So I saw Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix this weekend. Mild spoilers if you haven’t seen it, mostly obscured though.
I was sad that Bellatrix hit Sirius with the killing curse before he went through the veil. That is NOT how it happened in the book—it was a less severe curse. I have always thought there was more to Sirius’s death than met the eye, but the movie is much more unequivocal. Bah.
Gary Oldman was wonderful, and hot. David Thewlis (Lupin) is a favorite but he didn’t have enough to do and he looked really disheveled.
Daniel Radcliffe was amazingly good in this, I thought, and carried the movie admirably. The other young actors are serviceable, but they suffer by comparison. He was totally magnetic on the screen, and that’s all I’ll say about that. Ahem.
Luna was cute but too dreamy. It’s like she was high, rather than just marching to the beat of a different drummer. R said, “The actor playing Neville is almost getting too good-looking to work in that part.”
I wanted more Tonks. Not a single Wotcher!
Kingsley didn’t have much to do, not that he has tons in the books either, but he is a badass, and I loved his line when Dumbledore escapes from his office: “You’ve gotta admit… the man’s got style.”
Harry’s last line to Umbridge was also a real Hollywood line but very funny. I won’t say what it is because it made for a laugh-out-loud moment for me.
When the informant was revealed—the one who ratted on Dumbledore’s Army—I actually said out loud “No way! If I were that actor I’d be pissed.” OK, I said it quietly to R.
Then by the end of the movie I decided it was much leaner for the plot for the screenwriters to do what they did because it dispatched a character that needed to be dispatched.
In fact there were several economical things that they did that I thought would have worked just as effectively in the book. For example, Harry sees Snape’s worst memory during a session of Occlumency, not by staring into the pensieve. Although, I can’t remember what’s happening in the book during the pensieve scene, so maybe both scenes worked together and were necessary.
Also, the way Alan Rickman plays Snape in the Occlumency scenes convinces me more than ever of his being on the good side. There is a sense of urgency to it, like “Harry, you MUST get this!” Of course his usual contempt is there too. I know that Rowling told Rickman during filming of the early movies how his character would turn out, so he could calibrate his performance accordingly. I’m willing to put money on Snape as Dumbledore’s Man through and through.
Finally, this isn’t related to the movies, but there was a scanned copy of the epilogue of book 7 floating around the Internet—it seems to be gone now. I have no idea whether it’s legit or just some really good photoshop, but if anyone wants to know what I found out about it (I didn’t read it but got reports) e-mail me and let me know.
R doesn’t understand at all why I would be interested in such a thing. Spoilers just don’t ruin the fun for me in the least. In fact, knowing the basic outcome allows me to slow down and savor the reading because I’m not trying to speed toward the end.
10 Responses to “thoughts on the fifth movie”
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Asides
» I have been remiss in posting SBJ’s latest stats: 23 pounds and 27 inches at six months. Yes, I’ve got the big mama biceps.
» Aaaaaand little she-who-is lost another tooth this week!
» SBJ is four months old, 19 pounds 5 ounces, and 26 inches tall. GIGANTOR!
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I’m willing to put money on Snape as Dumbledore’s Man through and through.
Hoping you are right about this. I’d hate for what happen to D in #6 to be because he’d had faith in the wrong man.
Haven’t seen the movie yet (just opened here this weekend) but when DD gets back from camp we are SO going
The SportsQueen has been quoting that Harry line repeatedly since we saw the movie. And the only thing that concerns me about the dispatch of the character is that I think there’s a role to be played in Book 7 based on the foundation of Book 5. But then again, if needed for Movie 7, Hollywood will work it out I’m sure.
I was struck that the version of the prophecy quoted in the movie doesn’t include the date of the child’s birth and Dumbledore doesn’t tell Harry about Neville and how he could just as easily have been “the one”. Does this mean it isn’t important after all? Or are they going to work that info into a later movie?
I just saw it and posted my thoughts at my place. I agree with just out about all of the above, and thank you for mentioning Sirius’s death. That bugged me, too. I have never thought G.O. was hot (in fact, I think my entire vision of the Potterverse depends on Sirius being tall, but never mind), but I did think he did a nice job in this film.
I’m commenting even though I dont ahve much Potter Fever, because you really struck a chord with me about knowing the ending. I second you about this! Also, I like to know the plots of movies, too, then I’m not always waiting to jump at the scary parts. I know when they are coming, so I can cover my eyes BEFORE they happen.
Signed,
A Neurotic Reader
I’m still trying to pretend I don’t know you read the end first.
What can I say… kicking puppies, burning the flag, and peeking at the ending. The heart wants what it wants.
But seriously… eh, I don’t know. Does it ruin one’s enjoyment of one of Shakespeare’s plays to know it’s a comedy or a tragedy? ‘Cause if you know the genre, you know the ending. Hmm, I wonder what’s going to become of that Danish chap?
Ok, when I said “but seriously,” I guess I meant “some additional ‘not seriously’.”
Just got back from the movie. I REALLY liked it. I’m with RM on Gary Oldman. Nice! I actually liked Luna…alot. Bummer about Sirius and the more obvious death curse but maybe Rowling approves this for the movie because it works better on film than the more mysterious death in the book. I will hope against hope anyway that Sirius might be alive.
The ending dialogue between Harry and Dumbledore is different enough in the movie to make me rethink parts of book 7. Dumbledore’s interpretation of the prophecy was less defined in the book than in the movie.
I only wish I could have seen the movie with more “hard core” Potter fans. This one was intense enough to lose my younger kids and my Dad hasn’t read any of the books. I was really needing someone to “debrief” with after the movie.
Finally…I was really touched by the power of the “love message” in this movie. RM…your sermons have really hit the mark as to why the Potter books are so powerful. It’s just good theology!
I may read the end first…or at least mid way through. I did last time. Didn’t spoil it. But I’d just as soon that no one else tells me.
I didn’t like the actor who plays Lupin–he just doesn’t fit my image of what Lupin should look like,
The Kid read the so-called last chapter, but he doesn’t think it’s real.
A lot of your points resonate with me as well.
I do think that Snape is going to turn out to be Dumbledore’s man.
I do think that Mr. Radcliffe is head and shoulders above his classmates, with the possible exception of the young woman playing Luna…I agree that she was a bit too WOO-WOO, but I think there’s something there.
The shortening of the story largely worked for me but for 2 things: the battle at the end was too short (I missed the clock room) and Neville’s story being so clipped.
I do think that too many of my open questions from the book have been given rather pat answers…particularly the prophesy…but I guess we’ll see. I have to spend all Friday night at an American Cancer Society Relay for Life, so I don’t think I’ll do too much reading on Saturday, but the book will be delivered by 10 am…they promise!