Daniel Radcliffe finally grows into the role of Harry Potter and gives the performance of his career. Yates is the best director the series has had.

Rating: 9/10 (11 July 2007)

There is no doubt that Harry Potter is an iconic character of a generation, and it would be very easy for filmmakers to go 'typical Hollywood' on the film adaptations and coast through for the sake of money. It is remarkable, however, to witness the awesome dedication from people such as David Heyman, David Barron, David Yates, and especially the young Daniel Radcliffe. The crew of these films work so hard to preserve the magic and brilliance of JK Rowling's novels, and it really shows on screen in the brilliant performances, beautiful sets, and masterful direction.
Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) is growing up fast, and now he must deal with enemies both inside and outside the walls of Hogwarts. Voldemort's (Ralph Fiennes) return is being ignored by the Ministry of Magic, and the Ministry's distrust of Headmaster Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) is most evident when a high ranking official (Imelda Staunton) is placed in Hogwarts as a teacher. Add on that Harry's feelings of alienation and loneliness may get the best of him, and you realize that the wizarding world is taking on a dark tone, and that things may no longer be safe for our heroes.
David Yates has, in my opinion, crafted the finest directorial job of any of the films, finishing just ahead of Alfonso Cuaron's brilliant take on 'Prisoner of Azkaban'. What I like most about Yates is his uncanny ability to retain the spirit of the novel (which is the longest of all), while making a movie that is, not only the shortest, but the only one that doesn't drag, despite the decreased amount of action in comparison to its predecessor, 'Goblet of Fire'. Yates' biggest strength is in his ability to procure good performances across the board, as this is the most well acted out of all the Potter films. Daniel Radcliffe gives the best performance of the series thus far with his great take on a conflicted, vulnerable, and emotionally fragile Harry Potter. It is at this point that we see Harry transition from young boy to young adult. Harry is growing up, just like Radcliffe, who almost effortlessly expresses that. Kudos must always go to Mr. Alan Rickman for giving probably the most loyal and spot on performance as Severus Snape, the scene stealing Potions master. Even in reduced screen time, Rickman gives another award worthy performance. Special mention must also be made for Imelda Staunton and Ralph Fiennes, who are positively scary in their roles as Dolores Umbridge and Lord Voldemort, respectively. Fiennes could have used more screen time, however you can definitely feel the tension between him and Radcliffe as hero and villain despite the lack of screen time. Helena Bonham Carter steals the show in a brief role as Voldemort's most sadistic and loyal follower Bellatrix Lestrange. The most surprising has to be the fine performance from newcomer Evanna Lynch as dreamy and 'out there' student Luna Lovegood. She is simply wonderful as the character, and it should come as no surprise that the character is her favorite. I also feel the need to applaud Gary Oldman for his wonderful portrayal of Sirius Black, a fan favorite. He provides both the fatherly warmth and the brotherly charm given off by Sirius in the novels very well. Also reprising their roles well are Maggie Smith, Mark Williams, David Thewlis, Jason Isaacs, and Julie Walters.
As with any big budget production, the Harry Potter films always boast outstanding special effects and production design. I believe one of the biggest Oscar snubs in 2007 was not giving Stuart Craig a nomination for his brilliant sets, especially Umbridge's office, the Ministry of Magic, the Department of Mysteries, and the Room of Requirement. The sets are beautiful, and are one of the main reasons it's so easy to escape into the magical wizarding world. The special effects, usually a strong point of the Potter films, take a turn for the worse in some scenes, while in others, they are brilliant. This is the fact that the film's post production is rushed showing itself. The centaurs and the giant Grawp (Tony Maudsley) are the weakest point of the visuals, while all the special effects such as magic spells, fireworks, and the climactic Ministry of Magic battle, are simply brilliantly done. Michael Goldenberg's script is good, but there are some flaws and continuity errors, but for the most part it sets the stage for a great adaptation. There are also some editing flaws, but it doesn't really detract from the story. Order of the Phoenix also has the distinction of straying the furthest from the plot, cutting subplots and slightly changing the roles of Neville Longbottom (Matthew Lewis, who is also great) and Cho Chang (Katie Leung...not so much).
All in all, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix can stand alone as a decent political/mystery thriller, that serves as a bridge between the novels from child's play to the supreme darkness that is come in the final 2 installments (however, the final chapter in the story, Deathly Hallows, will be 2 films). It is a great movie that the fans will love a lot more than the critics think. For sure, 'Order' gets better every time you watch it.