Thursday, July 12, 2007

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (no spoilers)

So, the gang and I went to see the latest Harry Potter last night. Overall, it was good. There are a lot of minor differences between it and the book, which prompted a great deal of discussion amongst the group later on.

HP#5 was a grim book and the movie captures that feeling quite well. The wizarding world has suddenly become a much more serious, dangerous place and the wacky hi-jinks of earlier books have been replaced by students preparing themselves for battle. There are moments of levity, but fewer than in previous outings.

The cast is generally excellent. Gary Oldman is great as Sirius Black. Helena Bonham Carter does a great, if brief turn as Bellatrix LeStrange. Newcomer Evanna Lynch also does a good job Luna Lovegood.

If you enjoy the books and the films, definitely see this movie. If you are a purist and just enjoy the books, do not bother, it will not change your mind. If you have only seen the movies and not read the books, I strongly suggest you read the books. They will fill in a lot of detail. If you have neither read the books nor seen the movies, ignore this entire blog.

Cheers,
-Jason

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