Order of the Phoenix Review
WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!
WRITTEN TO VISUAL:
For a movie that spans more than two hours, one wouldn't notice the time. While Goblet of Fire seemed like an adventure, Order of the Phoenix is a mystery, a dark one at that. Very much like the book, this movie will give you a feeling that it's just bridging from where Harry came from and where he has to go, or what he has to do.
We all know that Michael Goldenberg took all that was not related to Harry out of the movie. At first, as a book fan, you'd feel cheated, but David Yates was right in scrapping everything not related to the main premise of the story. And in doing so, they made Order of the Phoenix - even with dragging and dry moments at the beginning of the movie - arguably the best in the franchise.
SIDEKICKS:
The story starts and ends with Harry.
Unlike the other movies in the franchise, everyone is pushed into the background (Yes, even Hermoine). Characters, both old and new, are given their moments but these moments are far and few in between. Take Luna Lovegood for example: Luna had a lot of scenes because most of the things that Harry was feeling unsure of/about was answered through her character (why Voldemort wanted Harry to feel alone, etc.).
Notably, Hermione and Ron were really relegated as sidekicks. They were his best friends still but you'd notice that their screentime and lines were considerably fewer. Hermoine's character was utilized for the DA organization and Ron's character was for support and loyalty.
WATSON'S EYEBROWS:
I will not dwell on the acting of the adult cast as it is given that they are brilliant. The young casts, especially Dan, Emma and Rupert, delivered well (I am not sure whether or not they purposely didn't include the "Harry-trashing-Dumbledore's-office" scene so that Dan didn't have to act out that most different of emotion: anger, confusion, guilt and frustration combined).
Daniel Radcliffe has improve so much from those forgetful crying scenes from the last two Potter films. He is now able to express negative emotions without having to scream or cry. There are moments in this movie wherein he was really great. Two of these were, one, when Sirius died, there was no sound, it was just him being held back by Lupin, yet he was able to convey both shock and anger; and, towards the end of the movie when Voldemort possessed him... let's just say you have got to watch it to believe the range that Radcliffe has now as an actor.
As for Watson and Grint, well like I said earlier, they weren't really given that much to do so it would seem like they did okay. Grint has always acted well, come to think of it, among the three of them, he's been the consistent one in terms of acting. Watson, apart from the eyebrow thing, is less irritating in this one; it was almost as if she was Hermoine Granger at times.
The other young kids (Katie Leung, Matt Lewis, Evanna Lynch, the Phelps twins and Bonnie Wright) were all given their own time to showcase their acting skills, and biases aside they are really good. Lynch gave justice to Luna; Neville's intent of being the worthy son was so effortlessly portrayed by Lewis in that one exchange with Radcliffe; Wright, on the other hand, was able play both the jealous kid sister and powerful witch so well you'd be wishing for more of her (which she would get come the sixth and hopefully seventh films as she becomes Harry's "chosen one" *giggles*).
I was really hoping to see the six kids - Leung not included - fighting in the Minister of Magic, but alas as this is a Harry Potter film, only he turned out to fight.
A KISS AND THEN SOME:
The much hyped kiss was just that: a hype. I don't know if it's just me, but I really didn't get to "feel" any chemistry between Dan and Katie; it may have been the way their scenes were edited, but it felt forced somehow, like the scenes were just "there", nothing more. I was looking forward to some interaction leading up to the kiss and not just the "snogging" session itself.
As for the foreshadowing for the relationships for Half Blood Prince, they were there, for both Harry-Ginny and Ron-Hermoine. The hints for the latter more obvious than the former obviously. I mean how can one miss the fact that Ron and Hermoine were almost, exclusively beside each other in every frame, or that fact that Ron screamed, "You stay away from her!" to a giant no less. The H/G ones were more into stares and compliments: Ginny's glaring at Cho after the DA's detention or when she glanced at Harry and Cho before that aforememntioned kiss; Harry staring at Ginny after she blasted the Death Eater dummy or after she performed the Reducto spell towards the end of the movie.
YATES'S MAGIC:
Overall, the movie has its misses but it also has its hits.
Yates's magic is not with special effects, musical score or humor; it's in the way he allowed his actors to shine.
That no matter how short or long those scenes are, the actors own them, brilliantly no less.
