THE REBELLION BEGINS.
As the new leadership of Hogwarts turns increasingly fascist, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) is angry to learn that few people are willing to believe that he did meet Voldemort. Many critics loved the fourth movie, but number five is even more engaging, as the Order of the Phoenix and Hogwart’s students prepare to do battle with their worst enemy. Plenty of darkness in the storytelling, but the filmmakers don’t forget about the emotional friendship between the three leads. This grand adventure also has an explosive finale between Voldemort and Dumbledore. Imelda Staunton is very amusing as the cheerfully wicked administrator.
2007-U.S. 138 min. Color. Widescreen. Produced by David Heyman, David Barron. Directed by David Yates. Screenplay: Michael Goldenberg. Novel: J.K. Rowling. Music: Nicholas Hooper. Cast: Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Emma Watson (Hermione Granger), Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley), Gary Oldman, Imelda Staunton, Robert Hardy… Michael Gambon, Maggie Smith, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Brendan Gleeson, Jason Isaacs, Alan Rickman, David Thewlis, Emma Thompson, Julie Walters, Timothy Spall.
Trivia: Mira Nair and Jean-Pierre Jeunet were allegedly considered for directing duties. Followed by Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009).
Last word: “[Yates] has shown he can handle political subject matter in an entertaining way. This is not a political film per se, but the politics of the magic world are very much at play here. We thought David could handle that brilliantly.” (Heyman on the choice of Yates, The Guardian)
