HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX Film Review - 8/8/07

As with any film adaption vast chunks of the text will be missing and this film version is no exception. Luckily this book in the series was my least favourite so the extremely sombre settings and dark tone to the film reflects the books as they get darker with each installment. We meet the dreadful Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton) this time around as she schemes against our heroes with her ghastly pink woollen jacket and cutesy cat plates. Suffice to say it was very much like the book - Too long and quite boring. The Special FX and CGI are obviously impressive but it's going to be hard to turn this into a "family entertainment" spectacle with such dark subject matter. Let us hope the last two films in the series catch the spirit of the books and notch up the excitement level a tad - Roll on the Deathly Hallows!

Harry ends up on trial due to using magic outside of school against Dementors. The charges are dismissed but the Ministry Of Magic sends Dolores Umbridge to Hogwarts school to interfere against Dumbledore and it's pupils. Voldemort and his Death Eater cronies fight against the Order Of The Phoenix and things seem at an impasse?