Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) is enduring a hot summer and Dudley (Harry Melling) provokes him by making fun of the fact that Harry is haunted by Cedric's death from The Goblet of Fire and also his mom's death. As a storm approaches, demeanors come into the tunnel sucking Dudley's soul and with no choice, Harry has to use the Patronus curse to get rid of the dementor. A person witnesses this and helps Dudley get into the house while both Vernon (Richard Griffiths) and Petunia (Fiona Shaw) take him out of the house.
The Order of the Phoenix consisting of Mad-Eye Moody (Brendan Gleeson), Nymphadora Tonks (Natalia Tena), Kingsley (George Harris) among others break Harry out of the Dursleys to go into the Order's headquarters. They and the rest of the Order including Sirius Black (Gary Oldman), Remus Lupin (David Thewlis) and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley (Mark Williams and Julie Walters) have a meeting about the news regarding Voldemort's return and also Harry's protection. Harry learns that the Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge (Robert Hardy) thinks he is lying. After Dumbledore's (Michael Gambon) help at the hearing, the charges against Harry are dropped.
Upon arrival, Fudge has appointed Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton) as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. And, Umbridge gets under Harry's skin as she believes that everything Harry said about the news is a lie and she punishes him by giving him detention by forcing him to write sentences multiple times while scarring his arm. Unfortunately, Dumbledore cannot help him since he has distanced from him since the summer.
Harry, Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) had enough of Umbridge's increased control over the school so they form a plan by meeting with their closest friends to discuss a club called: Dumbledore's Army. Almost everybody in that club signs up including Luna Lovegood (Evanna Lynch), a Ravenclaw student who believes in Harry's story of Voldemort coming back, and Cho Chang, whom Harry has a crush on since the fourth movie which makes Ginny (Bonnie Wright) a bit jealous from a few abrupt glances or shots. As, the Slytherin students are being recruited by Umbridge, the Army gets more lessons from Harry.
This movie from the start felt so rushed except for the Dumbledore's Army sequence and its climactic action sequence. Yates had the challenge to slim down the largest book in the franchise into one of the shortest films of the franchise and I felt that there were a few key scenes or scenes that needed a bit more exposure or information. And, unfortunately, I have to say because there were some funny moments from each of the four films, there was actually one or two funny moments, for example, the scene where the Weasley twins prank Umbridge during their O.W.L. exams and Ron and Hermione's cute mini-duel, when we see a little hint of romance. But, the movie focuses on the self-serious news when the return of Voldemort or magical politics are involved and that slowed the movie down in a negative fashion. It did not generate suspense, just brief exposure from the book and time devoted to the veteran actors but with not much earned payoff.
There's not much time devoted to Harry, Ron and Hermione in this movie this time as it is mostly focused on them trying to form Dumbledore's Army with other friends and that is fine but I wanted more scenes with the three of them. Also, we do not get a chance to devote much time with the loved supporting characters such as Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman and Robbie Coltrane. Maggie Smith has a great moment with Imelda Staunton as they discuss more political affairs or certain things regarding the school. However, Staunton steals the movie as she plays a cleanly-dressed but devilish and vile woman that walks around with cheeky confidence but inner evil deeds. However, her character's payoff was weak when a story involving Hagrid's friend, Grawp, is in the picture. And, also, Helena Bonham Carter who plays Bellatrix Estrange, is ruthless and well-casted.
The movie does focus mostly on Harry's and Voldemort's (again well-played by Ralph Fiennes) rivalry as Voldemort's tasks are placed into Harry's visions and serve the story well and that's when the movie gets a little exciting. However, the excitement is too little too late. The movie's pacing is uneven with its inspiring but not as magical sequence with Dumbledore's Army in training and the Occlumency between Snape and Harry that should have been exciting but left off a lot of important elements and emotional impact. And, the ending is probably the weakest of the franchise. There's a lot to like in the Order of the Phoenix but this movie in my opinion felt more like a second-to-last draft that should trim a couple of minutes off but add a lot more minutes to provide more suspense, a lot better editing and more information. Again, the action sequence almost saved the movie, but it was too little too late to provide interest to even say it is a good product of the franchise. It is my least favorite of the Harry Potter series.
**1/2
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