
This is obviously a lot more emotional than the last, with Harry feeling like an outcast and loosing his temper easily, even with his friends. He's annoyed that people at the school and even the Minister of Magic himself just refuse to believe that Voldemort is back.
We're introduced to Luna Lovegood in this one, played quite well by newcomer Evanna Lynch. Luna's a distinctly dotty individual who in her own little world. While she may see completely off her head to her fellow students she and Harry connect through both him and her being outsiders.
Rupert Grint as Ron has really improved loads in this one, even if he doesn't have that many lines we don't see the unsightly face-pulling he was doing in earlier films and Emma Watson's eyebrow-acting as Hermione is still there yet more tolerable than Goblet.
The new teacher(completely evil yet appears to look like someone's aunt)Umbridge dressed completely in pink is deliciously evil and it's almost as if she's jumped from the pages of the book.
Even the kiss that was massively over-hyped, and although a bit longer than expected was alright, but seemed to be lacking in chemistry between Dan Radcliffe and Katie Leung. It just seemed very ... mechanical.
I have to say the battle between Voldemort and Dumbledore towards the end was jaw-dropping(and what I was really looking forward to), with Dan's improved acting showing especially here. It ends a bit too soon for my liking, though.
All in all, it was that bit better than the last but the editing was weird and even though it's the longest book in the series made into the shortest film, they could've made it that bit longer to explain things, as part of me thinks non-book readers won't understand some stuff mentioned.
Like a stepping stone between this and the nest one really.