OotP movie review
Jul. 12th, 2007 12:44 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
selene_13I went to see Order of the Phoenix last night!
We had a pretty cool audience. Lots of teenagers who were acting very American: cheering and clapping when the movie started, when Harry kissed Cho ("Yeah, Harry!"), when Neville finally managed his expelliarmus, when the movie resumed after the break, at the end. That was fun. The theatre was completely sold out, three times, that day, and there were a lot of people crowding the street to get in (naturally the best spot to wait is in the street where the buses come by). I had to help my friend in who is currently on crutches, but everyone was very careful with her. We had good seats. Well done.
The movie managed to be pretty concise, actually showing me exactly how much text in OotP was superfluous and had no bearing on the plot. St. Mungo's, Hagrid's tale, all those owl's at the Dursley's, the cringy date with Cho... it's all exposition (sure, it's nice that the book is detailed, but the movie really doesn't need it). I also loved how several scenes worked so well because the visual medium can be so effectively used. Thus the entire chapter of Snape and the Marauders is conveyed quite understandibly and true in a matter of 15 seconds. Also Harry's dreams, the occlumency (which doesn't need much time since HBP drops it anyway), and the DA were well abbreviated and still brought the message across.
As for the new people: Helena Bonham Carter was an excellent Bellatrix and made the most of her little screen time (her escape from Azkaban: excellent!). I loved her because she wasn't the vamp that the book sort of makes me thinks she is. She looks much better crazy!pretty like she did in the movie. Tonks was cool too, though she hardly had screen time. Her scene at the table was a bit too goofy maybe. Evanna Lynch, hm, I'll probably be the only one, but she didn't really work for me. She looked the part fine, but her voice sounded fake (it sounded acted) and she fell a bit flat. She really didn't have a purpose, but then, I don't think she really has a purpose in the book either (as evidenced by HBP where she did, unfortunately, nothing). Imelda Staunton was perfect.
I was hoping the Weasley exit would be more spectacular and have the feel of a more lasting effect (I missed the swamp). I have the same feeling with the Voldemort/Dumbledore fight, which was quite cool and violent, but also not very substantial. How unfortunate that they didn't implement the statues coming to life: that would have been an awesome effect and one I was looking forward to. However, when Voldemort possessed Harry, that was an awesome scene, and one of the best Dan Radcliffe has ever done. What he said to Voldemort as he pushed him out ("You'll never know love or friendship. I feel sorry for you") might not have been canon, but they should have been. Sure it's cliche, but they carry the theme so well and were played across so strongly by Dan: best use of non-canon and best scene in the movie, IMO, and Dan was really good in this movie conveying all Harry's emotions and rage (certainly much better than he's done before). Worst scene was when Umbridge caught the trio in her office and then the faux!trio was pulled in. There was no explanation or reason for the other three to be there: there was no clue that they knew what was going on or had caught on, and except for Ginny they don't know Sirius/The Order, and why were only those three aware (and together)? That needed more explaination.
The ministry part was cool; great effects. They really hammed up the Harry/Sirius relationship: all the hugging and promises of being a family and Sirius being all Harry's got; it made it actually more tragic when Sirius died then it did in the very unclimactic and 'huh-what-just-happened-did-Sirius-just-die book scene. I also liked that he didn't just trip into the veil but was hit by an Avada Kedavra: it made it much more real and finite. Voldemort is menacing in canon with his villain looks, but visually really hits flat. He looks sort of comic-y and weird, but not scary. I think if he'd looked human (a menacing Ralph Fiennes) he'd be much more threatening and intense.
As for shipping, the movie is pretty clear about the Ron/Hermione, but because there is really no major confrontation (like in GoF) or endless annoying bickering (like in all the books), and since Ron was actually portrayed rather solid and amicable in this movie, it was the first time that R/Hr didn't grate on me. I still don't see what reasons Hermione would have to pick Ron over Harry or why she fancies Ron in the first place except that it's because the writers tell that its to be so, but it didn't frustrate me this time. Ginny, eh. She was hardly there and I did not see any H/G moment. Did she destroy the entire Prophecy room? Sjeez, why? Was she going for blowing up a death eater guts and all with that reducto? The H/Hr moments were sweet. I loved how it was Hermione who noticed when Harry went down when he had his Sirius-vision. I also loved how Hermione managed to stay calm and get herself down from Grawp's grasp instead of needing help (though it was a gratuitous scene, really). Why was only Ron worried? Harry's canonically much more protective of her. Grawp was sweet: much more innocent than the blunt brute he is in canon. The graphics were a bit iffy though, very CGI. The Thestrals were much cooler: a great visual effect. And what a pity that there weren't any clear shots of the centaurs.
