This is the latest installment of the Harry films. In the books the plot is getting more and more complex which is making it very difficult to transcribe into a film. You could tell that they had quite a budget to play with in some scenes and they were very convincing.
The tale starts where it usually does with Harry living at number 4 Privet Drive (the dudsleys) and really waiting to go back to his favourite school. The film is ostensibly to introduce The Order of the Phoenix. However, the order does not play a massive part in the film, only Harry's growing anger and frustrations with the Ministry of Magic.
All in all effects rated a with the story being a . The real let down for me was the ruthless cut of various storylines which makes the film feel slightly disjointed in places.
I don't have a clue what was cut, as I've not read the books, so maybe that makes it a bit easier for me to watch. Despite that, I suspect watching the other films would be advisable, as this one assumed a bit of knowledge. Overall, an enjoyable romp through Narnia or wherever it is they all live. I'll go with:
I really enjoyed it and the budget certainly helped with the special effects. Personally I think both the book and the film are from Harry's perspective and the Order of the Phoenix is something that is out of Harry's control. How much do they really know about what is going on as they are underage?
I really liked the first scene - it captured the bullying Dudley perfectly and was very atmospheric.
I thought today as I was driving to Liverpool today that it is very odd that Harry and his friends are able to beat some really powerful wizards with very simple spells. When the Order arrived at the end of the film there were some really amazing spells going on to fight the death eaters yet are somehow never used against the kids. . . . WHY!
Its akin to Bond being taken by a single guard to an elaborate death!
Maybe its pure cockiness on the death eaters part to start with, as they do overpower harry's friends quickly once they get out of the chamber of prophecies. And if harry and friends weren't saved at that point, the deatheaters would have started to kill people.
For example there's a bit in the new book when they try and take neville's gran - so the deatheaters sent just one person and got a nasty surprise when that person was beaten. I don't think that spoils anything by saying that, hopefully.
Oh, my, we've just watched this on DVD. I found it utterly boring, incredibly slow and disjointed and really about very little.
I reckon we could have totally cut the first 30 minutes or so with no loss whatsoever.
The only thing about it that's worse is DVD #2 with interminable interviews with the cast and crew. Why are these people so tedious when talking about their work?
with the story being a 
. The real let down for me was the ruthless cut of various storylines which makes the film feel slightly disjointed in places.
