Review 5: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Based on the fifth book in the Harry Potter book series, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter's (Daniel Radcliffe) fifth year begins with him being attacked by Dementors in Little Whinging. Later, he finds out that the Ministry of Magic is in denial of Lord Voldemort's (Ralph Fiennes) return. Harry is also beset by disturbing and realistic nightmares, while Professor Umbridge (Imelda Staunton), a representative of Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge (Robert Hardy), is the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.
Harry becomes aware that Voldemort is after a prophecy which reveals: "neither can live while the other survives". The rebellion involving the students of Hogwarts, secret organisation Order of the Phoenix, the Ministry of Magic, and the Death Eaters begins.
Firstly, this film has some of the best writing in the series, not just in its themes and character development but mostly in how the novel is adapted to the Big Screen.
Ever since The Prisoner of Azkaban, they've taken more creative liberties when adapting the novels but what sets Order of the Phoenix apart from the previous two films is how it's adapted.
It doesn't feel as clunky or disjointed, it somehow, despite it being the longest book in the series, flows more smoothly and feels more streamlined without as many bumps in the adaptation road, none of the changes feel as jarring as recent instalments.
It also deals with lots of the political issues that we’re facing these days in the sense that it's a political film, not with a capital P, but it's a film about teen rebellion and the abuse of power.
In a lot of ways, it talks a lot about life after the 7 July, 2005 bombings, the way people behave when they’re scared, the way truth is often denied and all the things our society has to face.
Facing the fact that the authority is corrupt means having a non-conformist approach to reality and power and that's a very scary and fascinating topic the Order of the Phoenix taps into.
Teen Rebellion: Because the Ministry refuses to accept that Voldermort has returned to power and appointing Umbridge as Defence Against the Dark Arts Teacher and to assure the students that everything is peachy and that "there's nothing dangerous out there" and that they don't need to practice defence magic. Harry, Ron, Hermione and many other Hogwarts students form their own secret society where they practice defensive magic and make life at Hogwarts a living hell for Umbridge.
The Abuse of Power: In order to keep the truth that Voldermort has returned from the Wizarding World and because they believe that Dumbledore and Harry are conspiring together to overthrow them, the Ministry starts to interfere with all different the start a smear campaign to discredit Harry, they install Umbridge as the latest in a long line of Defence Against the Dark Arts Teachers at Hogwarts who then starts to amass more power and authority over the school
Another central theme in this film is Harry's sense of isolation: At the start of the film, he thinks that he can go it alone and he struggles to allow others to help him on his journey.
He doesn't realise that love is the most powerful thing in world and doesn't find it easy to allow his friends and loved ones to him, so he blocks Ron and Hermione, in particular out again and again.
The ministry's smear campaign against him makes him feel all the more alone and inadequate but as he discovers that
Scenes such as everyone staring at him in the Gryffindor common room and walking alone in the school grounds help to strengthen Harry’s sense of isolation and creating a distance between him and everyone else.
This is one of my favourite films in the series partly because the plot is so dark, it pushes our characters to their very limits, the stuff concerning Harry dealing with his relationship with Cho Chang (Katie Leung), Sirius, leading the rebellion at Hogwarts and struggling with his own insecurities lends itself to
Its more character driven than the previous instalments, there isn't a mystery going around Hogwarts this time, it's just Harry and his friends learning how to defend themselves against Voldermot’s forces. Yates smartly and wisely brings the people in the world, their journeys, their psychologies, their emotions and what’s going on in their heads to the forefront.
Director David Yates's (making his theatrical film directorial debut, he had previously worked in television) direction is brilliant, the cinematography is excellent, seemlessly blending political realism with the fantastical mysticism, the score by Nicholas Hooper is catchy, the action scenes is exciting, the special effects are fabulous, the make up is top notch, the production design is outstanding (sets like the Ministry of Magic and 12 Grimmauld Place are a sight to behold), the costumes are fantastic and there's a really big shock surprise during the climax.
The acting once again is on top, Daniel Radcliffe really sinks his teeth into Harry in this film, beautifully and heartbreakingly bringing out his inner demons and insecurities.
The scenes where he's instructing Dumbledores Army and stepping up his game, not only as a teacher, but also as a leader is some of the best material Radcliffe's had to work with up to this point and a real testament to how far he's progressed and matured so far as an actor.
He's also constantly questioning himself in this film and he honestly thinks that he's going bad
Rupert Grint and Emma Watson give their second most emotional supporting performances in the series.
This film is big one for Cho Chang and Katie Leung is luminous and lovely in the role.
She's very much in grief following Cedric's death at the end of the last film and as a result is very much conflicted about her feelings for Harry. She very much likes him but feels that if she started dating him she would be betraying Cedric.
Newcomer Evanna Lynch is appropriately quirky and sensitive as Luna Lovegood.
Luna is very peculiar and somewhat spacy girl who is just as unique as she is honest to a fault.
Her strange ways are (understandably) off putting to others so she lives a mostly isolated existence which is something Harry can greatly relate to and make her the closest thing he has to a soulmate.
Due to both of them being outsiders, they're bonding and friendship feels completely natural as Luna can empathise with what Harry is going through.
What truly sets Luna apart is that she has completely unshakable faith.
Even in a Wizarding World, there're sceptics, she believes in her father who runs the quirky magazine The Quibler, she believe in Thestrals, magical creatures that can only be seen by people who've witnessed death and she believes in Harry and sometimes a little bit of faith goes a long way especially in these dark and difficult times. Luna is one of the people in Harry’s life whose always there for him, she’s the light in the darkness.
Matthew Lewis also gets more than his fair share of chances to shine as Neville. Neville really grows a lot as a character when he joins the D.A. training in how to fight and defend himself increases his confidence
As Dolores Umbridge, Imelda Staunton makes for one hell of a scary villian. Not only capturing the character's cruel, sadistick nature and her frightfulness, but bringing to life the characters quiet, high-pitched, child-like tone of voice and combining that with the way she speaks to people (and by that I mean everyone around her) she feels are her lessers in an extremely condescending tone, as if they were simpletons or very young children.
She has good contacts at the Ministry. She's one of those people, and there are many who exist in real life, who will always side with the established order. From her point of view, authority cannot go wrong so she doesn't question it. She likes power, she'll always side with people who will give her the authority.
Not only that, but she's incredibly xenophobic and intolerant of half-breeds and half-bloods and hates children with a hot lothing and as a result takes great pleasure in inflicting torturous punishments on the Hogwarts students, yet most of the time she maintains a calm persona who rarely raises her voice or looses her cool and that my friends is what makes her genuinely terrifying and I mean terrifying. Her personality, ultimately, as J. K. Rowling best describes it, is akin to that of poisoned honey.
Helena Bonham Carter also makes for a fabulous addition to the cast as Bellatrix Lestrange, cousin to Sirius Black and fellow Death Eater to Voldermort. Her performance has the right mix of childishness and creepiness
Michael Gambon, in an unusually, nuanced and restrained begins to come into his own as Dumboledre, even though the Ministry is constantly refusing to accept the fact that Voldermort has indeed returned, he continuously reminds the Wizarding World that
His sporadic appearance throughout the film is a result of him trying to keep Harry safe from Voldermort.
Gary Oldman is also excellent playing Sirius Black, the
Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, Richard Griffiths, Fiona Shaw, David Thewlis, Brendan Gleeson, Emma Thompson, Julie Walters, Mark Williams, Jason Isaacs, Devon Murray, Alfred Enoch, Bonnie Wright and Ralph Fiennes.
An extreamly powerful edition to the Harry Potter series this is, 5/5.
The Anonymous Critic
Comments
Post a Comment