Movie Review – Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)

Overall Quality 4.0 / 5.0 (recommended; a solid film)
Gay Content 0.5 / 5.0 (a single line…)
Gay Positivity 0.5 / 5.0 (…which is a taunt)

The movie begins with an attack on Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), the eponymous hero of the series, and his Muggle (non-magical) cousin Dudley (Harry Melling) by a pair of spectral Dementors. Harry uses his magic to save them both, only to find the Ministry of Magic puts him on trial for using magic in front of a Muggle. But apparently the Ministry of Magic is too busy denying the return of the evil Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) to act sensibly.

In fact, as part of their effort to convince themselves and everyone else that everything is hunky dory, they appoint a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher: Dolores Umbridge (played to pink, sadistic perfection by Imelda Staunton). Unfortunately, she doesn’t believe in practical education, and Harry ends up tutoring a group of students on the sly. That secret society mirrors another one: the Order of the Phoenix, a group dedicated to opposing Voldemort. Meanwhile, Umbridge – who would make McCarthy proud – gradually increases her power at the school in her efforts to root out opposing viewpoints.

Harry squarely takes center stage in this movie. His friends Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) mostly fill in as set props; their fully fleshed out subplots from the book have largely been edited out.

Radcliffe shines in his portrayal of a moody, angry, adolescent Harry. Yes, of course, the ostensible conflict remains Harry’s struggle against the evil Voldemort, whose movie makeup makes him seem not so much sinister as someone who’s had more than his fair share of chemotherapy.

But the movie really focuses on Harry’s struggle with himself, and rightfully so: it is within our own souls that the most important battles are fought, particularly as we mature. Harry feels very isolated and alone. Will he come to see how he contributes to his own isolation? He feels angry all the time and begins to wonder if he’s not more like Voldemort than he wishes. Will he recognize the ways in which they are different?

Radcliffe has really matured into the role, and his performance makes for a compelling, deeply-textured character arc.

Also, the special effects are fantastic. One of the best sequences while Harry is secretly teaching his fellow students (known as “Dumbledore’s Army”) to summon Patronus (protective) Charms. Indeed, that subplot was my favorite in the movie.

On the other hand, the story meandered. Scriptwriter Michael Goldenberg did a good job of adapting a sprawling book into a 2-1/2 hour movie (frankly better than Steve Kloves did with the previous film, “Goblet of Fire”). Nevertheless, one can’t shake the feeling that these latest films (books, too) have a distinctly different flavor from the earlier ones.

First, the earlier stories (“Sorcerer’s Stone,” “Chamber of Secrets,” and “Prisoner of Azkaban”) certainly contributed to the overall story arc of Harry versus Voldemort, but remained self-contained tales with clear beginning, middle, and end. But “Order of the Phoenix” comes across rather as a bridge between the last movie and the next.

Second, like “Goblet of Fire,” this movie is visually quite gray and grim, and the subdued set design and cinematography reflect a much, much more serious and somber tome. The sense of magic and wonder that permeated the first few stories has gone missing. “Order of the Phoenix” still enjoys a panoply of engaging characters and a suspenseful story; but I still mourn for what’s gone lost.

Interestingly, this film contains the sole gay reference in all of Harry Potterdom. At the very beginning of the film, Harry’s cousin Dudley, gay baits Harry with a taunt: “Who’s Cedric? Your boyfriend?” So I went ahead and scored for both Gay Content (very low obviously) and Gay Positivity (also low, considering the only content is a taunt which equates “gay” to “bad”). I write more extensively on the gay content in Harry Potter in my essay “The Gay of Harry Potter: Subtext and Omission.”

It’s a solid story with strong acting (really, a virtual who’s who of British actors) and great special effects, so I definitely recommend it. However, “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” remains unchallenged as my favorite among the films.