I've babbled on. In short, they summarised the book really well, all the major themes and plots were implemented and those that have no real bearing on the plot were left out. There were no things that were left unexplained like PoA did, for instance, with the animagi (except what I said about the faux!trio). Though I don't know if this is a movie that I would see over and over again, I did think they managed to capture the book best as they could, and I like the dark and angsty feel. Teh drama is my life. Thumbs up from me.
Now, I just read in an interview with David Yates (in the Dutch Metro) that he thought this film was very dark and mature, and the next movie (which he'll direct also) will be lighter and fluffier because of the teenage hormones. He says it will screen more like a romantic comedy (even despite the DD death). Can I say "uurrgghhh"? That movie will be as bad as its book.
With the movie out of the way, I can go back to being completely underwhelmed about the release of Deathly Hallows next week. Meh. Meh meh meh, whatever.
We had a pretty cool audience. Lots of teenagers who were acting very American: cheering and clapping when the movie started, when Harry kissed Cho ("Yeah, Harry!"), when Neville finally managed his expelliarmus, when the movie resumed after the break, at the end. That was fun. The theatre was completely sold out, three times, that day, and there were a lot of people crowding the street to get in (naturally the best spot to wait is in the street where the buses come by). I had to help my friend in who is currently on crutches, but everyone was very careful with her. We had good seats. Well done.
The movie managed to be pretty concise, actually showing me exactly how much text in OotP was superfluous and had no bearing on the plot. St. Mungo's, Hagrid's tale, all those owl's at the Dursley's, the cringy date with Cho... it's all exposition (sure, it's nice that the book is detailed, but the movie really doesn't need it). I also loved how several scenes worked so well because the visual medium can be so effectively used. Thus the entire chapter of Snape and the Marauders is conveyed quite understandibly and true in a matter of 15 seconds. Also Harry's dreams, the occlumency (which doesn't need much time since HBP drops it anyway), and the DA were well abbreviated and still brought the message across.
As for the new people: Helena Bonham Carter was an excellent Bellatrix and made the most of her little screen time (her escape from Azkaban: excellent!). I loved her because she wasn't the vamp that the book sort of makes me thinks she is. She looks much better crazy!pretty like she did in the movie. Tonks was cool too, though she hardly had screen time. Her scene at the table was a bit too goofy maybe. Evanna Lynch, hm, I'll probably be the only one, but she didn't really work for me. She looked the part fine, but her voice sounded fake (it sounded acted) and she fell a bit flat. She really didn't have a purpose, but then, I don't think she really has a purpose in the book either (as evidenced by HBP where she did, unfortunately, nothing). Imelda Staunton was perfect.
I was hoping the Weasley exit would be more spectacular and have the feel of a more lasting effect (I missed the swamp). I have the same feeling with the Voldemort/Dumbledore fight, which was quite cool and violent, but also not very substantial. How unfortunate that they didn't implement the statues coming to life: that would have been an awesome effect and one I was looking forward to. However, when Voldemort possessed Harry, that was an awesome scene, and one of the best Dan Radcliffe has ever done. What he said to Voldemort as he pushed him out ("You'll never know love or friendship. I feel sorry for you") might not have been canon, but they should have been. Sure it's cliche, but they carry the theme so well and were played across so strongly by Dan: best use of non-canon and best scene in the movie, IMO, and Dan was really good in this movie conveying all Harry's emotions and rage (certainly much better than he's done before). Worst scene was when Umbridge caught the trio in her office and then the faux!trio was pulled in. There was no explanation or reason for the other three to be there: there was no clue that they knew what was going on or had caught on, and except for Ginny they don't know Sirius/The Order, and why were only those three aware (and together)? That needed more explaination.
The ministry part was cool; great effects. They really hammed up the Harry/Sirius relationship: all the hugging and promises of being a family and Sirius being all Harry's got; it made it actually more tragic when Sirius died then it did in the very unclimactic and 'huh-what-just-happened-did-Sirius-just-die book scene. I also liked that he didn't just trip into the veil but was hit by an Avada Kedavra: it made it much more real and finite. Voldemort is menacing in canon with his villain looks, but visually really hits flat. He looks sort of comic-y and weird, but not scary. I think if he'd looked human (a menacing Ralph Fiennes) he'd be much more threatening and intense.
