Review of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

You dare speak his name, you filthy half breed?!

An iconic line said by a legendary British thespian. The main reason that pushed me to see this film was to see Helena Bonham Carter in Death Eater action. I was beyond euphoric to see her pull off a perfect Bellatrix Lestrange. Although her screen time was brief, I couldn't help but cross my fingers in the hope that she would be given more screen time in the following films. As this film marks the beginning of the Second Wizarding War, the whole aura which gripped the film was gloomy and, at times, apprehensive. It seemed as if the film itself knew that one of its members would be removed from its ranks. Nevertheless, this is a great film adaptation of the Harry Potter novel, although it may not stick exactly to the books.
Harry Potter (Radcliffe) has escaped the cluthes of Lord Voldemort (Fiennes) a third time, but he still carries with him the memory of a fellow Hogwarts student who was slain before his very eyes: Cedric Diggory (Pattinson). Over the summer, he feels cut off from the rest of the world, and after a particularly intense fall out he had with his cousin, Dudley (Melling), Harry is transported to 12 Grimmauld Place, which happens to be the home of his godfather, Sirius Black (Oldman). Here, Harry learns that the Order of the Phoenix, a group formed by Albus Dumbledore (Gambon) to fight the forces of Lord Voldemort, has been recalled once more, and is currently using Grimmauld Place as headquarters. Going back to Hogwarts after learning of Lord Voldermort's return seems foolish, but Harry, Ron (Grint), and Hermione (Watson) have no choice. This year they have to contend with a particularly foul professor, Professor Dolores Umbridge (Staunton), who believes that she is molding Hogwarts into the ideal school, and refuses to believe Harry's claims that Lord Voldemort is back. The climax of the film occurs not at Hogwarts, but in the Department of Mysteries in the Ministry of Magic. Here, Harry will have to face his nemesis and hope that he comes out alive, especially with a murderous group of witches and wizards hot on his and his friends tail.
Excellent. That's all I can say. The characters penned by J.K. Rowling are coming to life before my very eyes, and I must say that Yates did a fantastic job with this one. The fight scenes add a touch of magic and everything feels surreal. It's my favorite film in the series; but we'll have to wait until the seventh and *gasp* final films come out before I say anything final. ;)