The Harry Potter film series, so far, has been the one thing that the Harry Potter book series has never been. That is, inconsistent. J.K. Rowling may not have the...most...compelling...prose (readers of the series will get that little joke), but she spins one hell of a yarn. But film has a way of cementing a world in its viewer's mind, and it's nearly impossible to read the most recent Potter books without picturing Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson in their respective roles. The most fun thing about the film series so far, in fact, is watching the leads and their cohorts grow both as people and (in some cases anyway) as actors.
It's the direction that has led to bumps in the road throughout the film series, and with Order of the Phoenix's David Yates being the fourth director in five films, it's easy to see why. There seem to be two different ways for a director to approach Rowling's material: either as holy writ, not to be changed; or as solid marble to be chipped away at to reveal the masterpiece underneath.
The good news is that Yates and screenwriter Michael Goldenberg have managed to corral the long and twisting story points of the nearly 900 page book and distill it into merely two hours of film time, the shortest Potter to date, and certainly the most exciting. The look and feel of the film are spot on, dark but not dreary as the storm brewing around Harry and his friends grows ever nearer, but not so oppressive that lighter moments like the Weasley twin's great escape from Hogwarts play false. The film is alive, with brilliantly done effects that fill in the edges of Rowling's world and bring you further into the story, rather than detracting from it (for instance, when Harry and Cho Chang share their kiss, the picture of Cedric Diggory that had been slyly grinning at Cho before can be seen scowling).
Harry's world certainly is more disturbing this time around, most specifically because Lord Voldemort has returned. But for most of the film even Voldemort is overshadowed by the smirking pink menace of Dolores Umbridge, brought vividly to life by Imelda Staunton. Her performance is perfect, wheeling from sinister to saccharine on a dime. She leads Harry into her office, filled with pictures of real, adorably mewing kittens and then tortures him by making him write "I must not tell lies" into the back of his hand. Her presence is more frightening, in a sense, than even that of the noseless, serpentine He-Who-Must-Not -be-Named, played by Ralph Fiennes. In Goblet of Fire I had trouble believing Fiennes as Voldemort, Order of the Phoenix gives us a much more terrifying Dark Lord. The best sections of the film follow Harry and his group of friends as they band together to form 'Dumbledore's Army', learning practical defenses against the dark arts behind Umbridge's back. In these moments we find Harry, not quite the prick he is in the book, stepping forward as a mature hero. Again, having seen all these kids grow up on-screen adds to the genuine feeling of camaraderie between them. And long time followers of the books can feel even more involved with the characters, knowing, for instance why we get that shot of Ginny Weasley watching Harry and Cho after the D.A. meeting (and, I suspect, getting a lump in your throat to see Snape and Dumbledore, knowing what lies ahead).
One thing that is missing from the books are Ron's Quidditch matches, and the "Weasley is Our King" chants that go along with it. In fact, Ron and Hermione are placed on the sidelines for most of the film, and the scenes that they do have are primarily for comic relief or exposition. But the scenes are well handled, and Ron and Hermione's burgeoning romance believable.
As good as Emma Watson (of the eternally flared nostrils) and Rupert Grint are, this is the first Potter film that really feels like a star vehicle for Daniel Radcliffe. Never before have we had so many scenes that relied mostly on his performance to carry us through, and he, like his screen counterpart, steps up excellently. With his willingness to take risks (stripping down for a London performance of Eqqus) and not take himself too seriously (sending up his image on Extras), Radcliffe may have a life well past Harry Potter. Harry lying on the ground fighting with Voldemort inside of his head is not something you could have asked Radcliffe to pull off even two films back, but you believe Harry's struggle and pain. And, as ever, you cheer for him. With a genuine actor on board, and a director who knows what he's doing signed for at least one more picture, the series is well poised to take on all the dark territory that Rowling has plotted ahead for it.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: A-
Matthew Guerrero
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