WRITTEN TO VISUAL:
For a movie that spans more than two hours, one wouldn't notice the time. While Goblet of Fire seemed like an adventure, Order of the Phoenix is a mystery, a dark one at that. Very much like the book, this movie will give you a feeling that it's just bridging from where Harry came from and where he has to go, or what he has to do.
We all know that Michael Goldenberg took all that was not related to Harry out of the movie. At first, as a book fan, you'd feel cheated, but David Yates was right in scrapping everything not related to the main premise of the story. And in doing so, they made Order of the Phoenix - even with dragging and dry moments at the beginning of the movie - arguably the best in the franchise.
SIDEKICKS:
The story starts and ends with Harry.
Unlike the other movies in the franchise, everyone is pushed into the background (Yes, even Hermoine). Characters, both old and new, are given their moments but these moments are far and few in between. Take Luna Lovegood for example: Luna had a lot of scenes because most of the things that Harry was feeling unsure of/about was answered through her character (why Voldemort wanted Harry to feel alone, etc.).
Notably, Hermione and Ron were really relegated as sidekicks. They were his best friends still but you'd notice that their screentime and lines were considerably fewer. Hermoine's character was utilized for the DA organization and Ron's character was for support and loyalty.
WATSON'S EYEBROWS:
I will not dwell on the acting of the adult cast as it is given that they are brilliant. The young casts, especially Dan, Emma and Rupert, delivered well (I am not sure whether or not they purposely didn't include the "Harry-trashing-Dumbledore's-office" scene so that Dan didn't have to act out that most different of emotion: anger, confusion, guilt and frustration combined).
Daniel Radcliffe has improve so much from those forgetful crying scenes from the last two Potter films. He is now able to express negative emotions without having to scream or cry. There are moments in this movie wherein he was really great. Two of these were, one, when Sirius died, there was no sound, it was just him being held back by Lupin, yet he was able to convey both shock and anger; and, towards the end of the movie when Voldemort possessed him... let's just say you have got to watch it to believe the range that Radcliffe has now as an actor.
As for Watson and Grint, well like I said earlier, they weren't really given that much to do so it would seem like they did okay. Grint has always acted well, come to think of it, among the three of them, he's been the consistent one in terms of acting. Watson, apart from the eyebrow thing, is less irritating in this one; it was almost as if she was Hermoine Granger at times.
The other young kids (Katie Leung, Matt Lewis, Evanna Lynch, the Phelps twins and Bonnie Wright) were all given their own time to showcase their acting skills, and biases aside they are really good. Lynch gave justice to Luna; Neville's intent of being the worthy son was so effortlessly portrayed by Lewis in that one exchange with Radcliffe; Wright, on the other hand, was able play both the jealous kid sister and powerful witch so well you'd be wishing for more of her (which she would get come the sixth and hopefully seventh films as she becomes Harry's "chosen one" *giggles*).
I was really hoping to see the six kids - Leung not included - fighting in the Minister of Magic, but alas as this is a Harry Potter film, only he turned out to fight.
A KISS AND THEN SOME:
The much hyped kiss was just that: a hype. I don't know if it's just me, but I really didn't get to "feel" any chemistry between Dan and Katie; it may have been the way their scenes were edited, but it felt forced somehow, like the scenes were just "there", nothing more. I was looking forward to some interaction leading up to the kiss and not just the "snogging" session itself.
As for the foreshadowing for the relationships for Half Blood Prince, they were there, for both Harry-Ginny and Ron-Hermoine. The hints for the latter more obvious than the former obviously. I mean how can one miss the fact that Ron and Hermoine were almost, exclusively beside each other in every frame, or that fact that Ron screamed, "You stay away from her!" to a giant no less. The H/G ones were more into stares and compliments: Ginny's glaring at Cho after the DA's detention or when she glanced at Harry and Cho before that aforememntioned kiss; Harry staring at Ginny after she blasted the Death Eater dummy or after she performed the Reducto spell towards the end of the movie.
YATES'S MAGIC:
Overall, the movie has its misses but it also has its hits.
Yates's magic is not with special effects, musical score or humor; it's in the way he allowed his actors to shine.
That no matter how short or long those scenes are, the actors own them, brilliantly no less.