by Rianne Hill Soriano

Created on: November 26, 2010

"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" is a deliciously dark affair. It is the needed transitional work in the seven books of J. K. Rowkling.

Not everyone will like "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" mainly because of its very dark and heavy demeanor; but if you look beyond, you will appreciate how passionately intense this deliciously dark affair is. The significant story that is clearly tinged with sharp satirical thrusts keeps up with themes on isolation, loss, and grief. It is a powerful and poignant coming-of-age story about the darker threads and currents of growing up and facing the unpleasant realities in life. 

This fifth installment of the "Harry Potter" franchise is bleak, dark, moody, and malevolent. It overflows with devious plots, clever machinations, vicious mind control, subservient media, crooked government system, social injustice, black propaganda, and adolescent anxieties.

The childish wonder offered by its predecessors is a true past. Say good-bye to magical chocolate candies and Quidditch fun. And say welcome to hormonal changes, politics, and rebellion. "The Order of the Phoenix" draws as if all happiness has gone from the story, just like how the Dementors attack Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) during the first sequence of the film. The effectively involving treatment by director David Yates makes a great deal on the creeping heaviness and unease needed by the film. It is an advantage to the story itself, and yet a disadvantage to those audiences who would rather want another dose of fun, colorful, and magical moments with the young wizards and witches of Hogwarts.

So far, the only festive moment on the film is the rebellious fireworks display by the Weasley twins Fred and George (James and Oliver Phelps) as they invade the exam hall that is controlled by the new fascist head of Hogwarts Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton).

"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" ushers a climate of mind games, repression, sexuality, adolescent changes, paranoia, betrayal, fascism, power struggle, madness, and death. The metaphors are mainly implicit and have a lot to do with growing up and greed of power. The magical teens are going through a difficult transition into young adults. At the same time, they are contending with many semi-delusional torturers and power hungry fascists. From here, Harry and his band of school rebels start to prepare themselves on their own for the battles ahead. His underground force named Dumbledore's Army

• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next Page >>