Harry Potter And The Generic Plotlined Cauldron, And Dragons Tale Of Overused CGI

Rating: 4/10 (28 August 2007)

"It's not as good as the books", "they didn't include half the stuff they should have", "it's not how I pictured it, they should have..." these are all various complaints levelled at this fifth instalment in the Harry Potter franchise and to be honest I tend to ignore these reviews and focus on these wizardry tales purely on the basis of being a film, and not a novel to screen transfer. As a film, how does our wand waving hero compare to his previous outings? Well, not so good. What has dissipated is a sense of mysticism, the fear of the unknown, now it is purely a fear of will Emma Watson be able to give a competent performance before they're all thirty and starring in Harry Potter And The It's Not Over Yet sequel.
There is a new director at the helm here, and it is instantly noticeable. The compositions and frame work are still eye catching, but there is notable lack of drive through the camera work, and often, especially in the latter magical battle stages the camera can pan right across everyone fighting everyone and you have absolutely no clue as to who is doing what or where anyone is. But surely it looks better? Well, yes and no. There is a crispness to the post- Valdermort infected world, and it does look darker if not feel it, but there is an unnecessary usage of CGI in places where real life props would have sufficiently sufficed. It makes the world seem less magical, and the plot can do that easily enough by itself.
The evil Lord has entered into the fifth instalment as we continue from the end of volume IV, but nobody believes either Harry or Dumbledore for one reason or another and the explanation given is completely ludicrous (it's far too, it is so because it is so). So what is the drive in this particular film? In all the previous outings there was a means, something which needed doing or someone who needed protecting as a means to keep the one whose name shall not be said at bay, but with him existing in the world now as an entity the film lacks enough drive, things are going on, but they don't really constitute anything towards the characters or plot line, apart from some untimely departures. I'm well aware there are many Potterites who found this to be the most enjoyable of the books, but in the contextualisation of cinema I found this one to be the most boring and most tedious. It told me nothing I already knew, it introduced a new character, and..? That's about it. It's over two hours of bone-fide Catherine wheels and sparklers flying around a screen with Harry throwing a hissy fit in the background and Emma Watson still sending shivers down everyones spine with her ineptitude.
So does Harry Potters fifth outing actually provide any saving graces? Well the performances of both Grint and Radcliffe are standout, and the two are achieving quite a name for themselves through this as each performance grows in stature and conviction. The storyline, whilst in fact going nowhere and being far too clustered moves along at a brisk pace which keeps interest, and makes the outing somewhat more worthwhile and enjoyable (perhaps even durable) during its tenure. Alan Rickman and Michael Gambon provide respectability, particularly the former on this occasion, but otherwise there is little to write home about. The story is far too stop-start, stop-start, and without a discernible direction you wonder whether or not this a particularly necessary fifth film (I haven't said book potterites so be patient). Yes Order Of The Phoenix follows on from Goblet amiably enough but as a whole, the experience is comparable to the added special edition scenes in The Lord Of The Rings films in that, yes they're entertaining to have there, but the story drives along just as well without them.