Yeah, but he was selling poisoned milk to school children.
Damn. OK, criticism withdrawn.
I definitely enjoyed it, although it was a bit of a mixed bag. The overall ministry-and-umbridge-don’t-believe-Harry plotline, with the newspaper clippings and decrees being nailed to the wall, I thought was very well done and flowed well. Dumbledore’s army was great.
The actual Order of the Phoenix and its members got super-short-shrift.
And the super-important prophecy was a ridiculous letdown. But then, that’s how it is in the book as well, imho.
Dumbledore-vs-Voldemort was spectacular, but somehow felt like it should be even more spectacular. They were casting these super-big spells at each other, but I felt like there should have been more of a climax where they built up to casting 10 or 12 at once. I mean, these are the two most powerful wizards in the world, basically… or maybe I’d just been building it up mentally in anticipation?
I was very disappointed not to see the scene with the muggle prime minister.
Speaking as someone who hasn’t read the books, I thought this was the best movie since the original. The last couple didn’t have very good flow to the story, and several things didn’t make too much sense. This one really came together well though, and it looked fantastic, especially the duel between Dumbeldore and Voldemort.
That’s from HBP.
You mean from Chapter One of The Half-Blood Prince?
My husband and I went to the midnight show last night, and we both had a great time and were very satisfied. The third movie, Prisoner of Azkaban, is still my favorite, but this is the first one I’ve seen after having read the book (and it’s my favorite of the books so far, too), and I think it was the best adaptation overall. I have no complaints except that it could have been even longer. Still, if I want to fill in details, I can, as always, go read the book again.
In one way the movie was even better than the book. Even though it’s my favorite HP book, Harry is a real pain in the ass in Order of the Phoenix. Several times I wanted to reach through the pages and slap him. They toned his teenage petulant dickishness down in the film, and I’m glad.
It was a “Catherine Wheel” that chased her in the book (I have no idea what type of firework that is), but there were firework dragons mentioned. The fireworks float all around the school, causing mayhem; the other teachers pretend they can’t or aren’t allowed to deal with them themselves, and make Umbridge take care of them all herself. The Weasley twins also make one of the corridors into a swamp that Filch has to row the kids across to get to classes, and Umbridge can’t figure out how to deal with that one.
Uhhhh… maybe?
You’re talking about the chapter which shows Fudge meeting with the Prime Minister several times over the years? That’s the first chapter of HBP.
Although the movie does mention that “the Muggle prime minister” has been alerted, which I can’t remember if that was in the book ODOR OF THE PHOENIX or not.
haven’t seen the movie yet. just finished re-reading ootp about when the movie opened this am.
from what i’ve seen in clips and interviews it looks wonderful. i plan on seeing it the night of the 20th then go to bookstore and get the new hp book. should be fun.
i am a bit put off by d.r.'as short hair in the movie.
Yes, that is what I was talking about. I was just embarassed about completely forgetting which book it was in. I have lost some geek cred, sadly.
Imagine a tube filled with firework-type-powder, with each end bent slightly… It’s attached through the middle to a stick, in the ground. When set off, the fireworky-stuff shoots out of both ends, making it spin. So basically, a spinning wheel of sparks.
I remember something about that in PoA(the book), but nothing in OotP.
I liked it a lot.
Prisoner of Azkaban is still my favorite, but this one came in second. I think that everyone really made the most of the little bit of screen time they got. I, personally, would have sat through a longer movie to get to see what they left out, but even so, they did a much better job this time. Goblet of Fire was far too disjointed. I felt Order of the Phoenix flowed much better.
The woman who played Umbridge made me want to reach through that screen and slap her around (so, I guess she was convincing in her part 
).
I liked how they did Sirius’s head in the fireplace much better this time. That was how I always pictured it when I read the books.
Off hand, I can’t really think of anything that really disappointed me.
I am seeing it again on the 21st in the IMAX. It will be interesting to see if having read the 7th book (I’m picking it up at midnight) will change any impressions I have of the movie.
Little Bird and I just got home from watching it. PoA is still the best in my book. Cinematography wise OotP comes in second. Last in terms of editing. PoA made me realize how much Chris Columbus sucks.
Dan’s become quite a good actor. In interviews with him he seems genuinely in love with the craft of acting and it shows. Rupert Grint is shaping up damn well, too. With Gary Oldman (my boy!) and Alan Rickman around you’re bound to learn something. Unless you’re Emma Watson. I keep expecting her to get better but she just gets worse. I’ll allow she had her moments in Goblet of Fire, though.
I loved Luna and Tonks. They weren’t what I imagined at all but so what. To me that isn’t a valid reason for not liking a casting choice. If the actor makes some interesting choices that work (and they did) then bravo.
Holy crap was Umbridge brilliant! Staunton stole the show.
I’ve just gotta get my neener-neener-neeners in for my boy Gary Oldman. A lot of people were disappointed when he was cast as Sirius. They thought he wasn’t handsome enough. Hello? The poor guy just broke out of Azkaban and he’s on the run! He’s going to look pretty screwed up. In Order of the Phoenix the man is damn good looking. He hasn’t been that pretty since The Scarlet Letter (now I’ll go back to forgetting that movie). I hope Order of the Phoenix silences the Oldman naysayers. It should, IMO.
The color palette was brilliant.
I was worried about Grawp but I liked him. He looked a lot like Alfred E. Neumann, however.
All in all it was pretty good despite the editing.
General Harry Potter Series Question:
Remind me why people have to use the flue network instead of just disapparating? (Disapparating is basically teleportation, right?)
-FrL-
Seconded by my wife. She told me afterwards she though Gary Oldman in this movie was, to use her word, “hot.”
-FrL-
Because it is quite difficult and can be dangerous what with the risk of “splinching.” I imagine some wizards choose not to disapparate the same way some muggles choose not to get a drivers license.