Order of the Phoeix Review
I saw Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix tonight with dumbys_baby and a friend of hers from work and it is soo worth the anticipation.
I was very late getting to the cinema due to horrendous peak hour traffic, and thought for a while that I might miss the beginning, but I made it in during the last couple of previews. The cinema was packed, of course - luckily we'd pre-booked our seats!
First reactions in vaguely chronological order:
* I love the theme music - very familiar now after five movies. The world would be a poorer place without John Williams' movie themes!
* The Little Whinging park looked nothing like the image I'd had in my head, but worked very well. Dudley and his posse were excellent, as was Petunia in her ridiculous sunsuit. Neither the Dementors nor Uncle Vernon seemed to quite have the presence that I expected - both were scarier in Prisoner of Azkaban.
* Harry only got the Ministry Owl, not the follow-up ones, so there was no build up to the Order's sudden arrival, but their arrival and flight to London were really well done. Tonks was great, Shacklebolt looked nothing like I imagined - a bit too caricature for my taste.
* I was sorry that there was no mention of the Fidelis on 12 Grimauld Place, but understand that it might have been tricky to get across in movie format.I was really sorry that we didn't get to see Mrs Black - they included Tonks tripped over the elephant's foot (yay!) and showed the curtained portrait, but no actual shrieks :(
* Harry's reaction to being shut out of the Order meeting, and his confronting Ron and Hermione over the lack of information in their letters was really well done - particularly since they didn't show Harry trying to find out the news back on Privet Drive, so the idea that he had been isolated was gotten across in this later scene instead. I loved the extendable ears :)
* There was no mention of Percy and his estrangement from, the family. Also, no Buckbeak.
* The ministry hearing was done fairly straightforwardly - I think I know the painting that that the set designers were inspired by. Amelia Bones was featured properly (though not named) and Mrs Figg's testimony then Dumbledore's speech were excellent - he really got the idea across that he was desperately trying to appeal to the whole Wizengamot in this forum because he had no other way left. That Dumbledore was trying to avoid Harry was also made very evident here.
* The Thestrals were brilliant, Luna was brilliant, and Neville with his Mimbulus Mimbletonia was great, even though that particular side plot wasn't taken any further.
* Imelda Staunton is utterly fantastic as Dolores Umbridge, as many people have already said. She and Filch really carry the school scenes, with the exception of her argument with Minerva which uses the steps so well (if a bit obviously) to convey the shift in dominance among the Staff.
* Is it just me, or is Mrs Norris getting more and more healthy-looking every movie?
* Ron standing up for Harry to Seamus was brilliant - both Ron and Hermione were played much closer to how I see the characters than previous movie have always had them, though most of Hermione's less-than-stellar moments weren't included.
* The DA rocks. All of them, though I will continue to think of the small DA-person as Colin, whatever they happened to call him. I loved that Neville found the door (though Hermione's bit of exposition about what the room is called was forced)- and his development throughout these scenes was really good to see. Harry's kiss with Cho was very sweet, and got a fairly loud 'aww' from the audience in the cinema.
* Hermione definitely said that Cho was worried about her O.W.L.S (in the range-of-a-teaspoon scene) so Cho has been moved back to Harry's year for this movie. Which makes Fred and George the only students we see in anything above fifth year!
* The 'good parts' version of the subplot involving Harry's visions, Arthur's rescue and the need for Occlumency was well done throughout the movie - lots of clenched jaw from a sleeping Harry which Dan does so very, um, scenically ;). This thread of the story was much more compressed than in the book, of course, but it definitely hit all the high points. My main quibble was that no real explanation was given for why Arthur Weasley is in the Ministry to be bitten - the whole idea that the Order members are guarding the prophecy never really gets included.
* Christmas a Grimauld place was OK - I don't think that Hermione was there, now that I look back. The Black family tapestry was not introduced until this point, and I noticed that Regulus was neither shown nor mentioned (though there were several burned-out spots besides Sirius') but there definitely was an Arcturus... too blatant a hit for anyone who hasn't worked out that clue yet, perhaps?
* No career counseling session - pity, as I would have liked to see Staunton and Smith get a bit more screen time together. :( This does rather suggest that Harry's ambition to be an Auror is not a significant plot point.
* Cho being the reluctant betrayer of the DA worked much better than I was expecting - Marietta wasn't really missed, though the substitution did mean that the hex on the DA list wasn't invoked, even though they went to the trouble to show that list in the scene when the DA was formed.
* Percy turns up as the Ministry Lackey at Dumbledore's arrest (when the DA are caught), despite not being mentioned so far - for the book-fans, perhaps - like Madame Bones in the inquisitor scene.
* The twins exit was lots of fun, but the lack of Peeves in the movies meant we didn't get to see McGonnagall egging him on.
