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BaftaBaby 
"Always entranced by cinema."
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 Posted - 07/11/2007 : 15:43:33
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Late in the film Harry enthuses that his self-appointed Army has �something to fight for,� implying his nemesis The Dark Lord causes murderous mayhem on a malevolent whim.
Harry knows evil Voldemort is back; why won�t anyone believe him? Why indeed! The unexplained dismissal of such a threat may be requisite for the plot, but doesn�t make much sense.
It would be churlish to damn too harshly such a populist franchise for logical consistency, especially when it�s aimed at children, presumably already big fans.
What�s clear is that our Hogwort heroes, mini-witches though they may be, have been bitten by pangs of teenage rebellion.
The fact that by machinations of state interference in educational policy, the school�s new leader, the wonderfully named Dolores Umbridge curtails their fighting spirit in favour of dull theory explains why the film, despite some superb sfx, isn�t as visually astounding as its predecessors.
Veteran telly director David Yates � already in pre-production for the next Potter product � brings little of the menace of Alfonso Cuar�n�s darker Prisoner of Azkaban, and less of Mike Newell�s wit in Goblet of Fire.
Most of the latter springs from Umbridge�s quintessential portrayal by the diminutive pink-clad Imelda Staunton, successfully combining shades of Mary Whitehouse, Margaret Thatcher and the shark from Jaws. Staunton packs more threat into her tight-lipped smile than all the roars of Hellraiser as she justifies the torture of students to achieve precious order.
Her role, as appointee of The Ministry, is to control the students, banning the sloppy practices of her predecessors, including the well-beloved Dumbledore [another solid if unremarkable performance by Michael Gambon].
That she�s a tool of the state bodes ill. No wonder Harry leads the students to question the point of attending such a �vocational training� academy if they can�t put their theory into practice.
Umbridge�s answer is triumphant: the purpose of education is to pass exams. Such undertones make Order of the Phoenix the most quasi-political of the franchise so far.
The script plants seeds, too, of Harry�s adolescent struggle between feelings of isolation and nascent leadership, galvanising his Army to do ultimate battle with Voldemort. But, perhaps inevitably in its attempt to reduce the longest of the books into a manageable film slot, it loses focus.
With a few exceptions the story focuses on process over people, tending to lower the urgency of the denouement. Such brave rebels deserve a better cause.
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RockGolf 
"1500+ reviews. 1 joke."
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Posted - 07/11/2007 : 17:13:44
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Bafta, perhaps it isn't made clear in the film. But from having read the book, the reason that most people don't believe that Voldemort is back is because that's what the press printed, in coordination with government self-interest.
The media following the dictates of government and concentrating on gossip. An incompetent government leader blind to the enormous mistakes he's made. Draconian punishment for dissidents. Making a scapegoat of people who stand up and tell the truth about what the real threats are. Thankfully that happens only in the realm of children's fiction. |
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BaftaBaby
"Always entranced by cinema."
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Posted - 07/11/2007 : 18:48:00
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quote:
Originally posted by R o � k G o 7 f
Bafta, perhaps it isn't made clear in the film. But from having read the book, the reason that most people don't believe that Voldemort is back is because that's what the press printed, in coordination with government self-interest.
The media following the dictates of government and concentrating on gossip. An incompetent government leader blind to the enormous mistakes he's made. Draconian punishment for dissidents. Making a scapegoat of people who stand up and tell the truth about what the real threats are. Thankfully that happens only in the realm of children's fiction.
Actually, R o � k G o 7 f, there are hints about gov cover-ups, etc. My point is that if you follow the logic, it really doesn't make much sense that so many people who trust HP are so ready to disbelieve him on this. Where's the support, for instance, from the Weasley parents? From the teachers? There doesn't seem to be any sense of consequences if he's believed ... so those in semi-authority come over as diminished. Without any real explanation or reason.
The review was written for The Morning Star -- [I'll post the link when it's out]. But, for the hard-copy version there is, of course, a word-limit so the page can be set properly. I've also got a tie-in piece on what children have contributed to a wider onscreen culture ... that should appear next week I think. Again I'll let you know.
