Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
July 11, 2007
Warner Bros.
Fantasy, Drama, Action
DVD
B

Harry Potter regulars this time (* for newbies):

1. Afshan Azad as Padma Patil
2. Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix Lestrange*
3. David Bradley as Argus Filch
4. Shefali Chowdhury as Parvati Patil
5. Robbie Coltrane as Rubeus Hagrid
6. Warwick Davis as Filius Flitwick
7. Alfred Enoch as Dean Thomas
8. Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy
9. Ralph Fiennes as Lord Voldemort
10. Michael Gambon as Albus Dumbledore
11. Brendan Gleeson as Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody
12. Richard Griffiths as Uncle Vernon Dursley
13. Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley
14. Robert Hardy as Cornelius Fudge
15. George Harris as Kingsley Shacklebolt*
16. Josh Herdman as Gregory Goyle
17. Jason Isaacs as Lucius Malfoy
18. Katie Leung as Cho Chang
19. Matthew Lewis as Neville Longbottom
20. Evanna Lynch as Luna Lovegood*
21. Harry Melling as Dudley Dursley
22. William Melling as Nigel
23. Gary Oldman as Sirius Black
24. Robert Pattinson as Cedric Diggory
25. James Phelps as Fred Weasley
26. Oliver Phelps as George Weasley
27. Devon Murray as Seamus Finnigan
28. Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter
29. Chris Rankin as Percy Weasley
30. Adrian Rawlins as James Potter
31. Fiona Shaw as Aunt Petunia Dursley
32. Geraldine Somerville as Lily Potter
33. Timothy Spall as Peter Pettigrew
34. Natalie Tena as Nymphadora Tonks*
35. David Thewlis as Remus Lupin
36. Emma Watson as Hermione Granger
37. Jamie Waylett as Vincent Crabbe
38. Mark Williams as Arthur Weasley
39. Bonnie Wright as Ginny Weasley

My review of the book is here:  http://rereadingeverybookiown.blogspot.com/2013/12/harry-potter-and-order-of-phoenix.html.  At the time this movie came out, it was mixed in with the feelings of the pending release of the final book.  Moments like when Voldemort tells Harry, "You're a fool and you'll lose everything," gave me shivers because we really didn't know how this was all going to end.  Also, coming after the disappointments of the fourth movie, this seemed like the best entry after Azkaban.

Now I'd put it on a level with the first two movies.  It generally doesn't wow me, although Evanna Lynch is amazing as Luna, Imelda Staunton makes Umbridge even creepier than in the book by making her "nicer" on the surface, and the Dumbledore vs. Voldemort battle kicks arse.  It's a good, solid entry.  My two main quibbles are that new director David Yates has overdone pulling everyone back from overacting and made some of the lines too soft-spoken (Yates himself is soft-spoken, quite a contrast to blustering Newell); and not only has Michael Goldenberg's script (or at least the editing) lost much of the book (this is always noted as the longest book turned into the shortest movie) but there are stray lines and even subplots that are just left hanging.  Most notably, Harry and Cho's romance, which is less awkward than in the book, fizzles out because of a misunderstanding that's never resolved.  Still, kudos for Yates in getting at the emotional core of the series in a way that no one other than Alfonso Cuarón managed.

Siobhan Ellen Williams was in Hufflepuff in Goblet of Fire but is now in Gryffindor.  Paije Richardson is also in both movies, as an unidentified student.  Sarah Harrison was a Schoolgirl in Goblet and here.  Nathan Clarke is in Gryffindor here and in Half-Blood Prince.  Christopher O'Shea was an unidentified extra in Chamber of Secrets and this one, while Tabatha St. Vincent is an unidentified extra in this and Prince.  Peter Best was the Executioner in Azkaban and is a Death Eater here.  Natalie Hallam was Professor Sinistra in Goblet and seems to be reprising it here, although she's uncredited.  Neil Findlater is a Ministry of Magic Panel Member here and would be a Wizard Teacher in Prince.  Rusty Goffe would again play a Goblin in Deathly Hallows 2.  Arben Bajraktaraj is an Azkaban Death Eater here and would be specifically Antonin Dolohov in Deathly Hallows 1.  Daisy Haggard would again be the voice of the Ministry Lift in Hallows 1.

Richard Cubison was the Head Waiter in Wilde and is a Death Eater here.  John Atterbury was Merriman in Gosford Park and plays Phineas Nigellus Black here.  Sam Beazley was a Very Old Man in Bridget Jones 2 and is Everard here.  Brigitte Millar was a Journalist in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and plays Emmeline Vance here.  Samuel Gaukroger was a Child at Church in Grint's Driving Lessons and plays a Hogwarts Student here.