Over hyped rubbish... I'm going to watch paint dry...

Rating: 2/10 (11 July 2007)

Well I just saw OotP, and the only actors I would keep would be Jason Isaacs, Helena Bonham-Carter, Gary Oldman, George Harris, Brendan Gleeson, David Thewlis and Alan Rickman.
The rest just plain sucked.
Daniel Radcliffe had better buck his ideas up if he thinks that acting is a career. Wooden just wasn't the word. In the book you can sense his anger, frustration and pain. The only pain I sensed was having to put up with another scene with him in. As an example his line 'Get behind me' sounded more as if he was standing in a lunch queue at school. Where oh where had his feelings for Sirius gone? By the time he was getting on the train to go home it was like he had never even met him. Weird. He will be the next Mark Hamill or Macauly Culkin. No talent.
As for Emma Watson, well she managed to deliver the lines but that was about it. Where was the feeling and understanding when she describes how Cho was feeling to Harry and Ron? It came across so well in the book, she managed to make it really dull and uninteresting. Radcliffe's response of 'wet' was hurried and forced out as though lunch had just been called and he wanted to be first in the queue.
Rupert Grint actually has started to show a bit of character, but was given too little to do. I think the only thing he really mucked up was the 'Who are you? and what have you done with Hermione Granger?' line. Having said that the response from Emma Watson was limp. Mind you he was the pick of the 'students'.
Matthew Lewis as Neville will never get a job outside this franchise on the strength of that performance. The Phelps twins were OK but again had too little to do. Same for Evanna Lynch. She looked like she knew something about acting and was actually believable as Luna, but she had far too little to work with.
Ralph Fiennes was as malevolent as a tea cup, and Imelda Staunton was about as frightening as wet paint.
Michael Gambon sucks as Dumbldore, he has never had the quiet calm that comes over in the books. He would be better as the sorting hat.
Natalia Tena needed more lines..... She never had a chance with the material she was given, and seemed to be there because she was in the book and to give the CGi guys some more chances to show off. More pointless window dressing.
Maggie Smith had an indifferent outing as McGonnagall. I've come to expect better of her.
As did Robbie Coltrane. He never came across as Hagrid like the first films, but he must have had ooh, nearly five minutes on screen.
Richard Leaf was just plain rubbish as Dawlish. He looked like a used car salesman. I was fully expecting him to try and sell Dumbledore a used Ford. I know he had hardly any screen time, but.....
As for Grawp, I thought I had gone into Shrek the third by mistake. Where did the ugly, brutal giant go? I half expected Donkey or Princess Fiona to appear...
There was much talk of the film being darker. Well darker sets would have covered it, the characters were as frothy as ever, hardly ever showing any of the strain that is apparent in the books.
Except for David Thewlis, he looked excellent as the haggard Lupin and performed his 'down at heal' role very well.
Alan Rickman shone out again as Severus Snape, except they had cut out some of his better lines from the book.
Gary Oldman was better than I expected, but could have done with more screen time. He never got to show brooding Sirius, nor did he get his best one liner either. 'Come on cousin, you can do better than that!' Jason Isaacs again led from the front, he is the very epitome of the elder Malfoy, and exudes a sinister feel that makes his character very believable. He should have been given the Lord Voldemort part. I could actually believe I was going to die if he was Lord Voldemort. Ralph Fiennes, well I think I just ordered a Latte didn't I? First time performers Helena Bonham-Carter was exceptional, but again needed more screen time.
George Harris was excellent as Shackbolt, he had confidence and presence, something that so many lacked. His costume and manner were perfect, and his voice, just brilliant.
Brendan Gleeson again impressed me with his over the top Moody. He seems just as bonkers as the character in the book.
Overall the film was less than impressive, if that is the best David Yates can do he should not take the next film.
I try to go to the movies at least twice a week. This was one of those films where I found myself looking at my watch halfway through thinking is it nearly over yet? I would have to say one to one and a half stars at best. Over-hyped, and now full of overpaid teenagers who just cannot act. You could excuse the first two or maybe three films, but now they really should be starting to show some craft and talent.