I was really spoiled during my 10 years as London Editor of Film Journal International because the NY Editor let me write whatever I wanted. Then, again, they could easily sell extra advertising to increase the pages. The MStar, as you can imagine, hasn't got that freedom, so I've got to try to make all salient points more concisely than I'd like, with no room for clever links from one thought to another, and hardly any room for a joke or two.
Coincidentally I'm convinced that's one of the reasons this Potter script is comparatively weak - a point I did mention ... because they were trying to cram the longest of the HP books into what I think is the shortest running time.
Hey Ho!! 
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silly 
"That rabbit's DYNAMITE."
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Posted - 07/12/2007 : 02:42:56
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It sounds strange, but it seems to me that this film was trying to take itself too seriously.
Yes, I know there's this huge battle coming, but as I watched (just returned home, in fact) I kept thinking: how are they going to drag this out for two more movies? Can things get any more tense / bleak for our heroes?
Star Wars episode III was about someone who we know (in episode IV) goes on to destroy entire planets. But it didn't seem as dark as this.
Or, maybe I'm just tired and cranky right now...   |
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w22dheartlivie 
"Kitty Lover"
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Posted - 07/12/2007 : 03:38:48
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| I'm not a huge fan of the Harry Potter franchise. I did watch the first film over the weekend and remain wishy washy about it. I wish I COULD get enthused enough to follow it. |
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Sean
"Necrosphenisciform anthropophagist."
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Sean
"Necrosphenisciform anthropophagist."
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Posted - 07/12/2007 : 03:44:52
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quote:
Originally posted by R o � k G o 7 f
The media following the dictates of government and concentrating on gossip. An incompetent government leader blind to the enormous mistakes he's made. Draconian punishment for dissidents. Making a scapegoat of people who stand up and tell the truth about what the real threats are. Thankfully that happens only in the realm of children's fiction.
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MisterBadIdea 
"PLZ GET MILK, KTHXBYE"
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Posted - 07/12/2007 : 04:22:56
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This is by far the best film of the franchise. It's also by far the darkest, so that should tell you a bit about me.
I think it's pretty clear that his friends, teachers, and Weasleys actually strongly support Harry Potter in the series. It's the outside world and the government that doesn't believe him.
This film isn't quasi-political, it's quasi-topical. Attempts to read direct allegories of any current government will not really fit; whatever else you want to say about the Bush administration, it is not walking around with its hands over its eyes, pretending that everything is hunky-dory in the world. Personally, I like to think the political themes in this movie are too timeless to read as direct metaphor, although the parallels, as Rockgolf pointed out, are quite numerous.
Biggest flaw: Subplots heavily trimmed, much more gracefully than in "Goblet of Fire," but the seams still show.
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Sean
"Necrosphenisciform anthropophagist."
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ChocolateLady
"500 Chocolate Delights"
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Posted - 07/12/2007 : 07:22:21
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quote:
Originally posted by wildhartlivie
I'm not a huge fan of the Harry Potter franchise. I did watch the first film over the weekend and remain wishy washy about it. I wish I COULD get enthused enough to follow it.
I know the feeling, but the third movie was pretty good - if not the best of the first three, so I'll probably go see the fourth one, since I've read the book.
But the idea of having to plowing through book five when I already know it is far too long, is depressing. Mind you, my son tells me that book six is better than five but he won't let me skip.
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BaftaBaby
"Always entranced by cinema."
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Posted - 07/12/2007 : 08:09:14
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quote:
Originally posted by Se�n
I just found this hilarious thread on the HP/OOTP board by SorcererForChrist aka The Phantom Egger....
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0373889/board/flat/79387559?p=1
<no spoilers in it>
All I get are a bunch of "post deleted by administrator" messages. Did I do something wrong? 
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Sean
"Necrosphenisciform anthropophagist."
