ArnoldReview: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix:***1/2
Directed by: David Yates
Starring: Every British actor you've ever heard of. Except for Helen Mirren, she won an oscar, you can expect her to dress up like a wizard.
Harry Potter seems to be one of those pop-culture phenomenons that has only continued to grow in popularity. While at the same time becoming increasingly despised by another part of the culture. (As “Gabriel” definitely felt, whether or not he actually hacked the site and found the end of the new book or not). (hateful, hateful little son of a bitch).
That said, a lot of people will probably hate this. I however really enjoyed it. I caved in and did a midnight screening of the film, and after much excitement, a late shift at work, unforeseen road construction and a hassle in retrieving the online tickets I made it and loved it.
The film seems to come from an angle that wishes to allow the viewer unfamiliar with Harry’s tribulations through his fifth year at Hogwart’s to catch on and enjoy the over-the-top, action riddled film. Simultaneously it is designed to give special winks and nods to the, probably larger, demographic of viewers who are familiar with the novels and are forced to accept that films, inherently, must negate some of the smaller plot lines of the book in order to be successful.
New director to the Potter series, David Yates, seems to enhance the growing sensation of darkness in the films. Even more so than the Alfonso Cuaton directed ‘Prisoner of Azkaban.” The film works as most of the series does: loads of suspense, long action sequences where the ‘good’ do battle with the ‘evil,’ and slightly nauseating emotive sequences in which Harry falls in love and gets Connor Oberst angsty with Dumbledore.
The film is fun. It’s a great summer blockbuster film, don’t expect anything new from the series, it’s the old tricks in new settings, but this is the best blockbuster film to come out this year. What is interesting to note is the maturation of the direction of these films. The more intricate and brooding plotlines have allowed the film to be shot a little hazier, straying a little from the well worn formulas of filming action. It feels less and less like a young adults film and more like a Terry Gilliam film sans sex and drugs.
