Film Review- Harry Potter

Big Battle, Tall Order

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

7 on 10

Dir: David Yates
Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Michael Gambon, Imelda Staunton, Ralph Fiennes

There are no Quid ditch matches in the latest Potter film, lesser roaming around and lesser playing around with spells. The elaborate extravaganza of the previous films has been replaced by an inner turmoil in Potter’s mind. Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) are suspected by the Ministry of forming a private army to overthrow the Minister.

To keep a check on the activities at Hogwarts, a new professor has been appointed. Her name is Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton) and she is supposed to guide the students prevent themselves from dark magic. Her training, however, is all theoretical, and she tells Potter that this is what is needed to pass exams. She wears pink, and smiles, and smiles, even when she punishes students by making them write “I must not lie” which gets imprinted on their hands in blood simultaneously as they write on paper. Potter, on the other hand, has been told by his mentor Sirius Black (Gary Oldman) that Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) is back. In absence of training, the students are seriously impaired, and start training under Potter. Umbridge starts a witch-hunt in the house of witches.

The movie marks a remarkable shift in terms of the scenes turning indoors. Harry goes through intense psychological moments, where he feels that with all that has happened in the past, what if he is also becoming like Voldemort? “I feel angry all the time,” he tells Sirius. He goes through traumatic nightmares with past and future whirring past him and leaving him and the audience stunned at the end of it. The spectacle is maintained with centaurs, and flying animals, the Weasley twins (James and Oliver Phelps) bursting crackers inside the exam hall, and sparkling spells but the attention is more on the angst inside a teenager, the turmoil of going through changes. Harry also gets to kiss for the first time. The romance with Cho Chang (Katie Leung) is a non-starter, because it doesn’t really fit into the plot anywhere. The cutest part of the film is Hagrid’s half-brother who is a giant. He picks up Hermione in his hand and puts her down when she stares at him. He gifts her a bicycle handle with a bell on it.

Sequels generally lack punch, but Potter gets better and better with every film. The frames are very tight to convey the internal battles. Even the climax is shot in a closed room. The action is lesser than the previous films, but the atmosphere is built slowly and constantly so that there’s barely any time for revelry. The shadow of You-Know-Who looms large, and his invasion of Potter’s memory is chilling. Radcliffe has pulled off the role of a teenage rebel very well. Dumbledore, played by Gambon, is stoic and yet very stylish. Every frame where he enters is full of panache.
Potter maniacs don’t need views or reviews. It is for the muggles, and they can go watch this film without juggling too many thoughts.