Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix- the movie

Normally, I just do book reviews, but I feel compelled to write about this latest installment in the "Harry Potter" movie franchise. I LOVED IT. And while the reviews have been, in the majority, positive, there have been a few reviews, one from Roger Ebert, that the movie has lost its magic. I have to disagree. If the series were one very long book, books 4-6 are the part of the Heroes Journey where the hero crosses the threshold, takes on the challenge, and the book takes a decidedly dark turn. Cedric's death in book 4 is just the beginning, book 5 takes it a step further and book 6- well we all know how that ended (if by some chance you are reading this and haven't read book six- I've left out the ending just for you :) ). It's not that the magic is gone, but that this is the time when we leave the wonderment of the wizarding world behind and realize, along with our heroes, that we have to grow up and see that the danger is real, deadly real. The director and writers for movie have understood this perfectly. Quidditch falls by the wayside- as it should. Our hero is fighting for his life, literally and figuritively- he shouldn't really have much time for fun and games. But the movie isn't without its moments of brevity- one even coming right after the big battle.

"Order of the Phoenix", in this humble viewers opinion, is the best of series so far. I sincerely hope that the IMDB.com is right and that director David Yates is staying on board to direct book six. Oh- and watch out for Ginny Weasley. She might not have a lot to say in this film, but I loved the subtle foreshadowing of her feelings for Harry.

Books Book Teens Reading Order of the Phoenix movie review