Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2 Disc Special Edition) [2007] | ![Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2 Disc Special Edition) [2007]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51D6g5MxvIL._SL160_.jpg)
 enlarge | Actors: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Ralph Fiennes, Robbie Coltrane
Studio: Warner Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: £25.99
Buy New: £3.98
You Save: £22.01 (85%)
New (29) Used (25) Collectible (2) from £2.37
Rating:  98 reviews
Sales Rank: 31
Format: Pal
Languages: English (Original Language), Polish (Original Language)
Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
Region: 2
Number Of Items: 2
Running Time: 138 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.3 x 5.4 x 0.7
EAN: 7321902174921
ASIN: B000VPMMGO
Theatrical Release Date: 2007
Release Date: November 12, 2007
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Condition: FACTORY SEALED,, SHIPPED UK WITHIN 24 HOURS
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Amazon.co.uk Review
While many movie franchises slide as they reach their later instalments, the Harry Potter films just keep getting better. The latest, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is easily the darkest of the series to date, and it's also one of the best. For while it could easily have been little more than a holding film to set up the big encounters to come in the last two instalments of the series, it's to the credit of British director David Yates that the end result is really very good. It finds Harry coming under suspicion from his wizarding colleagues, who don't believe his claims that the evil Lord Voldermort has returned. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix thus finds its title character on the backfoot for much of its running time, with a select band who firmly believe his story, and very powerful figures who don't. Where the movie of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix excels though is in its three trump cards. Number one is a far tighter script than we're used to with Potter films, which, combined with trump card number two--the aforementioned David Yates behind the camera--cuts much of the slavish loyalty to the text away in favour of a film with real momentum. The third, and best, card though is the casting of Imelda Staunton as Professor Dolores Umbridge, who simply flies away with every scene she's in. It's a superb performance, and the film is poorer whenever she's not on screen. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is not a film without a few problems, certainly: it's a fair criticism that not too much actually happens, and one or two bits feel superfluous. But it overrides its problems with ease, to emerge as a compelling, highly enjoyable family film, which will leave you salivating for the Christmas 2008 release of movie number six in the series. --Simon Brew
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| Customer Reviews: Read 93 more reviews...
 Another slightly above average movie in the Potter franchise August 27, 2008
N. Thompson (Hull, England)
As expected this is a little darker but sadly not as good as 'The Goblet of Fire'. This isnt by any means a poor film, I quite enjoyed it but it is something that I'll proberbly never watch again. New characters are brought in and old characters continue to develop. This film seems shorter than the others but there doesnt seems to be as much substance to it, unlike the others.
 Dissapointed August 14, 2008
Je Mischenko (Leeds, West-Yorkshire UK)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
As a big Harry Potter fan I was quite dissapointed with this film. Many of the changes made from the books were unnessacery and dumbed down, I have to say the best thing in the film was Evvanna Lynch's portrayal of Luna, I loved the scene in the forest with just her and Harry.
 Enough Dross to Ensure Success. July 9, 2008
H. A. C. John (London, England.)
2 out of 7 found this review helpful
Any writer of a film's 97th review, unless he's so confident in the drawing-appeal of his offering's title, that he thinks it shall be the first one to be read, should be confident, and in this case pleased, that his subject is known too well to the reader not to spare him the need to inflict on him the same trash that Warner's is still peddeling to viewers; for that, I'm grateful.
Let me help you; if you think that what this film contains might appeal to you, then a U.K. 'bus journey should provide the same types of incidents and horrors that this awfullness provides for a fraction of the cost, albeit still too much; and would also offer the type of personal involvement, rather than any registrable measurements of active thinking, that is so necessary for museums to provide before they can receive a Lottery grant, or, that couldn't be found in your local Playstation store: din; facial grimmacing; retarded speach; slang; fluently muttering, un-developed minds; tumult; a passion of aimlessness; a belieflessness in everything and anything except in the un-proveable or un-knowable or the latest fashion; cliches of behaviour and language and action and thought, comporable in riches to the content of an exploded balloon, all these are to be found either here, or, as I have already recommended, in the transport that you may find yourself unluckilly being conveyed in on the way to experience more of the same on the screen, or, in the adjoining stall.
All the now obligatory infuriating modernisms of to-day's cinema are offering widescreen evidence against themselves for you to examine in discomforting leisure: every second constantly edited to distract and amaze us with the swiftness and fury of the filmaker's art, as though the camera was trying to dislodge something from it's eye, by perpetually blinking, (or shuttinig it, often, so as to try and not watch), to convince us of the relevance of the spectacle, which only reveals that not one of them is worth dwelling on; the un-remmitting background symphony, from a generation of people left on telephonic hold, adding glory and majesty, like the Heavenly choir it's very subject matter denies, giving the idea that we can't even listen to this rubbish unless, like everywhere else these days, we aren't tuned in, first, to some background gunge, etc., etc..
