Production Company: Warner Brothers

Director: David Yates

Principal Actors: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Michael Gambon, Imelda Staunton, Dame Maggie Smith, Gary Oldman, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter

Release Date: July 11, 2007

Film length: 138 minutes

Rating: PG-13

4 stars

Reviewer: Deborah Ground Buckner

Screenwriter Jeremy Leven (The Notebook) says: "Adapting a book into a movie is a piece of cake. All the screenwriter must do is take five hundred pages, thirty characters, twenty chapters, and volumes of internal thought and convert it to a hundred and twenty pages (at most), three characters (at most), three acts (no more, no less), and make it all visual." This well describes the arduous task it is to bring each volume of the Harry Potter series to the screen. Invariably, the ardent followers of the books will complain about the material that didn't make it to film, but, conversely, the non-reading movie buff with the sore backside would complain about the running time if every detail were included.

Michael Goldenberg's screenplay and David Yates' direction have brought the substance and spirit of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix to a successful film adaptation. The Harry Potter film series has changed directors nearly as often as Hogwarts changes professors of Defense Against the Dark Arts, but each of the four previous films (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, directed by Chris Columbus; Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, directed by Alfonso Cuarón; and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, directed by Mike Newell) has captured the essence of the adventures of the boy wizard, and Yates falls brilliantly into this company.

Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) is growing into adolescence with all the internal angst even non-wizards-in-training experience. As he deals with raging emotions and hormones, the wizarding world is facing its own turmoil with news that Lord Voldemort is returning to power. The typical teen-aged lament of “No one understands me!” is rammed down Harry's throat as the Ministry of Magic issues denials of Harry's claims about the Dark Lord's return, and headlines in The Daily Prophet make Harry the laughing-stock of Hogwarts. But even before this unfortunate scenario, Harry faces the question of whether he will be allowed to return to Hogwarts after he, an underage wizard, uses magic to defend himself and his cousin, Dudley (Harry Melling). Finding protection from old friends Sirius Black (Gary Oldman), Remus Lupin (David Thewlis), Alastar “Mad-Eye” Moody (Brendan Gleeson) and the full gamut of Weasleys, Harry also meets Nymphodora Tonks (Natalia Tena) and Kingsley Shacklebolt (George Harris), all members of the mysterious Order of the Phoenix. Harry must appear before the Wizenmagot, the court of justice of the wizarding world, where Professor Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) comes to his defense.

At Hogwarts, we are also treated to the introduction of new characters. Professor Delores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton) enters as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. This is clearly Staunton's film; she has literally stepped out of the pages of the book, dressed in pink with an uncannily irritating voice that drips poisoned sugar. Umbridge is a plant by the Ministry of Magic, given the power to spy on the faculty and students of Hogwarts and litter the school's bulletin boards with daily restrictions of rights and privileges, snatching more power for herself with every step. Loony—that is, Luna—Lovegood (Evanna Lynch), Hogwarts student, makes her first appearance in the film series. Every moment Lynch is on screen is a joy; she has completely captured the dreamy innocence of Luna that masks a great understanding and knowledge. We also are treated to Harry's much-billed “first kiss,” to fellow student Cho Chang (Katie Leung). However, if that was a “first” kiss, a second would have changed the rating of the film!

As the students face tighter and tighter restrictions and the frustration of being deprived of training to defend themselves against the growing threat of Voldemort, Harry, Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) form “Dumbledore's Army,” meeting with Hogwarts students in the secret “Room of Requirement” to train in defensive spells. It is a joy to see Harry's wussy friend, Neville Longbottom (Matthew Lewis) gaining in skill and confidence. The effects of the Room of Requirement appearing and disappearing are breathtaking. The efforts of the Weasley twins, George (Oliver Phelps) and Fred (James Phelps) to give Umbridge her comeuppance are a delight to the eye and ear.

Alan Rickman has another lovely turn as Severus Snape in his attempts to teach Harry to protect his mind from Lord Voldemort. We have a poignant glimpse of the young Snape that will continue the raging debate of whether Snape is a good guy or a bad guy.

Hogwarts' half-giant gamekeeper, Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane) returns and introduces Harry, Ron and Hermione to his half-brother, a full giant named Grawp. Grawp is so very clearly the product of animation that his character is a bit of a disappointment; I was expecting a giant to look like a human, only bigger.

There are no exciting scenes of quidditch in this film, but fans of action and special effects will find all they need in the climactic wizards battle which features Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham Carter), recently-escaped from Azkaban, loyal to the Dark Lord and thoroughly insane in a surprisingly sexy way. Ralph Fiennes is completely sinister as Lord Voldemort, all a dreaded villain should be. Gary Oldman and Michael Gambon both give excellent performances in their battle scenes, the outcome of each eliciting strong emotions.

Alas, Maggie Smith and Emma Thompson have too little to do in this film, Dobby the House Elf and Nearly Headless Nick make no appearance at all, and Harry's visit to St. Mungo's Hospital where he again encounters Gilderoy Lockhart (played by Kenneth Branagh in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets) has been omitted. But the result is a well-paced film that clearly moves through the major plot points of the book while taking time to permit enjoyment of the characters that have become so well loved.