Harry Potter and the 
Order of the Phoenix (2007)

Preceded by: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
Succeeded by: Harry Potter and Half-Blood Prince (2009)

	Directed by: David Yates	COUNTRY UK/USA GENRE Fantasy/Adventure NORWEGIAN TITLE Harry Potter og føniksordenen RUNNING TIME 138 minutes
	Produced by: David Barron David Heyman
	Written by (based on the novel by J. K. Rowling): Michael Goldenberg

Cast includes:
CHARACTER	ACTOR/ACTRESS	RATING
Harry Potter	Daniel Radcliffe
Hermione Granger	Emma Watson
Ron Weasley	Rupert Grint
Lord Voldemort	Ralph Fiennes
Sirius Black	Gary Oldman
Severus Snape	Alan Rickman
Sybil Trelawney	Emma Thompson
Bellatrix Lestrange	Helena Bonham Carter
Rubeus Hagrid	Robbie Coltrane	½
Albus Dumbledore	Michael Gambon	½
Dolores Umbridge	Imelda Staunton
Professor Alastar Moody	Brendan Gleeson
Remus Lupin	David Thewlis
Minerva McGonagall	Maggie Smith
Mrs. Weasley	Julie Walters
Lucius Malfoy	Jason Isaacs	½
Cornelius Fudge	Robert Hardy
Luna Lovegood	Evanna Lynch	½
Petunia Dursley	Fiona Shaw
Vernon Dursley	Richard Griffiths
The Weasley Brothers	James Phelps Oliver Phelps
Cho Chang	Katie Leung
Neville Longbottom	Matthew Lewis

Review

The fifth installment in the daunting series finds the school of Hogwarts reformed by the Ministry of Magic in order to subdue students who, due to Harry's recent experiences and the secret Order of the Phoenix, have come to believe that Lord Voldemort is back.

Even though the Harry Potter series is to be considered one integral story divided into seven parts, the formula and narrative structure are largely the same for every film, and The Order of the Phoenix is no exception. This fact makes any Harry Potter film largely predictable and unimpulsive, much like the structuring of a James Bond movie. On the other hand, the Harry Potter series has the luxury of affording an increasing level of detail and adornment when it comes to characters, schemes and other distinct features of Rowling's comprehensive world. Thanks to fine work from new director David Yates, this entry profits more from this level of detail than any of the previous films, making The Order of the Phoenix a more intricate and accomplished film – especially concerning the plotting. This also brings Potter closer to reality, as Yates is able to portray wizards and magic not only as cinematic set pieces, but as something that feels incorporated into an actual, contemporary setting.

Rowling's story still is neither truly original nor ingenious, but that doesn't matter much when you've got a well-crafted script turned into a measured, cleverly paced film. The title character is finally beginning to develop a personality and a psychological profile besides the basic 'I am the hero, therefore I am good'. There are some great segments here – such as Harry's inner struggle and the subsequent delve into the past that he shares with Snape, a fine early scene at the Black residence, or most scenes involving Ralph Fiennes as Voldemort (even though the final one has Gandalf vs. Saruman written all over it). And let's not forget Harry's first kiss, which shows another endearing aspect of the film – the coming-of-age story – as our main characters are all getting close to adulthood.

It must be a pleasure for the Harry Potter fans (and the producers) to see that young Mr. Radcliffe now looks the part more than ever and is growing into his tasks. By his side, Rupert Grint yet again shows that he's a real find in the role of Ron. Emma Watson isn't quite of the same calibre, but the filmmakers are mostly able to cover up her self-conscious and overly precocious act. As for the more renowned performers, both Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, and Gary Oldman bring that extra piece of flamboyance to their parts. That also goes for Imelda Staunton, who is delightful in a role as far away from her award-winning Vera Drake as can be. Unfortunately, the film's potentially best asset, Oldman, is underutilised and not given enough interesting lines. Sirius Black is reportedly one of the most interesting characters in the books, but he is not given the required weight during the course of The Order of the Phoenix – which is a pity, because it would have provided a far more potent foundation for the ending. Still, this doesn't change the fact that with The Order of the Phoenix, the Harry Potter series is finally beginning to look interesting.