Confident of this good advice going to waste, I'm convinced of this Review's title, as this seems to be what the public wants, if it ever has known without being told, since it supplies so much of it free of charge itself, before being dispersed by those fortunate enough to be able to afford a Mosquitto alarm.
Like all the films in this series, when the staying power of it's 'charms' persuades the then enlightened buyer to place it on the shelf of his local charity shop, at least it will allow you to buy it for deliberate burial in the corporation dust cart; there's nothing like an altruistic public act, there's no place like home for this disc, and at least some good shall have come of it all.
another entertaing installment June 7, 2008
martin thomas (england)
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
again another entertaining installment in the entertaining harry potter series.the three leads are really starting to mature in to good young actors
 A successful adaptation of the book May 5, 2008
T. Parker (Cheltenham)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I have read some very derogatory reviews of this film here, which were invariably hugely unfair, as they seem to be from people who cannot bear the thought of the books undergoing editing to make them into manageable films.
The reason I am so impressed with this film in particular was that it makes those changes so effectively. I love the books, and of course if you want the true Harry Potter experience then you should read those rather than watch the films, but I am realistic enough to understand that, with almost any book, there are changes and cuts that need to be made in order for it to work on screen, and I think that to a large extent this film succeeds.
The book upon which this is based is arguably the weakest of the series, it is by far the longest but does not have the clear and direct plot device that the first 4 books have, so the result is that, while it is still a great read, it is definitely a bit too sprawling, and could do with some pruning.
To this end, the filmmakers have taken the longest book of the series, and produced the shortest film of the series so far. To do so without really losing the important aspects of the story is quite an achievement.
David Yates, who came to my attention first as the director of the excellent TV series State of Play, shows a fine grasp of both the dramatic and humourous parts of Harry Potter. Lord Voldemort is back, but the Ministry of Magic is doing its very best to make life difficult for Harry and Dumbledore, because it would much rather live in blissful ignorance than confront the alarming truth. As such, the meat of the story is much darker than the previous ones, as this is no longer just a schoolboy adventure for Harry, but a very serious fight against both an oppresive authority, who try to isolate him from the rest of the wizarding world, and Lord Voldemort.
The Ministry of Magic set is beautifully realised, and the Spanish Inquisition-like robes of the court bring a suitably menacing air to Harry's trial at the start of the film, and sets the tone for the further struggles Harry will face in the film.
The two main plotlines of the film are the Ministry's interference at Hogwarts, and Harry's visions of what Voldemort is doing.
The former plotline involves Dolores Umbridge, of the Ministry, taking up the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts, and rapidly initiating a despotic regime, with Ministry approval, of oppression of those who dare to disagree with official policy. Imelda Staunton is quite well suited to the role, but there certainly isn't quite the same air of petty vindictiveness and malevolence about the character as their is in the films, which is perhaps a shame, but the message certainly gets across that she is a very nasty piece of work indeed - and representative of the digraceful attitude of those in power, who are too attached and in love with that power to acknowledge anything that might threaten it.
In an attempt to fight back, Harry, Ron and Hermione start a secret Defence group, where Harry teaches any students who would like to learn how to defend themselves better, as Umbridge refuses to teach them any defensive magic. I think the film captures the sense of rebellion about this group very well, and shows that there is always value in standing up for what is right, even if it may land you in further trouble.
Harry's visions of Voldemort, and his unwillingness to do anything to stop them, eventually lead to the exciting set-piece ending of the film, a magical battle of a scale never seen before in the films at the Ministry of Magic, and again I think the action is handled very well, we do get a sense of the speed and danger of the fight, capped with the tantalising duel between Dumbledore and Voldemort, which again is pretty well done. The scene in which Harry is fighting being possessed is, in my opinion, very moving, and Daniel Radcliffe seems to have improved considerably as an actor for this film.
The acting in general is fine - as I said, I think Radcliffe has improved, Rupert Grint continues to do a good job with his natural comic ability as Ron, but Emma Watson is a bit too hammy as Hermione. Evanna Lynch is convincingly oddball as Luna Lovegood, and I think Matthew Lewis as Neville Longbottom also gives a creditable performance. The Phelps twins are much better in this one as well, and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the Weasley twins' chaotic exit from Hogwarts.
Of course, it isn't a perfect film - the problem with converting a series as rich as Harry Potter into films is that you will end up with important characters being reduced to little more than cameos, with no real chance to develop or shine. Dumbledore is probably the most significant character who suffers in this way, as his role and paternal bonding with Harry is no where near as strong in the films as in the books, and the role is underwritten, but it is not a major issue, and his important moments in this film are still handled pretty well.
All in all, this is probably my joint favourite (with Prisoner of Azkaban) film so far, and considering how much better the Prisoner of Azkaban book is to the Order of the Phoenix, that is very high praise. I feel that there are very serious 'adult' themes in this film - the fight for the truth, standing up for what is right, coping with isolation and loss, and that those themes are put across very well. An excellent film.
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