http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx In a way, it&rsquo;s too bad the Harry Potter films are hewing so close to the book titles. Although the latest, HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX, has a nice enough title, it might be better to borrow a line from the Bard and call it &ldquo;Something Wicked This Way Comes.&rdquo; I know it&rsquo;s already been done, but watch that Disney oddity sometime and tell me it couldn&rsquo;t stand for some improvement. &nbsp;&nbsp; But, I digress. It&rsquo;s fifth year at Hogwarts, and Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) is still dealing with the stress of losing a friend to Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) at the end of the previous year. As the semester begins, Harry and his friends Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint) are beset by an increasingly distant Dumbledore (Michael Gambon), a public at large that doesn&rsquo;t believe that &ldquo;He Who Must Not Be Named&rdquo; is back, and a Ministry of Magic that wants it to stay that way. Harry begins to suspect that his mood swings are a little more than teen angst, and when the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor (Imelda Staunton) appears with a mind-bogglingly cute collection of kitty plates and a desire to enforce conformity at all costs, it becomes clear to the teenage wizard that he needs to take action. Throw in a love interest for Harry and one hell of a magic battle at the end, and you get a recipe for billions, as J.K. Rowling has discovered. There&rsquo;s much to like in this adaptation, but the overwhelming impression this reviewer got was of streamlining. The fifth book is &mdash; so far &mdash; the meatiest in the series, and there&rsquo;s no way in hell anyone could get most of it in without a bucket of grease and a miniseries slot on HBO. The fact that Michael Goldenberg managed to write a coherent, intelligent screenplay that takes less than three hours ought to have earned him a bonus, but by necessity, much of the novel was sublimated and/or excised altogether. That&rsquo;s not necessarily a bad thing, but purists will scream. en-US Critics Rant info@criticsrant.com Subtext Version 1.9.4.0 http://www.criticsrant.com/images/default_gravatar_bullhorn.png http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx 77 60 http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx#894 4 darlene_mcintyre http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx#894 Thu, 12 Jul 2007 16:52:46 GMT http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx#902 I THINK IT WAS OKAY STOP HATIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! bosslady51_50 http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx#902 Thu, 12 Jul 2007 18:42:36 GMT http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx#903 I THINK IT WAS OKAY STOP HATIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! bosslady51_50 http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx#903 Thu, 12 Jul 2007 18:42:36 GMT http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx#905 I THINK IT WAS PRETY COOL jenburfur http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx#905 Thu, 12 Jul 2007 19:00:03 GMT http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx#918 STOP THE MADNESS ! Eitaporra4 http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx#918 Thu, 12 Jul 2007 23:20:33 GMT http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx#922 Big fan of the books and I enjoy the movies immensely...This book was definitely my least favorite of all them thus far...Harry was pretty much really pissed off the whole time...Looking forward to the adaptation, they always do a decent job. BTW people, trying adding some value in your comments...sheesh... JBizzy http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx#922 Thu, 12 Jul 2007 23:32:55 GMT http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx#941 my son could had made a better movie than that garylewis1980 http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx#941 Sat, 14 Jul 2007 19:10:46 GMT http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx#944 I really enjoyed it. It seemed really intense just like Harry Potter was during the whole film; intense! MKLodato http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx#944 Sat, 14 Jul 2007 22:05:04 GMT http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx#968 I was really disappointed with the directing. I really felt like in some of the scenes the director was just being lazy and he could have put more effort into it, especially considering how big a film this is. <br /> The director really should have shown more about Snapes memory of Harry's father though. it would have been a lot more clear as to why Snape has such a hatred for harry and his parents. in the book Snape was suspended by his feet and floated across the school grounds with his robe over his head and his pants around his ankles.<br /><br />Regardless of the directing the movie was wonderful as always and the stories get better and better and i am really going to be sorry to see it end with book 7. lets all hope JK Rowling keeps writing. dragonfly183 http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx#968 Tue, 17 Jul 2007 18:44:34 GMT http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx#981 I think it's absolutely rediculous that you have all these celebrities coming out and telling the author not to kill of the character. If she's the author and it's her work then let her write it! It's HER VISION AND STORY. You're an actor, not a writer or politician as you try to be sometimes. KNOW YOUR ROLE! If you had things you're way with these series, all we'll have is something on the line of the Simpsons, where Matt Groening has clearly run out of ideas and instead is forced to stretch out the series by the Fox Executives, making it entirely about Homer being fat and dumb. stangogh http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx#981 Thu, 19 Jul 2007 18:02:46 GMT http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx#1041 All Harry Potter movies are phenomanal and I look forward to this one MJMOMOF4 http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx#1041 Sun, 29 Jul 2007 19:44:45 GMT http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx#1133 It's almost impossible to pack the contents of a fantastic book into 2+ hours of film, but OFTP, follows the general darkness that has stalked Harry through his life and increases as he becomes an adult. The age "relevance" does not necessarily follows the audience per se, but appears to follow the characters. The story presented (what could be in that short time) was good, and the effects were great. Among the magic of this series is that the actors for the main characters have and will remain through the 7th. Well done all! Mysticasian http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx#1133 Tue, 07 Aug 2007 21:20:13 GMT http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx#1208 Just saw the movie tonight. Initial thoughts: <br /><br />It was just ok for me. <br /><br />I thought the role of Luna was done spectacularly, but I don't recall her having such a large role in the books (but it has been a while). <br /><br />I was a little disappointed at the Weasley twin's departure scene. It seemed lacking the true emotion and hate of the twins that caused them to leave. And . . . it was just . . . lacking overall. <br /><br />I was supremely impressed by Dolores. She was (as in the book) highly irritating and I wanted to wipe that smirk off her face. <br /><br />Overall, I would recommend it to Harry Potter fans, there are some good parts that are worth seeing play out on the big screen, but there have been better Potter films. Hazelnut http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx#1208 Fri, 17 Aug 2007 07:48:51 GMT http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx#1218 HARRY POTTER IS #1 IN MY BOOK KEEP UP THE GREAT JOB dorothy fugate http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx#1218 Sat, 18 Aug 2007 03:15:50 GMT http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx#1319 I LOVE ALL HARRY POTTER MOVIES THEY ARE THE GREATEST.KEEP UP THE GREAT JOB HE IS A SPECIAL BOY dorothy fugate http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx#1319 Wed, 29 Aug 2007 03:14:40 GMT http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx#2137 MY DAUGHTER LOVES HARRY POTTER AND SHE PLANS ON COLLECTING ALL THE MOVIES SHE HAS ALL THE BOOKS SHE KNOWS EACH CHARACTER WELL AND SHE HOPES TO MEET THEM SOMEDAY dorothy fugate http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx#2137 Sat, 10 Nov 2007 02:03:54 GMT http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx#2144 love these movies:) cant wait to see it tinkluvspan http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx#2144 Sat, 10 Nov 2007 13:59:57 GMT http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx#2320 i am looking forward to watching harry potter i have enjoyed all the other movies and i have read all the books also and this seem to be a very interesting movie to be seen harry potter's #1 fan dorothy fugate http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/07/12/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Phoenix--Five.aspx#2320 Sat, 01 Dec 2007 01:04:00 GMT