Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Review..

Well it is finally here.. Better still I am finally able to post a review on the movie everyone has been waiting for.. " Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.." Harry returns for his fifth year of study at Hogwarts and discovers that much of the wizarding community is in denial about the teenager's recent encounter with the evil Lord Voldemort, preferring to turn a blind eye to the news that Voldemort has returned.. Fearing that Hogwarts' venerable Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, is lying about Voldemort's return in order to undermine his power and take his job, the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, appoints a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher to keep watch over Dumbledore and the Hogwarts students..

But Professor Dolores Umbridge's Ministry - approved course of defensive magic leaves the young wizards woefully unprepared to defend themselves against the dark forces threatening them and the entire wizarding community, so at the prompting of his friends Hermione and Ron, Harry takes matters into his own hands.. Meeting secretly with a small group of students who name themselves " Dumbledore's Army," Harry teaches them how to defend themselves against the Dark Arts, preparing the courageous young wizards for the extraordinary battle that lies ahead..

Rated: [ M ] Moderate Fantasy Themes and Violence

Cinema release: 11th July 2007

Running Time: 138 minutes

Stars: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Imelda Staunton, Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes, Robbie Coltrane, Katie Leung

" Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix " marks the most mature year at Hogwarts yet - but at the same time suffers from 'middle - chapter syndrome' and a mountain of exposition in preparation for the final two adaptations, " Half-Blood Prince " and " Deathly Hallows.."

Things are indeed getting darker in the world of Potter.. In " Order of the Phoenix," both the mood and color scheme are grim, gray and black.. There is pink, as a matter of fact, but this belongs to the first female villain of the literary and film series.. Harry goes through a series of experiences that initiate him into the adult world: frightening nightmares, a first kiss, an encounter with the odiousness of order, the discovery of the complexity of the battle between good and evil, and painfully hard lessons that have to be wrestled from death on many different levels.. Sound quite heavy? It is, and so are the burdens of growing up, even if you are an accomplished wizard..

The movie begins as summer comes to an end, Harry Potter ( Daniel Radcliffe ) has a nasty encounter with two spectral Dementors, in which Harry saves his cousin Dudley Dursley ( Harry Melling ) from them.. Harry is forced to defend his actions to a court at the Ministry of Magic for the underage use of magic outside of school and in the presence of a Muggle.. Things seem stacked against him until Albus Dumbledore ( Michael Gambon ), the headmaster of Hogwarts, defends him and he is allowed to return to school..

But he's not exactly welcomed there.. Many in the community refuse to believe he is telling the truth about the return of the evil Lord Voldemort.. There are still many in the community who refuse to believe that Voldemort has returned and is gathering new followers.. Harry is troubled by nightmares and feels isolated even from his best friends, Hermione and Ron..

Saved by the intervention of Dumbledore ( Michael Gambon ), he begins a new term at Hogwarts accused of lying about his encounter with the evil Voldemort and distrusted by some students.. But danger is afoot at the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: the evil Lord Voldemort ( Ralph Fiennes ) is rebuilding his army, while a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher - the conservative, control - crazy Professor Dolores Umbridge ( Imelda Staunton ) - is plotting to overthrow Dumbledore..

With the school doing little to improve their wizarding skills, Harry, Hermione and Ron team with a select band of students to form Dumbledore's Army and start training themselves for the battles to come.. Hermione and Ron convince Harry to teach a group of willing teenagers the appropriate spells.. Their group is a tribute to the original Order of the Phoenix, a secret organization formed by Dumbledore to combat the forces of evil; Harry's parents, the Weasley's, and his friend Sirius Black were members.. Harry's spirits are lifted as he teaches his peers to use their powers in new ways.. He is especially impressed by the support he gets from Luna Lovegood ( Evanna Lynch ), a soft - spoken young girl and Cho Chang ( Katie Leung ), his long - time admirer..

With the danger of Voldemort drawing closer, Harry and a rebel group of students have to fly back to London for a climactic face - off against Voldemort and his henchmen in a Ministry of Magic storeroom..

Since the first " Harry Potter " film was released in 2001, audiences around the world have had the great pleasure of watching Radcliffe and his two young co - stars, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, grow up before their eyes.. The three have matured to a point where their characters are effortlessly portrayed - " Order of the Phoenix " is the strongest in the series in terms of performances..

Hermione and Ron are ever - present, but their significance in the story seems to shrink as Harry grows.. But to dwell on a few weaknesses would be to neglect the obvious point - that Harry Potter is older, bigger and darker than ever.. And no one would want to miss his journey..

" Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix " overflows with devious plots, plans and clever machinations, and is constantly entertaining, wonderfully condensing what was the longest of JK Rowling's books.. ( 800 pages if I remember correctly )

Alan Rickman delivers an outstanding hissing performance as the dark and doleful Snape, and Helena Bonham Carter crops up in the final section as the maniacal villainess Bellatrix Lestrange..

The youngsters are all pretty impressive.. But Ron ( Rupert Grint ) is never given enough to do, and while Hermione ( Emma Watson ) is as earnest as ever, it is Ron's sister, ( Bonnie Wright ) Ginny, who makes the most subtle and memorable impact.. Her time is to come..

Oddly, the Cho Chang character simply fades away and disappears after her lip action with Harry, but you don't mind too much because the final half - hour is a truly classic piece of action - adventure.. The special effects are superb, and this time round we really get some proper wizard duelling, with the wands doubling as deadly weapons and blood spilled as the young heroes slug it out with a grizzled group of baddie magicians..

There is even a Star Wars moment as Dumbledore ( The Obi - Wan Kenobi in this version ) goes wand - to - wand with Voldemort ( Darth Vader ) as they battle for the life and soul of Harry Potter..

This time the magical teens are making the difficult transition to young adults.. Love, betrayal, independence and commitment all play their part.. The film is a cracking piece of entertainment - it's well over two hours long, but you simply wish it could go on..

Wonderfully directed by David Yates, it is an energetic epic that will keep Potter fans more than happy as the countdown for the new - and final - book draws on..

I give " Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix " 4 out of 5..