Image and artwork courtesy of Warner Brothers Pictures
It would be an extreme understatement to say Harry Potter fans have been eagerly anticipating the movie adaptation of the fifth book in the series, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.  Now that it’s finally here, the question we all want answered is, “Does it live up to the hype?”  As usual, that entirely depends upon whether or not you’ve actually taken the time to crack open one of Rowling’s magical books before making a trek to the local multiplex.  Being the fifth movie with new director (David Yates), as well as a change in screenwriters from Michael Goldenberg (who adapted the first four films) to Steve Kloves this time ‘round, gives The Order of the Phoenix a slightly different look and feel than its predecessors.  However, not all of the changes are due to the changes in personnel.  Many of the changes have to do with the stories themselves becoming darker.  As Rowling literarily progresses Harry’s saga toward its ultimate showdown between good and evil that will take place in the final book of the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (due out July 21), the films must also grow darker in order to accurately reflect the progression of the novels.  If you thought the first movie, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, was a little too scary for the kids, be warned that it’s nothing compared to the violence, possession, and death found in The Order of the Phoenix.
Image courtesy of Warner Brothers Pictures				At the end of The Goblet of Fire, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) had narrowly escaped his battle with Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) in the graveyard, where the dark lord finally regained his human form.  However, since there were no other reliable witnesses to the event, The Order of the Phoenix finds Harry trying to convince the wizarding world of Voldemort’s return.
Because the head of the Ministry of Magic, Cornelius Fudge (Robert Hardy) is in complete denial about the return of He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named, the powers that be attempt to discredit Harry with a smear campaign in the Daily Prophet, calling him “The Boy Who Lies.”  Of course, the Ministry doesn’t stop with just a meager dose of libel.  They find a way to place their own evil spawn, Delores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton), at Hogwarts this year to really get things stirred up.  Since the Ministry believes that Voldemort is still on a holiday, they don’t think there’s a real need for the students to learn how to defend themselves; and, Umbridge takes it upon herself to take over the Defense Against the Dark Arts classes by making a mockery out of them.  Predictably, her little power trip gets out of control when she manages to usurp Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) as headmaster; and, the students unleash their own brand of revenge on the bitch in pink.  Just like the end of every other Harry Potter story, the real climax comes with the showdown between Harry and Voldemort.  Only this time, Voldemort tries to obtain a prophecy made about Harry that is stored at the Ministry, and the finally battle scene starts to resemble episode 2 of Star Wars when Dumbledore (the teacher) opens a can of whoop-ass on his former student (Voldemort).
Image courtesy of Warner Brothers Pictures			Of course, the movie all but glosses over the importance of the prophecy and the reason why Voldemort is determined to get his hands on it.  Part of the problem is due to Goldenberg’s formidable task of whittling down an 870 page novel into a two hour movie.  Yet, somewhere in the process of omitting certain details, he also leaves their  significance by the wayside as well.
Granted, sacrifices do need to be made and some alterations are unavoidable when transferring the written word to a visual medium.  But, at what cost should the lines be drawn?  Nearly a dozen new characters are introduced in the movie, without explanation of whom they are or why they are there.  When the prophecy is eventually revealed, only the last part of it is emphasized, leaving the audience members who haven’t read the book with only part of its true significance.  Yet, the real kicker is how the film never explains the meaning of its own title.  Another notable difference between Phoenix and its predecessors is the diminished onscreen time of characters who have been a part of Harry’s journey since the beginning, such as Snape (Alan Rickman) and Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane).  However, these are sacrifices that needed to be made in order to make room for the new characters; and, one of these new characters just so happens to be Cho Chang (Katie Leung), the girl with whom Harry shares his first kiss.  Overall, I can’t say that Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix has lost all of its magical charm. The film does offer up some fantastic special effects, the humor elements aren’t lost in the midst of chaos, and the story moves at a fast enough pace to keep audiences entertained all the way through Harry’s latest adventure.  But, fans of the books should prepare themselves for a lot of inconsistency.  The major plot points are still in the movie, but all of the details surrounding them have either been changed or omitted.
Ironically, that’s why people who choose to watch the movies because they can’t find the time to pick up a book are the ones who are really missing out.  Imagination is the magical key that unlocks Harry’s world, and by refusing to use yours, you are refusing to unlock the real magic of reading.  © Kelly Bartley 2007		Image courtesy of Warner Brothers
Running Time:	2 hrs 15 minutes
Release Date:	July 11, 2007
MPAA Rating:	PG-13 (fantasy violence and frightening images)
Distributor:	Warner Brothers Pictures