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Posted - 07/12/2007 : 13:09:04
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quote:
Originally posted by BaftaBabe
quote:
Originally posted by Se�n
I just found this hilarious thread on the HP/OOTP board by SorcererForChrist aka The Phantom Egger....
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0373889/board/flat/79387559?p=1
<no spoilers in it>
All I get are a bunch of "post deleted by administrator" messages. Did I do something wrong?
The bastards! Admin has deleted all posts in it!  |
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randall
"I like to watch."
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Posted - 07/12/2007 : 13:39:21
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It's by now cliched to note that the new film is the "darkest," but it's my least favorite of the franchise. Walking to after-flick dinner with our friends and their kids [12 and 9], we found wild disagreement: some of us absolutely loved it! [The kids had the most criticism, but they'll probably come around in a day or two.]
I struggled to express my views, but this is the first one where there's precious little depiction of the, for want of a better word, joy of wizardry. The weight on Harry's shoulders is unremitting. Even the stirrings of romance are tempered by his girlfriend's apparent betrayal. What lightness there is are in two performances [Staunton, who tucked the picture in her pocket and walked away with it, and Rickman, whose every syllable drips disdain], both played villainously. Notice how many laughs and applause lines come from revenge?
I have read book #6 and understand that it's only gonna get worse from here. But I'm sorry: I just didn't soar like I wanted to.
And yes, Baffy, it's a yellow journalist and the party in power who are largely responsible for Harry's isolation. Everybody reads the Prophet. [The biggest hand of all came on the line, "He's back!" but then a montage showed the Prophet reporting everything: it's still where people get their news, and they trust the paper.]
SIDE NOTE: About :10 in, just after the Dementor attack, the sound went off for about :05, but the picture kept rolling [bad form by the exhibitor; I sent them a sniffy letter] for Harry's suspension and Dursley slapstick. Since these were heavy dialogue scenes and the Dursley stuff was visual, no Potter fan lost his place -- because they'd already read the book! Almost uniquely in movies, the fans are ahead of the story: what they want to see is the execution. |
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MisterBadIdea
"PLZ GET MILK, KTHXBYE"
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Posted - 07/12/2007 : 16:04:07
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quote:
I struggled to express my views, but this is the first one where there's precious little depiction of the, for want of a better word, joy of wizardry.
If you want to put it that way. Quite honestly, I had enough of that in the first couple movies. Those really are very simple kid's fantasy, where the put-upon kid discovers that everyone was wrong about him, that's he actually got superpowers, he already singlehandedly defeated evil, he's a celebrity, he gets to live away from all the normals, and most unsettlingly he gets revenge on his bullies.
We've moved past that by now. Harry and pals are teenagers now, and if anything, this feels much more like a fitting depiction of the hell of adolescence. He's been doing magic for years now, it's less a revelation and more of a fact of life for him. The special effects rightly should be pushed to the background. |
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Downtown 
"Welcome back, Billy Buck"
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Posted - 07/12/2007 : 16:41:15
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| I haven't seen any of these films but anything that makes Evangelicals and other religious fundamentalists throw such tantrums can't be all bad. |
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randall
"I like to watch."
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Posted - 07/12/2007 : 17:12:22
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quote:
Originally posted by MisterBadIdea
quote:
I struggled to express my views, but this is the first one where there's precious little depiction of the, for want of a better word, joy of wizardry.
If you want to put it that way. Quite honestly, I had enough of that in the first couple movies. Those really are very simple kid's fantasy, where the put-upon kid discovers that everyone was wrong about him, that's he actually got superpowers, he already singlehandedly defeated evil, he's a celebrity, he gets to live away from all the normals, and most unsettlingly he gets revenge on his bullies.
We've moved past that by now. Harry and pals are teenagers now, and if anything, this feels much more like a fitting depiction of the hell of adolescence. He's been doing magic for years now, it's less a revelation and more of a fact of life for him. The special effects rightly should be pushed to the background.
Mokay, but the reductio ad absurdum of that logic is, let the fantasy elements slide and let's see REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE instead, when it's the vaulting magic that brought us to the dance in the first place. |
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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix/spoilers
