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Review by Brandon Huffstetler As
the close of the fourth film showed us the return of the dark lord Voldemort, the fifth installment begins with Harry being
chased in the muggle world by dementors. The Ministry of Magic seems to use this encounter to further tarnish Harry’s
name. At this point in the story The Ministry is trying its best to cover up both Harry and Dumbledore’s attempts to
inform the wizarding world of the return of Voldemort. As the movie continues you take part in the most challenging year of
young Harry’s life yet. With stunning visuals, effects, first kisses and fallen comrades Harry Potter and the order
of the Phoenix is yet another part of the longest running book to film adaptation. This series
continues to deliver great performances from both young and experienced actors. This series’ visual effects and cinematography
have continuously raised the bar and this installment is no different. Order of the Phoenix is a must see for fans of the
series. However, being a series this in definitely not a standalone film and not the one for anyone to start with.
Sadly this is not the best installment of the Harry Potter film series. I find that this film leaves many more holes than
its predecessors. It seems that this may be the first sign of things to come. Order of the Phoenix appears to be losing some
of the character driven concentration. This film seems to spend more time on the action and less time showing the growth of
the students of Hogwarts. Though this may not be the best of the series, this is still among the best novel adaptations ever
to grace the silver screen. As a big fan of the book series I can only hope that the Half Blood Prince can keep it on top. Good:
Stunning visuals, continues an intriguing plot, raises the bar for film adaptations of books. Bad:
Losing its overall focus, seems too focused on fanfare of action instead of the characters.
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