Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is my favorite Harry Potter book, but not really my favorite movie. I think they missed many of the most important moments from the book when adapting it to movie form.
Synopsis
Harry Potter is barely starting his fifth year at Hogwarts when he found out that the wizarding community doesn’t seem to believe that Voldemort is back. Thanks to a campaign orchestrated by the Ministry of Magic. Which go as far as surveilling the school and its students with the aid of the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Dolores Umbridge.
Unfortunately, Dolores Umbridge doesn’t teach any of her students anything useful or practical. And, she will go to any length to put Harry down. This is why with the help of Ron and Hermione, he will start a new Defence Against the Dark Arts group called Dumbledore’s Army. Teaching them useful spells and preparing them for the war to come.
Or you can watch the trailer right here.
Review
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is my favorite book, as I’ve said earlier. But some of the aspects of the book didn’t translate that well into the screen.
That being said, I still really enjoyed the movie! I especially loved the actress playing Dolores Umbridge. For me, and I guess for many people, Dolores Umbridge is one of the worst villains out there. It’s not just because she is on the wrong side of history. But because she is so intent on following the rules that she will do anything to protect them and herself. She sees the world a certain way that anything that will challenge her worldview must be eliminated. And it isn’t very comforting because it’s so realistic. You don’t have to be a wizard to know someone who is like that. And lately, it seems that more and more people are like that.
One of my favorite aspects of the movie was seeing the change in Harry, Hermione, and Ron. They grow up way earlier than they should have because of the war against Voldemort and the Death Eaters than they should have had. And it’s tough watching that, children whose childhood and adolescence are forever scarred by what happened to them.
Last, the thing I loved most about the story was the Ministry of Magic’s inaction because the more I grow up, the more realistic it seems to me. How many governments right now are looking the other way instead of facing global warming, inequality, or full-blown genocide in some countries (China or Yemen, for instance). They keep saying that Voldemort isn’t here, even though there is more and more evidence. That is a real thing happening in the world that more and more people are facing right now.
Should you watch Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix?
Yes, you should absolutely watch Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Of course, you should see the other movies before, or it might not be as entertaining to you as it was to me.
Wizarding World reviews
Movies
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Books
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
Pottermore Presents by J.K. Rowling
