My Review of Harry Potter 5
Filed Under: Thriving
If you haven’t seen the Harry Potter movie and don’t want to know about it, please skip this post and come back to it at a later date.
I just returned from seeing Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and I’m a little disappointed. Maybe it’s because this was the first time I read the book *before* seeing the movie. Or perhaps I expected too much of the mammoth book to be included in the movie in a complete and fulfilling way. The movie was great, but I left the theater feeling like I got too little of the story.
First, what I liked:
- The casting was terrific. Professor Umbridge, Luna Lovegood, and Bellatrix Lestrange were outstanding. (Umbridge’s little speech about how school was supposed to be theoretical and not practical made me giggle!)
- The battle between Voldemort and Dumbledore was everything I’d hoped it would be.
- While they left a lot out, I can understand the reasoning and overall the movie moved along quite well.
- Harry’s growth and emotional development was portrayed really well.
What really bugged me:
- Too much was changed from the book. Neville finds the room of requirement instead of Dobby, Cho rats out the D.A. while under the influence of veritaserum, absolutely no mention of Harry’s interview with Rita Skeeter in the Quibbler, Fred & George make their grand exit *before* Harry goes to Umbridge’s office (when it was supposed to be a diversion *while* he was in Umbridge’s office)… ???
- There was not one mention of Quidditch in the entire movie.
- My biggest problem with this movie was the ending. The effort to get through the Dept of Mysteries and fight the Death Eaters was cut way too short. There should have been more details of that battle. In the book, Harry did not hear the prophecy until Dumbledore revealed it to him. He explained to Harry WHO he was and WHAT he would be facing. He apologized for sheltering him and loving him too much. I still think that part in the book was one of the most powerful scenes in all the Potter books. In the movie, this revelation was made to Harry in the Dept of Mysteries as he held the prophecy. The scene with Dumbledore was cut to about 30 seconds. Then the kids all piled on the Hogwarts train with Harry declaring “At least we have something to fight for.” The ending was lame.
Now there are just 10 days until I have the final book in my hands. But I think getting through it may take awhile since we agreed that no one in the family can read ahead. L, P.Daddy and I will all read it together and we’ll have to try hard not to hear any outside news that might leak the ending to us!
PHAT = Parenting, Homeschooling And Technology. That about sums up my life at the moment. 
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Angela, Mother Crone | Jul 12, 2007 | Reply
There you go, reading my mind again! I told my DH that the movie would have been fabulous had we not read the book first. I think the problem with the HP movies is that the books are so rich and so layered that there really is no way to show that in a movie.
While walking out of the theater, a kid in front of us said “Well now I don’t have to read the book.” We all chimed in that he indeed must read the book, as it was even better!
Christie | Jul 12, 2007 | Reply
We are going Friday to see the film and am disappointed to hear that once again they’d rather use Neville than spend a little to make a CG Dobby. Neville is so much more than the films make him out to be… Dobby too. It really makes me worry how they are going to portray the tower scene in the next film if the gloss over the Dumbledore and Harry’s relationship in the current films.
Melissa | Jul 12, 2007 | Reply
I actually thought #5 was pretty good. Of course I was comparing it to the hack job they did with #4. I was able to forgive the few changes they made on this one. Of course, nothing compares to reading the books, right? I can’t wait to get my hands on book 7!!!
Toya | Jul 12, 2007 | Reply
I agree with you on all your points. I too left the Movie feeling disappointed with how they left out and changed important scenes from the book. I don’t understand the purpose of changing important scenes like the way Harry hears about the prophecy, when it was perfect the way J.K wrote it in the book. This change did not add anything more to the scene, if anything it only took away for the dramatic conclusion and over all scope of the strong relationship and bond Harry had developed with Dembledore. This relationship is very important for ending in book 6 and what leads Harry to his quest in book 7.
COD | Jul 15, 2007 | Reply
I think a lot of the changes relate to how they plan to do the next two movies. I read that Kreacher wasn’t a part of the movie originally, until Rowling hinted to the producers that he had an important role to play later on and they might want to make sure he was in the movie…
It was a 900 page book - overall I think they did an admirable job of compressing it into a 2 hour movie while keeping the primary plot moving forward.
cheryl | Jul 19, 2007 | Reply
I agree, I went to see the movie with my fiancee who doesn’t like to read AT ALL, and he said he didn’t like it… I DON’T BLAME HIM!!!
I don’t like to see movies before I read the book, and the is the best example ever to support that!!
I was SOOOOOOOOO disapointed!!
I hope the next movie is better!!
I almost want to boycott and ask for my money back. I own all the Potter movies, but I don’t think I’ll ber adding this one to my collection.
I agree that Luna was played well, and that the parts of the movie that were actually how the book was written were great, but other than that THUMBS DOWN!!!
Also, I was so mad that they downplayed Sirius dying, it was so much more crucial to Harry than the 10-15 seconds of him screaming (if that) and then it was never mentioned again but one time??
Anyways, please respond with your feelings to cheryl_fischman@yahoo.com
Chris | Jul 27, 2007 | Reply
Oh get over it people. I didn’t read the book and I thought the movie was the best one yet and freakin awesome. it rivaled any hollwood movie released this year in my opinion. If your so dissapointed with the movie interpretations, then don’t watch them