Review of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) by Amoviecritic — 11 Jul 2007

David Yates......why? You made nearly the PERFECT HP movie. For once in this film series, these characters felt like real characters and they finally resembled their book counterparts. For once we have a coherent story that doesn't just jump from scene to scene.

Finally we have characters who talk and act like real kids.Yes, this is a slower, more character-driven film than past ones (like the book,) but it all builds tension and dramatically builds up to huge action scenes at the end.

Supposedly. And that's where director David Yates, unfortunately, dropped the ball. The action scenes at the end, meant to be a huge battle and the big stand of good vs. evil, is entirely ruined in the film.

The main characters spend the entire movie preparing for a final battle that lasts...what...2 minutes? Similarly, the fight of 2 powerful wizards also goes by way too quickly and lacks intensity. And the explanations that take place after this big "finale" are probably the quickest and most inadequate in this film series so far, leading up to a tacked on ending.

I don't know what happened. The movie was perfect, the last half hour was just entirely ruined. David Yates had better learn how to craft strong action scenes, because he's returning for Half Blood Prince.

(Something I was thrilled about until I saw how he ruined the Ministry of Magic scenes.) And will these film people finally get Dumbledore right? He does not yell at students, EVER, and his facial expressions during the big battle at the end didn't fit his character at all.