No magic, no fun

Rating: 6/10 (13 December 2007)

I saw HP and the Order of the Phoenix when it opened in theaters last year and now I have just finished watching the DVD of the film. I found the film quite disappointing. The script and the direction reminded me of old TV series. The ones where everyone stands around while the main character carries the load. Yes, there are fine actors in the movie and I am thankful for the few lines they spoke. This far down on the list of comments, I don't imagine anyone will be reading my remarks so I can babble on for a bit.
Many of the previous comments were disappointed with Michael Gambon as a substitute for Richard Harris. When he appears in the third film, I too, was disappointed because Richard Harris made an indelible impression as Professor Dumbledore. Michael Gambon is, however, a fine actor and I soon got past rejecting him as the Professor. There is a lot to ponder if (though unlikely) a viewer has not read the book(s). The editing was a bit jarring, but then I remember the book was difficult. It is the pivotal book in the series and the characters, who after all, are the most important part of the tale were not presented with any imagination and I did not get a picture of a young person moving closer to the age of serious and (frightening) responsibility.
I love Harry Potter and J. K. Rowling wrote a remarkable series. I dread that the same people are involved in the making of the Half-Blood Prince. I would have liked the films to live up to the books. Not that I expect word for word. Nothing like that. Just the marvelous revelations that took us with Harry Potter and company on the wonderful quest for adulthood.