Directed by:
David YatesScreenplay:
Michael GoldenbergCinematography:
Sławomir IdziakComposer:
Nicholas HooperCast:
Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Jason Isaacs, Tom Felton, Maggie Smith, Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon (more)VOD (6)
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The rebellion begins! Lord Voldemort has returned, but the Ministry of Magic is doing everything it can to keep the wizarding world from knowing the truth - including appointing Ministry official Dolores Umbridge as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts. When Umbridge refuses to teach practical defensive magic, Ron and Hermione convince Harry to secretly train a select group of students for the wizarding war that lies ahead. A terrifying showdown between good and evil awaits in this enthralling film version of the fifth novel in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. Prepare for battle! (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment)
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Reviews (11)
People who can reliably distinguish between different directorial styles and the quality of the parts of the Harry Potter saga are a bit of a mystery to me, because Harry Potter is, in my opinion, a typical example of a project that significantly suppresses creative individuality in favor of the desires of the producer and the author of the literary source. All the parts that I have seen so far had a very similar value and only the details were different. My rating ranges somewhere between three and four stars. It is a generously made series with a corresponding budget, special effects, and overall production design, but it never was a film that captured my heart. It's simply a fairytale, behind which stands the worldwide success of the books. However, the fifth part started to tire me and I am leaning towards the opinion of literary critics who accuse Rowling of being pretentious and megalomaniacal. She can, however, console herself that she is still far away from Steel and other book production factories. I would be satisfied with just four parts that would thoroughly describe the story of Harry Potter without any filler or dull moments. Overall impression: 65%.
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Along with The Prisoner of Azkaban, The Order of the Phoenix is the best Harry Potter film yet. Actually, if I had to compare, I might like it a bit more - unlike The Prisoner of Azkaban, I can't think of a single thing I could fault it for. From the voluminous book it managed to distil the absolute essentials, i.e. the conflict between Harry and the one-headed pink sleigh of Dolores Umbridge, and in addition to introducing great new characters (those who don’t like Luna Lovegood have no heart, but Tonks was also great), of course not forgetting Voldemort's antics and at the end of the book offering first a great magical shootout and after that an absolutely thrilling duel between Dumbledore and Dark Lord. The best scenes this time take place in the corridors and chambers of Hogwarts Castle. Whether it's the "Umbridge brings order" montage (with an excellent scene with Snape and Ron) or "Harry trains Dumbledore's Army" or the rampage of the Weasley twins, it's all got swing and style, shot with ease, is funny and suspenseful at the right moments, and underscored by excellent music. I think the wizarding saga has fallen into good hands with the arrival of David Yates, though I'd hate to jinx it.
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The only way is rebellion... And a proper one. David Yates has proven to be a hero, cut from the best representatives of Dumbledore's army, when he managed to create an almost perfect Potter adaptation, despite all the criticism about his TV roots and the television look of the first image and teaser. Just like the book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix became my favorite on celluloid as well. The new screenwriter, Michael Goldenberg (for whom Order of the Phoenix was unfortunately the only Potter experience), tweaked every scene to deviate from the original, yet without disturbing its essence. Furthermore, the Hogwarts atmosphere thickened exactly as I had imagined. Yates multiplies every hint of depression and turns Umbridge from unpleasant to unbearable, and from unbearable to the absolute nemesis of all of Hogwarts. Dumbledore then gains the aura of the most powerful living wizard, and his final duel with Voldemort takes your breath away, just like the surprisingly well-processed mythology surrounding divination, the connection of both magical opposites, and it even includes my favorite book part with Snape's memory. I am looking forward to Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince even more, as Yates will be able to unleash himself from a more secure position. The fans are eagerly awaiting.
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The best-filmed Harry Potter since Cuarón's The Prisoner of Azkaban. Very few dead spots, the plot is built in such a way that even a complete HP illiterate will soon catch on, the return of Gary Oldman and the ever-improving Radcliffe, who at times shows something akin to charisma. David Yates has a perfect sense of atmosphere and pace of storytelling, and I'm not even sorry that the humor has disappeared. The only bad thing I can say about this series is that each film is essentially about the same thing and the end is nowhere in sight. However, if the magic is given to us with such grace, I have nothing against seeing it three more times. This doesn't change the fact that my nose still slightly wrinkles over the infinite amount of recycled raw materials (of better quality in the original). Potter is good at reading film trends, but doesn't bring anything new. [75%]
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Paradoxically, the longest book got adapted to the film with the shortest running time in the series (probably excluding the second part of Deathly Hallows), but I can't say that I'm significantly dissatisfied with this fact. Since I write similar things in almost every review that concerns the Potter saga, I'll sum it up like this: an audiovisually perfect gem (the final duel of Dumbledore and Voldemort was truly impressive) that leaves a powerfully satisfying feeling thanks to the as always great music, sound and cinematography. Imelda Staunton was wonderfully annoying and repulsive. Helena Bonham Carter portrayed her character convincingly and with grace. Next to the third and fourth episodes, the fifth is the best of the series, despite the shorter running time.
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