There isn’t much in the way of wiggle room with the Harry Potter franchise. Either you’re a huge fan who follows every bit of news about the series or you’re someone who notices that behavior and says “hmmmm, that’s odd.” I know both camps, and respect each, but I’m probably closer to the latter than the former so if you’re one of the true believers you probably shouldn’t even be bothering with reviews. You’re going to see it anyway and you might as get your full money’s worth without reviewer interference. As for the rest of you, and the decision you have to make… well, read on.
As I just mentioned, this series isn’t really for me. I tried reading the books and didn’t get much out of them. I’ve seen all the movies but have come away slightly concerned with how similar they all are. This version, The Order of the Phoenix looked to be a darker evolution of the series but it never really got all the way there. It is dark, but not like Batman Begins or even Lord of the Rings and I think the knowledge that two more films are set to follow this one hurts the overall tension of franchise. It’s hard to stay taut when you know everyone will be gathering around for the next two summers to start the story anew.
My problems with the movie include the lack of action and the very easy routes taken to get to the finish line. This is most likely a failing of the book itself, as I’ve been told the films are very faithful renditions. This is not a case of a “lost message” the likes of which we just saw in Transformers. I’d bet the screenplay translates the source material effectively, it’s just that there’s not much to convey. Regardless of where the story came from, it’s just not a fully compelling one to me.
Harry himself starts the movie in the same fashion he always does, at the God-awful house of Muggles. Along the way he’ll battle public perception, the Ministry of Wizardy, and a professor hell bent on corporal punishment. Hermione and Ron join him, Draco is still a jerk-off, and newcomer Evanna Lynch joins the cast as Luna Lovegood in what is easily the best performance of the movie. The rest of the players in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix are such a known quantity that it’s hard to pick out if they’re getting better. They’re definitely acting more like teenagers if that helps your perception at all.
I don’t think this is an easy choice for someone who is not a rabid fan. This would be a decent matinee, but I don’t think anyone aged 20 to 40 who isn’t in love with the franchise needs to make this a priority. It would be slightly better on the big screen, but the effects weren’t big enough that it’s mandatory to see it in the theater. The movie isn’t offensive, or an affront to cinema, but it’s not an eye opening evolution either. It’s just a middle film in a hugely successful series, doing its best not to stick out, but probably not converting new fans either. See this is you see everything, or if you have oodles of free time, or if you troll the Mugglenet message boards around the clock. Short of those qualifiers it’s just a decent summer film in a sea full of alternate entertainment options.
