Scan and Pan
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint), and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) enter their fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry under a cloud of controversy after the Ministry of Magic refuses to accept the claims of Harry and Professor Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) that the evil wizard Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) has returned. Dumbledore is increasingly pushed aside at Hogwarts in favor of the cruel Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton), who delights in making life miserable for students. Harry takes it upon himself to lead a rebellion and properly teach other students in the use of magic skills needed for the coming conflict, all while the machinations of Voldemort begin to come to fruition.
Noted British television director David Yates tackles his biggest project to date, and his take on the venerable franchise is darker and more realistic than that of previous directors. This is a grim film about a boy being forced to grow up and take on adult responsibilities. War is coming, and Harry has to be ready to play his part. Anyone expecting the light-hearted fun of the early films will be sorely disappointed, but if you're prepared to accept that even a fantasy world has its deep shadows you'll be richly rewarded. It's also the first Harry Potter film to be more character driven than visual effects driven, and Yates' background in gritty television dramas like State of Play and Sex Traffic makes him the right man for the job.
Screenwriter Michael Goldenberg (Contact) replaces usual adapter Steve Kloves, who was busy directing a film of his own, but the transition is seamless. Goldenberg's script is faithful to the plot of J.K. Rowling's novel, although a lot of compression is required to turn an 870 page book into a film that's only 138 minutes long. Clever montages are used to move the narrative along without slowing things down with too many expository scenes.
Veteran Polish cinematographer Slawomir Idziak (The Double Life of Veronique, Gattaca) conjures a darkly subdued look that matches the tone of the story while also grounding it in a more realistic interpretation. There are times where the lighting is simply beautiful while remaining practical. Production designer Stuart Craig, who's worked on all five Potter films, continues his tradition of excellency in set design, adding some brilliant Ministry of Magic sets this time. Nicholas Hooper (The Heart of Me) contributes an ominous but compelling score that's almost entirely his own, with only one of John Williams' original themes being reused. Although there are fewer visual effects scenes this time, the quality of those effects remains high with Industrial Light & Magic leading the way, and the climactic battle between Dumbledore and Voldemort is stunning.
Radcliffe, Grint, and Watson have grown up before our eyes over the past six years, and this film reveals that their acting skills have also matured. All three handle the darker material with aplomb, but Radcliffe stands out with a complex performance as the titular wizard, digging deep within the character's psyche as he grows out of boyhood. This is without a doubt the young actor's best performance and suggests a fine future is ahead of him after the Harry Potter series ends.
The usual suspects are as good as ever, including Gambon as Dumbledore, Fiennes as Voldemort, Alan Rickman as Severus Snape, Gary Oldman as Sirius Black, Maggie Smith as Minerva McGonagall, Jason Isaacs as Lucius Malfoy, Emma Thompson as Sybil Trelawney, Robbie Coltrane as Hagrid, Brendan Gleeson as Mad-Eye, Mark Williams and Julie Walters as Mr. & Mrs. Weasley, and David Thewlis as Remus Lupin. Katie Leung returns as Harry's love interest Cho Chang, but the romantic subplot is given short shrift (my one quibble with the film).
Among the new cast members, Staunton is pitch perfect as Dolores Umbridge, Evanna Lynch is ever so ditzy yet charming as Luna Lovegood, Helena Bonham Carter is suitably deranged as Bellatrix Lestrange, and Natalia Tena is just right as Order of the Phoenix member Nymphadora Tonks.
Some critics have suggested that the magic has gone out of the Harry Potter franchise, but I think they're victims of their own expectations that these films should remain light-hearted and ignore the maturation of Harry, as well as of Rowling's themes. That said, because this film is so grim at times, it'll probably play better to Harry Potter fans than to general audiences looking for some summer fun. It's also the first of the films that's not likely to hold the interest of children.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix dares to take itself down some dark paths as it explores another year in the life of a wizard who's now less boy and more man. That it does so with intelligence and a more realistic style is commendable. It's not just the best Harry Potter film, it's a good film period. Highly recommended.
[4.5 out of 5 stars]
Everyone's favorite boy wizard returns for a fifth adventure that sheds the lighter entertainment of earlier films in favor of a darker, more challenging effort that represents the best film in the series yet (although my personal favorite remains Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in terms of pure entertainment).
Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint), and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) enter their fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry under a cloud of controversy after the Ministry of Magic refuses to accept the claims of Harry and Professor Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) that the evil wizard Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) has returned. Dumbledore is increasingly pushed aside at Hogwarts in favor of the cruel Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton), who delights in making life miserable for students. Harry takes it upon himself to lead a rebellion and properly teach other students in the use of magic skills needed for the coming conflict, all while the machinations of Voldemort begin to come to fruition.
Noted British television director David Yates tackles his biggest project to date, and his take on the venerable franchise is darker and more realistic than that of previous directors. This is a grim film about a boy being forced to grow up and take on adult responsibilities. War is coming, and Harry has to be ready to play his part. Anyone expecting the light-hearted fun of the early films will be sorely disappointed, but if you're prepared to accept that even a fantasy world has its deep shadows you'll be richly rewarded. It's also the first Harry Potter film to be more character driven than visual effects driven, and Yates' background in gritty television dramas like State of Play and Sex Traffic makes him the right man for the job.
Screenwriter Michael Goldenberg (Contact) replaces usual adapter Steve Kloves, who was busy directing a film of his own, but the transition is seamless. Goldenberg's script is faithful to the plot of J.K. Rowling's novel, although a lot of compression is required to turn an 870 page book into a film that's only 138 minutes long. Clever montages are used to move the narrative along without slowing things down with too many expository scenes.
Veteran Polish cinematographer Slawomir Idziak (The Double Life of Veronique, Gattaca) conjures a darkly subdued look that matches the tone of the story while also grounding it in a more realistic interpretation. There are times where the lighting is simply beautiful while remaining practical. Production designer Stuart Craig, who's worked on all five Potter films, continues his tradition of excellency in set design, adding some brilliant Ministry of Magic sets this time. Nicholas Hooper (The Heart of Me) contributes an ominous but compelling score that's almost entirely his own, with only one of John Williams' original themes being reused. Although there are fewer visual effects scenes this time, the quality of those effects remains high with Industrial Light & Magic leading the way, and the climactic battle between Dumbledore and Voldemort is stunning.
Radcliffe, Grint, and Watson have grown up before our eyes over the past six years, and this film reveals that their acting skills have also matured. All three handle the darker material with aplomb, but Radcliffe stands out with a complex performance as the titular wizard, digging deep within the character's psyche as he grows out of boyhood. This is without a doubt the young actor's best performance and suggests a fine future is ahead of him after the Harry Potter series ends.
The usual suspects are as good as ever, including Gambon as Dumbledore, Fiennes as Voldemort, Alan Rickman as Severus Snape, Gary Oldman as Sirius Black, Maggie Smith as Minerva McGonagall, Jason Isaacs as Lucius Malfoy, Emma Thompson as Sybil Trelawney, Robbie Coltrane as Hagrid, Brendan Gleeson as Mad-Eye, Mark Williams and Julie Walters as Mr. & Mrs. Weasley, and David Thewlis as Remus Lupin. Katie Leung returns as Harry's love interest Cho Chang, but the romantic subplot is given short shrift (my one quibble with the film).
Among the new cast members, Staunton is pitch perfect as Dolores Umbridge, Evanna Lynch is ever so ditzy yet charming as Luna Lovegood, Helena Bonham Carter is suitably deranged as Bellatrix Lestrange, and Natalia Tena is just right as Order of the Phoenix member Nymphadora Tonks.
Some critics have suggested that the magic has gone out of the Harry Potter franchise, but I think they're victims of their own expectations that these films should remain light-hearted and ignore the maturation of Harry, as well as of Rowling's themes. That said, because this film is so grim at times, it'll probably play better to Harry Potter fans than to general audiences looking for some summer fun. It's also the first of the films that's not likely to hold the interest of children.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix dares to take itself down some dark paths as it explores another year in the life of a wizard who's now less boy and more man. That it does so with intelligence and a more realistic style is commendable. It's not just the best Harry Potter film, it's a good film period. Highly recommended.
[4.5 out of 5 stars]
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