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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2 Disc Special Edition) [2007]


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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

While many movie franchises slide as they reach their later instalments, the Harry Potter films just keep getting better. The latest, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is easily the darkest of the series to date, and it’s also one of the best. For while it could easily have been little more than a holding film to set up the big encounters to come in the last two instalments of the series, it’s to the credit of British director David Yates that the end result is really very good.

It finds Harry coming under suspicion from his wizarding colleagues, who don’t believe his claims that the evil Lord Voldermort has returned. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix thus finds its title character on the backfoot for much of its running time, with a select band who firmly believe his story, and very powerful figures who don’t.

Where the movie of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix excels though is in its three trump cards. Number one is a far tighter script than we’re used to with Potter films, which, combined with trump card number two--the aforementioned David Yates behind the camera--cuts much of the slavish loyalty to the text away in favour of a film with real momentum. The third, and best, card though is the casting of Imelda Staunton as Professor Dolores Umbridge, who simply flies away with every scene she’s in. It’s a superb performance, and the film is poorer whenever she’s not on screen.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is not a film without a few problems, certainly: it’s a fair criticism that not too much actually happens, and one or two bits feel superfluous. But it overrides its problems with ease, to emerge as a compelling, highly enjoyable family film, which will leave you salivating for the Christmas 2008 release of movie number six in the series. --Simon Brew


Not great but still entertaining
Review date: 2008-09-03 Rating: 8 out of 10

Although I am not the greatest Harry Potter fan in the world I have always enjoyed the film series and thankfully this film continues this trend. The Order of the Phoenix sees the dark lord Voldemort gathering his forces but with the Ministry of Magic refusing to acknowledge his return Harry and his friends must defy the Ministry in order to prepare for the coming war. Complicating matters is Ms Umbridge, the Ministry appointed Defence from the Dark Arts teacher, who is willing to do anything for the Ministry of Magic.

I haven't read any of the Potter books as yet and as such I cannot comment about how closely this film sticks to the book and I have heard mixed reports on the subject. Nevertheless I do feel that the film fits in very will with the style established by the other movies in the series and did enjoy watching the film. The acting is, like the previous films, mixed with some good performances, a few great performances and the odd bad performance on show. The true strength of this film though is the strong writing, which is funny and tense in equal measure, and the special effects that are impressive throughout. Overall the Order of the Phoenix is probably one of the best of the Potter films released so far but it is still missing something that would make it a great film.

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Reviews


Another slightly above average movie in the Potter franchise
Review date: 2008-08-27 Rating: 6 out of 10

As expected this is a little darker but sadly not as good as 'The Goblet of Fire'. This isnt by any means a poor film, I quite enjoyed it but it is something that I'll proberbly never watch again. New characters are brought in and old characters continue to develop. This film seems shorter than the others but there doesnt seems to be as much substance to it, unlike the others.

Dissapointed
Review date: 2008-08-14 Rating: 4 out of 10

As a big Harry Potter fan I was quite dissapointed with this film. Many of the changes made from the books were unnessacery and dumbed down, I have to say the best thing in the film was Evvanna Lynch's portrayal of Luna, I loved the scene in the forest with just her and Harry.

Enough Dross to Ensure Success.
Review date: 2008-07-09 Rating: 2 out of 10

Any writer of a film's 97th review, unless he's so confident in the drawing-appeal of his offering's title, that he thinks it shall be the first one to be read, should be confident, and in this case pleased, that his subject is known too well to the reader not to spare him the need to inflict on him the same trash that Warner's is still peddeling to viewers; for that, I'm grateful.
Let me help you; if you think that what this film contains might appeal to you, then a U.K. 'bus journey should provide the same types of incidents and horrors that this awfullness provides for a fraction of the cost, albeit still too much; and would also offer the type of personal involvement, rather than any registrable measurements of active thinking, that is so necessary for museums to provide before they can receive a Lottery grant, or, that couldn't be found in your local Playstation store: din; facial grimmacing; retarded speach; slang; fluently muttering, un-developed minds; tumult; a passion of aimlessness; a belieflessness in everything and anything except in the un-proveable or un-knowable or the latest fashion; cliches of behaviour and language and action and thought, comporable in riches to the content of an exploded balloon, all these are to be found either here, or, as I have already recommended, in the transport that you may find yourself unluckilly being conveyed in on the way to experience more of the same on the screen, or, in the adjoining stall.
All the now obligatory infuriating modernisms of to-day's cinema are offering widescreen evidence against themselves for you to examine in discomforting leisure: every second constantly edited to distract and amaze us with the swiftness and fury of the filmaker's art, as though the camera was trying to dislodge something from it's eye, by perpetually blinking, (or shuttinig it, often, so as to try and not watch), to convince us of the relevance of the spectacle, which only reveals that not one of them is worth dwelling on; the un-remmitting background symphony, from a generation of people left on telephonic hold, adding glory and majesty, like the Heavenly choir it's very subject matter denies, giving the idea that we can't even listen to this rubbish unless, like everywhere else these days, we aren't tuned in, first, to some background gunge, etc., etc..
Confident of this good advice going to waste, I'm convinced of this Review's title, as this seems to be what the public wants, if it ever has known without being told, since it supplies so much of it free of charge itself, before being dispersed by those fortunate enough to be able to afford a Mosquitto alarm.
Like all the films in this series, when the staying power of it's 'charms' persuades the then enlightened buyer to place it on the shelf of his local charity shop, at least it will allow you to buy it for deliberate burial in the corporation dust cart; there's nothing like an altruistic public act, there's no place like home for this disc, and at least some good shall have come of it all.

another entertaing installment
Review date: 2008-06-07 Rating: 6 out of 10

again another entertaining installment in the entertaining harry potter series.the three leads are really starting to mature in to good young actors

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Emma Watson
Rupert Grint
Ralph Fiennes
Robbie Coltrane
Daniel Radcliffe

Creators:
Daniel Radcliffe (Primary Contributor)
Emma Watson (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: Warner Home Video
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
EAN: 7321902174921
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 2
Format: Digital Sound, Dolby, PAL, Surround Sound, Widescreen,
Release date: 2007-11-12
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 138 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2007
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: German (Original Language)

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