“Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” (2007)

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Grade: B

J.K. Rowling’s seven-book Harry Potter saga can be thematically divided into two halves: the magical splendor of the first three installments, and the brooding darkness of the final four. When it comes to the eight-film series adaptation, there’s a similar dividing line in terms of quality: the first four are good to great, the final four are average to good. As such, Order of the Phoenix (film #5) is a somewhat frustrating chapter that relies less on magic and more on teenage angst. The recipe works within the context of the overarching narrative, but the relative innocence of the previous installments is sorely missed.

Directing:

After utilizing three different directors for the four previous films, the Harry Potter franchise finds some stability — for better or worse — with director David Yates, who will see the series to its conclusion. He brings with him a darker color palette, a penchant for glitchy montage and an emphasis on more modern settings. As a result, Order of the Phoenix is the dullest Potter film yet (though that criticism might be connected to Rowling’s source material). Yates’ directing is still competent, mind you, but there just isn’t that visual sense of wonder that permeated the other films. Things just look a little too drab, and the tone is just a little too serious.

Acting:

Order of the Phoenix also represents a turning point in the acting hierarchy: the child stars no longer need to be supported by their elders because the child stars are now fully capable of carrying the franchise on their own. And they’re not really children anymore, either. Daniel Radcliffe continues to dig deeper into the role of Harry, imbuing the character with age-appropriate anger and rebellion. This is the first film in the series where he truly outshines everyone else in the cast, even if he’s not the most talented actor onscreen.

That’s because everyone else more or less takes a backseat. Emma Watson and especially Rupert Grint aren’t given much to do, while the likes of Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith and Michael Gambon have less spotlights than ever. The first-rate ensemble is underutilized due to the constraints of the narrative.

Writing:

The Harry Potter books are among the most popular novels in modern history — hyperbolically speaking, everyone has read them. But for those that haven’t, how could they be expected to follow this movie’s plot? Order relies heavily on prior knowledge of the source text. Crucial backstories and pivotal sub-plots aren’t given enough depth for how important they are to the storyline (e.g., the quickly edited Occlumency montages and the entire Department of Mysteries red herring). It’s a movie that only works in the context of what came before and what comes after: intertextuality gone wrong.

Music:

Just like the film’s color palette, the orchestral soundtrack is somewhat dull, with not much going on in the way of melody or motif. British composer Nicholas Hooper is the man in charge this time around, and his musicality is one step down from Patrick Doyle and two or three steps down from John Williams. I’ll never underestimate the importance of a good score ever again, especially when it comes to fantasy films: the music is a major reason why Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix can feel less adventurous.

Ending (SPOILERS):

The ending of Order of the Phoenix is fantastic and mostly makes up for the rest of the film’s flaws. I’m not talking about the climactic showdown between Dumbledore vs. Voldemort in the Ministry of Magic (which features more of Yates’ visually unappealing quick-cut montages), nor am I talking about Dumbledore’s explanation of the all-important Prophecy that sets up Harry’s destiny in the final films (which isn’t given enough clarification for non-readers).

Rather, I’m talking about the tender moment shared between Harry and Luna Lovegood — one of my favorite scenes from the entire series, right up there with Hagrid’s goodbye at the end of Sorcerer’s Stone. It’s a beautiful bit of optimism amidst a film that had been altogether too drab and dreary.

Why Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix gets a B:

The Order of the Phoenix film adaptation is very much like the book it is based on: a transitional, somewhat tedious, semi-rewarding chapter that lacks the standalone value of previous installments.

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