HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF PHOENIXHarry Potter aficionados and fanatics slam through a gauntlet of
sporadic, shifting tones and qualities across the series'' film
adaptation. Ranging from the first expansive
films that flutter like
golden Snitches gracing the screen to the leaner, punchier installments
resembling Bludgers of varying intensity, each injection from Hogwarts''
bubbling cauldron adds something new to the brew. As the
characters evolve, equally does the manner and aggressiveness of the films.In
steps Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the fifth sizeable
brick wedged into the foundation of this cinematic empire storming the
world much like the J.K. Rowling novels they''re based upon. I''ve blazed
through these gripping little slices of fantasy almost as quick as many
other die-hard fanatics. To my amazement and after critical
disagreement about Order of the Phoenix as a book, this entry into the
Potter universe easily seeped into my heart as a favorite. It was the
darker tone and fluidly cinematic quality that did it.David Yates, take
your rightful place in the winner''s circle. You''ve grappled the tone of
one of the darker Harry Potter stories in Order of the Phoenix, and
done so with a richly swirling gruffness that ferociously mirrors the
novel''s breadth. Those unfamiliar with this venture into Harry''s
teenage angst should be prepared for something different than what you
might be used to.
Instead of the sheepish, wide-eyed wizard that quakes
and stands entranced at the smallest inkling of magical whimsy, Harry
now stands as a firmly developing staple in the Hogwarts campus.
However, he''s more like a staple than you might think; instead of
leading the pack he''s helping to hold together, Harry initially stays
detached from most of the other students after a few rough patches from
the past year. To various degrees, this includes his partners in crime
Ron and Hermoine.Following the tumultuous events that ravaged the
previous year''s end, the wizarding world is in upheaval at the prospect
of "the" evil villain''s imminent return. A war is brewing, not only
between the forces of good and evil but also between Hogwarts'' School
of
magic and the wizard world''s Ministry of Magic, which believes
Voldemort''s return to be fabricated. When the belief of overheads lacks
the momentum for action, it''s up to the strongest of wizards to take
matters into their own wands. Even the youngest of these trailblazers
strive to push forward underneath the controlling, watchful eye of this
misinformed and controlling company. On this smaller scale,
authoritative oversight manifests at Hogwarts inside the saccharine,
sublimely evil presence of not-so-undercover teacher Dolores Umbridge. Order
of the Phoenix did something bizarre to my piqued curiosity during the
film: It left me silently mumbling the statement "Huh, This is a Harry
Potter movie" quite a bit, each time with a smile on my face. And it''s
because Order of the Phoenix is unlike the other films, draped with
darkness and inextinguishable angst, that it works as well as it does.
What this disparity and bleak manner accomplishes tends to reflect a
bit on what Alfonso Cuarón achieved as director with Prisoner of
Azkaban, still my favored of all the Harry Potter films. Each of the
characters doesn''t necessarily get "lost" in the world of magic, but
instead
sense the power of this magic and utilize it as a powerful
tool. Instead of the spacey, gleeful looks in their faces when they
thwart forward a repellant spell or protection charm, there''s more of a
cutting edge grin that fits their discovery to a point. Imagine what
we''d be like if we were that age and started discovering how to throw
forward magical bolts of energy. But worry not, magiof electrically infused magical potency within
Order of the Phoenix in spurting flickers leading up to an astoundingly
replicated grand finale to satisfy those wispy, movie-going indulgent
eyes.A more natural demeanor about the whimsical core of this series
also means a much more natural air about each of the characters that
grasp its capacity. With the stringently adapted efforts from Columbus''
airy, atmospheric introductory films and Newell''s collaborative
assembly with Goblet of Fire, the nature of Hogwarts and its magic
swallows up the characters and neglects to give them a fluid sense of
realism. They''re formulated, strong, and glaringly characteristic, but
lack that sense of realism needed to share an affinity with them as
"people". There''s where David Yates, while working with easily
adaptable material in that sense, has achieved true characters with
drive and purpose. Radcliffe, Grint, and Watson as our heroic triad
have all developed their acting chops admirably over the years,
standing quite strong against their prominent elders. Though Hermoine
and Ron amongst other students and faculty members stand aside and to
the back of Harry a bit more than in the other films, that''s both
fairly reflective of the material and appropriate for the brooding,
separated troubles Harry endures. Matched with the pleasantly gruff
performance from Gary Oldman as Sirius Black and, to almost
show-stopping levels, the grating presence of Imelda Staunton''s
Umbridge, these key characters from the Harry Potter universe conjure
up a strikingly natural and affecting momentum.But the steadfast drive
underneath these overbearing efforts from Umbridge and the Ministry
gives this film a quieter, buzzing tone akin to an enraged group of
wasps within a glass jar. Frustration sets in and that sick, nerved
feeling swells in your gut as the authoritative magicians persistently,
and effectively, muddle in the affairs at Hogwarts. Most importantly,
you actually see that sense of urgency to break loose from this thick
tension. There''s a lot of the rebellious anxiety of younger adults
swimming around in the narrative, yet it seems almost null and void
within the purpose they fight for. Harry Potter and the Order of the
Phoenix, though not a bombastic acceleration through narrative, holds
more tension within its subdued stringency than any amount of
outlandish bravado could''ve provided. Once this tension mounting starts
to fold atop of itself amidst the 135+ minute runtime, you''ll be glad
those fluent, twisting knots worked as well as they did on your
insides.How does a director take an 800-page tale of darkness,
coming-of-age, and suppression and craft something that shaves down,
enhances, and ensnares the core material? David Yates has tackled said
challenge admirably. Sure, a few moments of grinding, flinching changes
might find their way like needle pricks into the hearts of purists.
However, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix not only gets an
incredible amount right with its time with the audience as a properly
dark fantasy film, it takes many points well beyond expectations. Oh,
and those expecting one whopper of a conclusion are in for an
explosive, dizzying treat.