exhilarating, if somewhat flawed, fifth entry into the film adaptation series

Rating: 7/10 (18 July 2007)

Bringing an eight-hundred-plus-page novel that is full of detail and subplots into a compatible storyline for a film adaptation can be a difficult procedure. Especially when you want the film to still be a successful and compelling feature. No matter how poorly it was done, the film would make big bucks because it's based off such a popular novel. But "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" is not a badly-made movie. Yes, it's flawed and to a considerable degree. It's not perfect, but it's a mighty entertaining motion picture. In terms of visual excitement and heart-pounding entertainment, it's perhaps the best out of all five of the series. I can't say if it really is though, for it does have some flaws that I personally cannot overlook.
Really, the main problem with the film overall is not the pacing. Like the previous film, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire", the very beginning of the movie is rushed-through, quick-paced, and in some ways, not very clearly made out for the audience members who have not read the book. But in this case, the beginning is so rushed and so poorly made that it's painful to look at. I'm sorry, but in my opinion, this movie has one of the worst beginnings of all time. Especially in the first five minutes. And for the next thirty or forty minutes, the movie isn't very clear. We meet out main characters of the story much too quickly, some of whom we haven't seen since the third installment "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban", and we don't get very much development from them. They are almost unnecessary, yet they get some more-than-necessary screen time and lines in the beginning.
However, once the beginning has passed by and the painful-to-look-at parts of the film have dissipated and gone by, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" is magnificently made for the screen. Full of come good humor, exciting moments, state-of-the-art visual effects in heart-pounding thrilling sequences, and finally some good character development from our talented cast, the movie keeps you glued to your seat from that point to the ending credits. There are even some really dramatic moments in the film, such as Harry's speech in the Hog's Head. It almost seems like a real case of life and death. And there is, of course, the much-anticipated kiss. It didn't really turn out how I was expecting it to be, but it was still good enough for this magical teenager love subplot of the film. It didn't really kick off much in any way afterwards and might leave a few people confused at the end. The bonding we do get is between Harry and his friends, his long-gone parents, his teachers, and everyone else who will stand with him during these terrible times for them in their world of wizards and magic.
Performances by everybody were simply glamorous and well-done. Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson are still very talented for their parts and they really seem like the characters from the books in a lot of ways. And this, in my opinion, isn't just owed to the screenplay, but to the actors themselves, who are adjusting and understanding the characters very well and becoming a lot like them. Imelda Staunton, who played Professor Umbridge, was keen at the role of being an irritating and dislikable character who acts and behaves sweetly in a creepy manner, just like the one J.K. Rowling visualized in the book. Umbridge wasn't as physically ugly as I was expecting, but the personality was really what mattered. Maggie Smith, though her screen time was limited, pulled off a good performance again as McGonnagall. And now, Michael Gambon really does Richard Harris's memory proud as he plays Professor Dumbledore. I admit he wasn't exactly keen for the role in the previous two entries where he took over. But now, he does it perfectly as the kindly, mysterious and now frightened headmaster.
To sum it all up, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" is just simply, well-drawn out and exciting fun. After its terrible start at the beginning of the film, it rises from the bad part of the scale and excels up with its creativity and visual spectaculars until it becomes what could be, for some people, the best out of all of the film adaptations brought to the screen so far.