* The story from Harry's vision of Sirius to leaving for the Ministry on Thestral-back was really well adapted - different in several respects from the book (especially in regards to who-said-what-when), but definitely making sense.
* The Department of Mysteries scene worked well - it did rather give the impression that there are only two rooms down there, but I guess well find out in a week and a half whether that's going to matter or not!
* The fight between the DA and the Death Eaters was well choreographed considering they had only the Hall of Prophecies to work with - v. interesting apparition effect - not quite what I'd expected, really - more of a smear than a pop. Does make a cool fight-scene, though.
* Sirius. Yes, well. I definitely heard an AK from Bellatrix rather than a Stupefy, before Sirius fell - one way of avoiding the 'he's still alive' theories from people who only see the movie, perhaps.
* The fight between Dumbledore and Voldemort was very showy and didn't do nearly enough damage to the fountain. I suspect I missed some bits through here, so may be happier with it after a second viewing. Ditto with Harry being possessed - they obviously needed to make it visual somehow, and Dan did a good job of that part, but the scene just doesn't work as well from outside Harry's head.
* Dumbledore's office - I'm not sure yet how I feel about this being almost glossed over. I can see why it wasn't needed (the prophecy reveal was done earlier) but mostly skipping it did mean that Harry didn't get to destroy the office, and Dumbledore didn't really get to acknowledge his mistakes.
* Luna's shoes!
* Harry is generally more cheerful at this point of the movie than in the book - he doesn't really get to talk to Luna about Sirius, nor Nearly-headless Nick, either, but I can appreciate that a movie version really does need to hit a moderately upbeat note by the end.
----------------------
Some general wonderings:
* Trelawney's dismissal scene was played in full, but I didn't catch any actual statement that she was the one who gave the prophecy in the first place... seems odd to have one, but not the other. It _was_ her voice when the prophecy was recited. but I rather doubt that movie-only people would have caught that.
* Kreacher is included in both Grimmauld place scenes, but it's never shown that he lied about Sirius still being there instead of at the Ministry - he has to be there as a setup for future movies. And yup - confirmed by Yates in an interview I avoided due to spoilers up till now (I knew that a character had been added back in, but not which one).
----------------------
Hmm, looking at that list, I hope it doesn't sound like I didn't enjoy the movie, because I most definitely did. I never expected everything from the book to make it in (we'd have been in the cinema for hours and days if it did), it's just that I'm too deep in my pre-DH re-read of the books to not notice the differences straight away :). I plan on seeing it again on Saturday, will hopefully be able to enjoy the movie a bit more for itself then.
I was very late getting to the cinema due to horrendous peak hour traffic, and thought for a while that I might miss the beginning, but I made it in during the last couple of previews. The cinema was packed, of course - luckily we'd pre-booked our seats!
First reactions in vaguely chronological order:
* I love the theme music - very familiar now after five movies. The world would be a poorer place without John Williams' movie themes!
* The Little Whinging park looked nothing like the image I'd had in my head, but worked very well. Dudley and his posse were excellent, as was Petunia in her ridiculous sunsuit. Neither the Dementors nor Uncle Vernon seemed to quite have the presence that I expected - both were scarier in Prisoner of Azkaban.
* Harry only got the Ministry Owl, not the follow-up ones, so there was no build up to the Order's sudden arrival, but their arrival and flight to London were really well done. Tonks was great, Shacklebolt looked nothing like I imagined - a bit too caricature for my taste.
* I was sorry that there was no mention of the Fidelis on 12 Grimauld Place, but understand that it might have been tricky to get across in movie format.I was really sorry that we didn't get to see Mrs Black - they included Tonks tripped over the elephant's foot (yay!) and showed the curtained portrait, but no actual shrieks :(
* Harry's reaction to being shut out of the Order meeting, and his confronting Ron and Hermione over the lack of information in their letters was really well done - particularly since they didn't show Harry trying to find out the news back on Privet Drive, so the idea that he had been isolated was gotten across in this later scene instead. I loved the extendable ears :)
* There was no mention of Percy and his estrangement from, the family. Also, no Buckbeak.
* The ministry hearing was done fairly straightforwardly - I think I know the painting that that the set designers were inspired by. Amelia Bones was featured properly (though not named) and Mrs Figg's testimony then Dumbledore's speech were excellent - he really got the idea across that he was desperately trying to appeal to the whole Wizengamot in this forum because he had no other way left. That Dumbledore was trying to avoid Harry was also made very evident here.
* The Thestrals were brilliant, Luna was brilliant, and Neville with his Mimbulus Mimbletonia was great, even though that particular side plot wasn't taken any further.
* Imelda Staunton is utterly fantastic as Dolores Umbridge, as many people have already said. She and Filch really carry the school scenes, with the exception of her argument with Minerva which uses the steps so well (if a bit obviously) to convey the shift in dominance among the Staff.
* Is it just me, or is Mrs Norris getting more and more healthy-looking every movie?
