Taking a new friend to a movie can lead to unexpected delights. Like the minute Draco Malfoy appears on the screen in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix I get to hear said friend sitting on the other side of Sloane call the boy a “fecktard”. Not only is it an apropos description of the Malfoy child, but I learned a new word. All is good in the world.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is an excellent adaptation of the book, once you rip half the book out. I refuse to spoil what is and is not there for those of you who have not seen it yet. Suffice to say the important elements of the book are there in all their glory.
Casting was above par. The acting selections for Luna Lovegood (Evanna Lynch), Dolores Jane Umbridge (Imelda Staunton) and Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham Carter) were perfect. Each of Umbridge’s “ehm” coughs were done in such a way they set you on edge every time you hear them, and there are a lot of them. Luna, however, steals the move hands down. Her dreamy, far away qualities are perfectly portrayed by newcomer Lynch, which is wonderful given that Luna’s role only seems to get bigger. I know she became Sloane’s new favorite character.
Certainly enough can’t be said about Bellatrix, I think she’s one of the Potterverse villains everyone’s been waiting to see. Helena Bonham Carter reminds the audience how easily she can play the over the top and unhinged character as she takes the roll and runs with it. Watching and listening to her taunt Potter in the Ministry of Magic will send chills down the spine.
Enough praise and enough said. I can’t spoil the plot, though most have probably read this already. If you haven’t read it, go see it first then pick up the book to see what you missed. With some of the things that were taken out I’m looking forward to how they run with the last two in the series and having finished book seven there should be some interesting recovery points for things excluded thus far.
Why are you still sitting here? Get thee to a cinema!
