Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix

Like many of you,I've followed the Potter franchise through every book and film it has spit out-and with every new installment comes a wave of anticipation and excitement,particularly bigger this time around since the last film set the bar pretty high.

I'll start off with the good stuff,then work my way down.Imelda Staunton as Dolores Umbridge,she plays the part perfectly and hits all the right notes-aside from Potter himself,the other main characters weren't given much attention and as a result constantly appeared dull and uninteresting,Umbridge however was simply a joy to watch,and they certainly managed her character nicely.The special effects were not too shabby,all the wand-waving and so on isn't something we haven't seen in the previous Potter films-the high point when Dumbledore battles Voldermort is executed magnificently (and I found it the most memorable part of the film),and they certainly took the SE opportunities the part of the story handed them.

The biggest problem with the film was its jarring inconsistency-for a large portion of the film,the mood continually alternates from good to bad,the lighter,less serious scenes would constantly interrupt whatever sense of suspense or tension that was being developed-and overall the story felt slightly indecisive,consequently the heavier scenes were undermined and the build-up to the climax was significantly stunted.

The script felt like it was guided by a checklist at times,responsibly including parts of the book that mattered most (without overstuffing),and while this effort is commendable,they could've given more time for certain important parts to completely develop and be part of the story,instead of simply adding to it.Terms like 'Order of The Phoenix' and 'The Prophecy' are introduced impatiently then given skimpy explanations,after which they're repeatedly mentioned and used as a character's motivation.

Compared to previous installments,there's little room given for subplots and the film is largely dedicated to Potter-as result there are only a handful of scenes without him,and sadly Daniel Radcliffe is incapable of carrying such weight on his shoulders.His acting chops haven't improved much,he seems awkward in the role and has a lot of trouble emoting-even a simple smile looks unconvincing,a lot of overacting when he's supposed to look frightened/threatened, and personally I found that Radcliffe's poor acting did a lot of damage to this film.Even with music and special effects attempting to convey a certain scene's darkness,Radcliffe's acting still comes off as distracting and makes the whole thing look plain fatuous.

The characters we've grown to know and love-Potter's two main compatriots,Dumbledore,Trelawney are provided little screen time and simply blend in with the rest of the supporting cast.Even Hagrid appears less than thrice,a shame considering how far previous films had gone to make his character (and few others) likable and essential to Potter's life.

HP&TOOTP is an enjoyable but forgettable follow-up to the last installment,though the ending effectively sets up a solid platform for the next film-establishing a sense of continuity and hopefulness that tells us it's not the end,and however unsatisfying this Potter film may be,the journey's still incomplete and there's more to go on for.