Review: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (David Yates)

[nebroadwe]

I spent this afternoon seeing Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix -- I'm frequently a little behind on popular culture and the last few weeks have been very busy. Plus, a movie theater is the one thing with which my otherwise institutionally well-endowed neighborhood is not equipped, so I waited until my friends in the next town over were ready to go. I found Order of the Phoenix to be a mixed bag. It went by really quickly, and was the first of the films to demand that its viewers be intimately familiar with the source novel to follow the script. I admit that scriptwriter Michael Goldenberg had a tough task cutting the novel down to a filmable couple of hours and, to his credit, there were very few wasted minutes (for instance, effects-heavy action sequences were not multiplied beyond the dictates of Occam's Film-Cutting Shears). I do fault director David Yates, however, for a good deal of extremely banal shot composition (particularly in the beginning of the movie, on Privet Drive and in Grimmauld Place), pacing problems (ditto; the film doesn't really settle into a rhythm until it reaches Hogwarts) and an utter inability to build suspense. This was, despite its rating, not a scary movie. The opening sequence with the Dementors didn't raise a single hair on my neck; the battle in the Department of Mysteries was entertainingly kinetic, but not gasp-inducing. (And since when was Grawp supposed to be cute?) The most interesting portions of the film, both technically and dramatically, were the montages -- Umbridge's interrogations, Harry's dream-sequences, the DA at work, the Occlumency lessons, and so on. Given how underwhelming the direction was elsewhere, I'm inclined to credit editor Mark Day with making a silk purse out of a sow's ear -- a lovely evening bag with one of those Undetectable Extension Charms built in. :-) The score helped, too; I particularly noticed it during Fred and George's escape and the action sequences at the Department of Mysteries. And there were moments of grace: I must admit I did enjoy the duels at the end, once the Order arrived and everyone stopped zipping around like half-ghosts. Also the bit with Crookshanks and the Extendable Ear. And Harry talking to Luna about the Thestrals.

Speaking of which, the acting from the young leads was adequate throughout. Daniel Radcliffe has become better able to handle his role across the last two films, though in general he, like the other young actors, is still carried by his senior colleagues: Radcliffe has no chemistry with Katie Leung, frex, but bags of it with Gary Oldman (who's such a treat to watch; his death hurts). Rupert Grint and Emma Watson have little to do here beyond the obvious, and I was disappointed not to see a little more from Bonnie Wright's Ginny, given that she's going to become more important in the next installment. The same goes for Tom Felton's Draco, though he's already built a presence in the previous films. But Evanna Lynch is a definite find as Luna and Matthew Lewis has kept Neville endearingly clumsy-yet-earnest throughout his tenure in the role; when he rises to valiancy in the Department of Mysteries, it doesn't seem strange at all. The adults, of course, are practically a Who's Who of British Acting and it shows. I wanted to strangle Imelda Staunton within seconds of her initial appearance; her height contest with Maggie Smith's McGonagall was quite amusing. I can't imagine anyone but Julie Walters as Mrs. Weasley -- I'm sorry there wasn't room to show her reaction to the Boggart, but it's easy to believe her both concerned for and on edge with her charges. Robert Hardy got the biggest laugh of the afternoon with his reaction to seeing Voldemort at the Ministry, though I chuckled louder at Mark Williams (Mr. Weasley) in the Underground. I still maintain that Ralph Fiennes's Voldemort has his work cut out for him topping Jason Isaacs's Lucius Malfoy. Alan Rickman steals every scene he's in, although I could have wished that Yates had taken just a few more seconds to push the drama of his response to Harry in Umbridge's office, to give his words more significance, so that they could be interpreted either as an understood message (with an implicit "keep your mouth shut, boy, and let me take things from here") or a brush-off in further revenge for Harry's intrusion into his mind. Sigh. On the other hand, if you only have one line with which to shine, you'd do well to emulate George Harris (Kingsley Shacklebolt) and nail it to the wall with spikes -- though I'm not sure that Michael Gambon brings all that much style to his portrayal of Dumbledore. But the script did not serve him well. Without having read the book, it would be very difficult to discern what his behavior to Harry meant merely from the clues the film drops.

Taken all in all, this film was a curate's egg experience: parts of it were excellent, but the structural issues and the weaknesses of presentation dragged it down as a whole below the level of both its immediate predecessors. I shall hope for better work from Yates on the next installment.

Comments

[haleysings.livejournal.com]

There's really two reasons I go to see the Harry Potter movies:

1) So I can discuss it with others, and
2) Because I always enjoy the acting, if nothing else.

So I agree with all your points, particularly on the acting fronts--I adore Alan Rickman, and he's always a blast to see in these movies. And I agree with how you felt about Umbridge--I actually unconsciously reached my hands out a little as if I was trying to reach through the screen and strangle her. Luna was wonderful, as well. And I love Emma Thompson in everything she does, as well. ^^

Still, I feel like there's been much better adaption of fantasy books...particularly in regards of actually making sense to people that haven't read the books...

...But I have to admit, I'm a sucker for nightmarish, surreal montage scenes like Harry's nightmares and flashback scenes, so...I did like those quite a bit. ^^;