Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Source: The List (Issue 579)
Date: 2 July 2007
Written by: Kaleem Aftab

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HARRY POTTER AND THE

(12A) 138min

FANTASY/ADAPTATION

At over 800 Pages Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was always likely to be the hardest of JK Rowling’s tomes to adapt and true to form this is the worst of the little wizard films. The franchise, which has thus far been helmed by experienced and generally skilful filmmakers - Christopher Columbus, Alfonso Cuarón and Mike Newell, is ill served by director David Yates (The Titchborne Claimant, The Girl in the Café).

Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) has started to suffer from some severe teenage growing pains and reflecting this Yates abandons frivolity for a darker yet dull approach to the material, which has no adolescent magic in it at all. Having been expelled from Hogwarts for casting a magic spell, Potter earns a reprieve. The enjoyable moments nearly all occur when Potter newcomer Imelda Staunton, playing the latest ‘Defence Against the Dark Arts’ is on-screen. Alas, Yates obsession with exposition over action is this dreary, utilitarian film’s real undoing. Save your pennies for the release of Philip Pullman adaptation The Golden Compass in December.

(Kaleem Aftab)

General release from Fri 13 Jul.

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Last updated: 7 Aug 2007 16:46 BST