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Rating: The film begins with a sad Harry Potter being mocked by his cousin Dudley but, unlike the previous films, he pulls out his wand and threatens him. The sky suddenly turns black and the cousin's bully friends run away, followed shortly after by Harry and Dudley. This is followed by encounters with dementors, legal and emotional problems, a new terrible headmistress, secret societies, chases, and magical battles.
The fifth Harry Potter film is burdened by a change of director (who will also direct the next film), David Yates, and benefits from a new screenwriter, Michael Goldenberg. We can say that the latter has done a good job since he managed to bring all the main elements of the book to the screen faithfully, maintaining its rhythm. As for the former, I can't speak well of him because the camera shots are always the same during dialogues and intense moments. At the Ministry towards the end of the film, there are alternations between very dynamic handheld shots and trivial shots that slow down and sometimes negate the rhythm that the screenwriter had managed to convey well.
The story might be fun for a teenage fan, normal for a non-fan teenager, and a blow on family jewels for an adult. The young actors are quite good, and it's clear they've now "merged" with their characters. The older and more experienced actors are all good, and among the new appearances, the precise and stern Professor Umbridge and the psychopathic follower of Voldemort, Bellatrix Lestrange, stand out. Both are portrayed by two excellent actresses, Imelda Staunton for the former (the award-winning actress for "Vera Drake's Secret") and Helena Bonham Carter (wife of Tim Burton and featured in many of his films). Among the young actors, the new Evanna Lynch shines in her role as the sad and quirky Luna Lovegood, whereas Daniel Radcliffe can be criticized for being a single expression actor with a clueless face.
The film features an intriguing and entertaining story, new characters rich in pathos, and new settings (the Ministry of Magic) that are very characteristic and fascinating. Unfortunately, the director failed to make the most of these elements, making everything much more boring.
In conclusion, I would say that Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix could have been a great film, but as I said, David Yates destroys all the magic that the film could have offered to the audience.
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