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Director: David Yates Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint Release date: July 11 Related Links: Movie site / Trailers It was Harry Potter mania this summer with the final chapter of the young wizard’s life out in print and the fifth installment of the series hitting theaters. By far the darkest and gloomiest ”Potter” film to date, “The Order of the Phoenix” still packs the same action as previous flicks, but fails to tie in the plot’s loose ends. |
 Overall Grade: A- (20 Votes) |
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“What the movie gets especially right is Harry’s dawning realization of what a family can be outside of the normal definition.” - Aaron Allen, Daily Utah Chronicle
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Grade: A
“Film devices like music, special effects and flashbacks made the scene alone worth the price of admittance to the movie.” - Laura Chapman, The Daily Nebraskan
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Grade: A
“‘Order of the Phoenix’ expresses a dark and stormy characterization of Potter rarely glimpsed in the previous films.” — Robert Beohm, The Jambar
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Grade: A
“The surgical team of director David Yates and screenwriter Michael Goldenberg performed beautifully, turning the fifth and flabbiest book of the ‘Harry Potter’ series into the tightest, firmest, most attractive film yet.” - Jillian J. Goodman, The Harvard Crimson
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Grade: A
“After a summer that has produced a fair share of disappointing sequels, we have, at last, a movie worthy of praise.” - Ellis J. Wells, Iowa State Daily
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Grade: A
“Fans willing to let the series grow up are in for some real magic.” - Candace Kaw, The Oracle
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Grade: A-
“Despite its flaws, ‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’ maintains a chillingly dark and tense pulse that keeps movie-goers riveted.” - Shelly Davidov, The Daily Athenaeum
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Grade: A-
“The movie is certainly the darkest yet as Harry is forced to deal with new revelations, pain, and loss.” - Tyler Parker, The Stanford Daily
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Grade: B+
“It’s a darker, more serious and even a more complicated film than the ones that came before, yet it also manages to be less unwieldy than its source.” — Jared Kraminitz, The Cornell Daily Sun
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Grade: B+
“So while those comparing the film to the novel may find it lacking, those experiencing the story for the first time are in for a treat.” - Amy Crocker, The Daily Bruin
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Grade: B+
“In many ways it is the most impressive film in the series, and in many ways it is the most flawed.” — Duncan Vick, Collegiate Times
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Grade: B
“It suffers from the one thing it can’t help and that’s being the fifth installment out of seven - there just isn’t a lot of closure yet.” - Alicia Wade, The Daily Egyptian
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Grade: B
“Unfortunately its flight is a bit too quick at times, soaring by without offering much time to catch a breath, nonetheless explain the whos, whats and whys of J.K. Rowling’s many tangled threads.” — Michael Garberich, The Minnesota Daily
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Grade: B
“‘The Order of the Phoenix’ movie breaks its predecessor’s hurried pace and the novel’s whiny tone.” — Melanie Wittman, The Daily Evergreen
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Grade: B
“Even with the typically massive set pieces, Yates’s film feels smaller and more contained than its precursors, and that’s the exact sensibility that befits the dreary midsection of a much larger story.” - Jeffrey Bloomer, The Michigan Daily
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Grade: B
“Although the story contains the most development for the title character so far, this movie overall, though it keeps itself way above the first two films, is not quite as enjoyable as the fourth and definitely not as well-made as the third.” - Joe Morehart, The BG News
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Grade: B-
“The movie leaves viewers with a list of questions only the book can explain.” - Megan Priley, The Mustang Daily
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Grade: C+
“Like the last ‘Harry Potter’ film, I felt the movie did not suffer so much from plot compression, but from the opposite problem: unrelenting action.” - Jillian Berry, The Tech
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Grade: C+
“We might be enticed by the slick veneer of ‘Order’s’ darker, gloomier installment, but the final sense of satisfaction is missing in action.” - Leslie Adkins, The Dartmouth
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Grade: C+
“It hits the points it needs to, and it develops a mood and the character of its lead, but it isn’t quite good enough to stand on its own.” — Carissa Wright, The Argonaut
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Grade: C