Film - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

David (Sex Traffic) Yates has done a good job of directing The Order of the Phoenix. It’s the fifth Harry Potter book, and arguably the weakest, because it’s pretty over-written. But all credit to Yates, he has done an excellent job of honing down the essence of the story. It’s about Harry’s creation of the D.A. (Dumbledore’s Army rather than Duck’s Ass, for any confused Fonz fans) during a time of sinister Ministry of Magic interference with the running of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. The film could be sub-titled ‘the one where Harry Potter grows up’, and although Hogwarts seems curiously lacking in Oxy 10 and Lynx, we do get other evidence of rampant teenage hormones, like some serious strops, and Potter’s first proper kiss. The recipient of this is Cho Chang, whose unfortunate ex, Cedric Diggory, was murdered on the orders of Lord Voldemort in front of Harry in the previous novel. When Harry’s friends Ron and Hermione ask him what the kiss felt like, he pronounces it ‘wet’, although we can only hope he’s referring to Cho’s tears in remembrance of poor Cedric. The special effects are as whizzy as ever. Young actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint are doing a fine job, growing up in front of us throughout the series. They are supported by a cast that seems to include every Great British Actor from Maggie Smith to Gary Oldman, but the most outstanding performance comes from Imelda Staunton as treacle-voiced kitten-loving sadist Dolores Umbridge. EC