* Ron standing up for Harry to Seamus was brilliant - both Ron and Hermione were played much closer to how I see the characters than previous movie have always had them, though most of Hermione's less-than-stellar moments weren't included.
* The DA rocks. All of them, though I will continue to think of the small DA-person as Colin, whatever they happened to call him. I loved that Neville found the door (though Hermione's bit of exposition about what the room is called was forced)- and his development throughout these scenes was really good to see. Harry's kiss with Cho was very sweet, and got a fairly loud 'aww' from the audience in the cinema.
* Hermione definitely said that Cho was worried about her O.W.L.S (in the range-of-a-teaspoon scene) so Cho has been moved back to Harry's year for this movie. Which makes Fred and George the only students we see in anything above fifth year!
* The 'good parts' version of the subplot involving Harry's visions, Arthur's rescue and the need for Occlumency was well done throughout the movie - lots of clenched jaw from a sleeping Harry which Dan does so very, um, scenically ;). This thread of the story was much more compressed than in the book, of course, but it definitely hit all the high points. My main quibble was that no real explanation was given for why Arthur Weasley is in the Ministry to be bitten - the whole idea that the Order members are guarding the prophecy never really gets included.
* Christmas a Grimauld place was OK - I don't think that Hermione was there, now that I look back. The Black family tapestry was not introduced until this point, and I noticed that Regulus was neither shown nor mentioned (though there were several burned-out spots besides Sirius') but there definitely was an Arcturus... too blatant a hit for anyone who hasn't worked out that clue yet, perhaps?
* No career counseling session - pity, as I would have liked to see Staunton and Smith get a bit more screen time together. :( This does rather suggest that Harry's ambition to be an Auror is not a significant plot point.
* Cho being the reluctant betrayer of the DA worked much better than I was expecting - Marietta wasn't really missed, though the substitution did mean that the hex on the DA list wasn't invoked, even though they went to the trouble to show that list in the scene when the DA was formed.
* Percy turns up as the Ministry Lackey at Dumbledore's arrest (when the DA are caught), despite not being mentioned so far - for the book-fans, perhaps - like Madame Bones in the inquisitor scene.
* The twins exit was lots of fun, but the lack of Peeves in the movies meant we didn't get to see McGonnagall egging him on.
* The story from Harry's vision of Sirius to leaving for the Ministry on Thestral-back was really well adapted - different in several respects from the book (especially in regards to who-said-what-when), but definitely making sense.
* The Department of Mysteries scene worked well - it did rather give the impression that there are only two rooms down there, but I guess well find out in a week and a half whether that's going to matter or not!
* The fight between the DA and the Death Eaters was well choreographed considering they had only the Hall of Prophecies to work with - v. interesting apparition effect - not quite what I'd expected, really - more of a smear than a pop. Does make a cool fight-scene, though.
* Sirius. Yes, well. I definitely heard an AK from Bellatrix rather than a Stupefy, before Sirius fell - one way of avoiding the 'he's still alive' theories from people who only see the movie, perhaps.
* The fight between Dumbledore and Voldemort was very showy and didn't do nearly enough damage to the fountain. I suspect I missed some bits through here, so may be happier with it after a second viewing. Ditto with Harry being possessed - they obviously needed to make it visual somehow, and Dan did a good job of that part, but the scene just doesn't work as well from outside Harry's head.
* Dumbledore's office - I'm not sure yet how I feel about this being almost glossed over. I can see why it wasn't needed (the prophecy reveal was done earlier) but mostly skipping it did mean that Harry didn't get to destroy the office, and Dumbledore didn't really get to acknowledge his mistakes.
* Luna's shoes!
* Harry is generally more cheerful at this point of the movie than in the book - he doesn't really get to talk to Luna about Sirius, nor Nearly-headless Nick, either, but I can appreciate that a movie version really does need to hit a moderately upbeat note by the end.
----------------------
Some general wonderings:
* Trelawney's dismissal scene was played in full, but I didn't catch any actual statement that she was the one who gave the prophecy in the first place... seems odd to have one, but not the other. It _was_ her voice when the prophecy was recited. but I rather doubt that movie-only people would have caught that.
* Kreacher is included in both Grimmauld place scenes, but it's never shown that he lied about Sirius still being there instead of at the Ministry - he has to be there as a setup for future movies. And yup - confirmed by Yates in an interview I avoided due to spoilers up till now (I knew that a character had been added back in, but not which one).
----------------------
Hmm, looking at that list, I hope it doesn't sound like I didn't enjoy the movie, because I most definitely did. I never expected everything from the book to make it in (we'd have been in the cinema for hours and days if it did), it's just that I'm too deep in my pre-DH re-read of the books to not notice the differences straight away :). I plan on seeing it again on Saturday, will hopefully be able to enjoy the movie a bit more for itself then.