Movie review - Harry Potter 5: Order of the Phoenix

I actually saw this installment while I was in Sydney, but I still remember what I thought of it.

HP5: OOTP picks up the summer after the events of the fourth book/movie. After the announcement that Voldemort is back, Harry spends a summer isolated from magical society where he doesn't receive communication etc etc and then Dementors attack him and Dudley not far from home. Hogwarts is no longer the refuge it once was - a lot of students don't believe his claims, while the Ministry attempts to discredit him and Dumbledore as well as plant Dolores Umbridge as the new DADA teacher. But all is not lost! There's a core group of supporters that make time bearable, the formation of Dumbledore's Army, plus there's the opportunity of getting FREAK-KAY with his crush, Cho Chang (woooh, Potter's got the fever!). But since he is back, Voldemort and Harry have another showdown and yeah yeah yeah...

Being the geek I am, one of the things I really appreciated with the HP books was the increasing complexity with each volume. As with the fourth movie, this was not really shown in the fifth and I understand that and excuse it. But even what was included seemed incredibly simplified.

• Umbridge in the book puts Harry through a great deal of psychological and physical torture. While Imelda Staunton as Umbridge makes me want to punch her in the face, the character is shown more as a petty tyrant rather than someone who sadistically enjoys power and meting out punishment.
• Percy is estranged from his family, supporting the Ministry stance. This is hinted at when Harry and Mr. Weasley take the elevator into the Ministry, Percy enters the same elevator but there is no acknowledgement at all. People who didn't know the book or recognise the actor wouldn't understand the significance of the whole thing!
• Cho Chang (under the influence of Veritaserum) gives away DA, not her friend Marietta). This is used as the reason for the break with Harry which annoys me on two levels. Firstly, talk about blaming the Asian!!! (joke) But more importantly, I disliked how someone had to *do* something wrong to give the reason why they broke rather than growing apart and finding little in common which was why in the book.
  
• Kreacher is shown as being disagreeable, but he is nowhere near the arsehole he was in the book - and worst of all, his key role in the end events is totally ignored. AND THAT WAS WRONG.
  

Other things I didn't like - Ron and Hermione have been pretty much reduced to comic relief. The computer-game stages element was also pretty apparent.

I know this reads like a really negative review, but I did actually enjoy the movie. I think the acting has improved for one, and I especially liked the casting of the girl who played Luna Lovegood. Helena Bonham Carter is really good as Bellatrix - the right combo of beauty, crazy and evil! I would have liked to have seen more of her. I also liked the showdown between Voldemort and Dumbledore where they completely trash their surroundings - yay for power!!!

Overall, it's a pass. I was never really gonna hate it, but its pretty obvious I don't love it either.
5-6/10