As for shipping, the movie is pretty clear about the Ron/Hermione, but because there is really no major confrontation (like in GoF) or endless annoying bickering (like in all the books), and since Ron was actually portrayed rather solid and amicable in this movie, it was the first time that R/Hr didn't grate on me. I still don't see what reasons Hermione would have to pick Ron over Harry or why she fancies Ron in the first place except that it's because the writers tell that its to be so, but it didn't frustrate me this time. Ginny, eh. She was hardly there and I did not see any H/G moment. Did she destroy the entire Prophecy room? Sjeez, why? Was she going for blowing up a death eater guts and all with that reducto? The H/Hr moments were sweet. I loved how it was Hermione who noticed when Harry went down when he had his Sirius-vision. I also loved how Hermione managed to stay calm and get herself down from Grawp's grasp instead of needing help (though it was a gratuitous scene, really). Why was only Ron worried? Harry's canonically much more protective of her. Grawp was sweet: much more innocent than the blunt brute he is in canon. The graphics were a bit iffy though, very CGI. The Thestrals were much cooler: a great visual effect. And what a pity that there weren't any clear shots of the centaurs.
I've babbled on. In short, they summarised the book really well, all the major themes and plots were implemented and those that have no real bearing on the plot were left out. There were no things that were left unexplained like PoA did, for instance, with the animagi (except what I said about the faux!trio). Though I don't know if this is a movie that I would see over and over again, I did think they managed to capture the book best as they could, and I like the dark and angsty feel. Teh drama is my life. Thumbs up from me.
Now, I just read in an interview with David Yates (in the Dutch Metro) that he thought this film was very dark and mature, and the next movie (which he'll direct also) will be lighter and fluffier because of the teenage hormones. He says it will screen more like a romantic comedy (even despite the DD death). Can I say "uurrgghhh"? That movie will be as bad as its book.
With the movie out of the way, I can go back to being completely underwhelmed about the release of Deathly Hallows next week. Meh. Meh meh meh, whatever.
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no subject
Date: 2007-07-13 05:14 pm (UTC)I think it's more of a problem of the writers/directors trying to put too much of the book into the movie. Details are just going to have to be dropped; film is an entirely different medium, so Chris Columbus trying to put all of the first two books on film just didn't work: it was too boring. I really enjoyed the last three films though, it seems like they're daring to edit more and they're getting the point across better. To expect every beloved canon moment in the film is a sure way to end up disappointed; it's better to hope they manage to catch the theme and feel of the book. I think OotP managed this largely... though I'm not saying it was perfect.
No DA, no pervading presence of the war ... just rambling down pensieve lane and juvenile boy/girl nonsense. :-(
Oh yeah. *laughs* But HBP must be a dragon to bring to the screen. NOTHING happens in the book. Just Harry skulking after Malfoy, potions lessons, rearing chest monsters and DD yapping about a past that can't be changed instead of telling Harry about actual important stuff, like how to dismantle a horcrux or something. How does knowing about Voldemort's family make any difference to the battle now? Voldemort himself doesn't even know his family cause he wasn't even born nor did he ever know them, so how does it shape or define him? JKR apparently just thought she could write an interesting, psychologically revealing villain backstory or something (er, no). It just fills the pages with worthless backstory that does nothing to drive the plot forward. And it's going to be a drag on screen too. The scriptwriter's bound to cut it up, but what's left? Ron necking Lavender? Hermione's jealousy? Harry's obsession with Malfoy, Slughorn and Ginny the Quidditch Queen? Yeah... action packed.
I've said to friends before that though HBP sucked, they will probably manage to make it look good on screen because they can cut out a lot, but now I'm wondering what would be left of the book? A romantic comedy, when the war and threat should have been at its height? Sjeez.
Heh. I'm getting a bit excited, and I'm hoping for H/Hr ... the complete lack of satisfaction - of credibility - of OBHWF just repels me from thinking otherwise.
I certainly know what you mean. I was sooo like this before HBP: I couldn't believe that anyone would think that the R/Hr setup was anything but awful, nor that JKR would be so bad to write an MS. I just hope you're not setting your hopes up too high. They're clearly setting R/Hr up in the OotP movie (and doing it better than JKR managed it), even though the book felt completely H/Hr to me. I don't think that the movie makers don't get it, I think that JKR is just lousy at writing a meaningful romance. Her interview and HBP don't leave much room for anything else.
Not that it wouldn't be totally awesome if H/Hr happened, but yeah, it is what it is. I'll see you next week. o_O
no subject
Date: 2007-07-14 06:52 am (UTC)I mentioned that in a previous comment - where you replied to chasezgranger - how Harry in HBP was totally passive for most of the book, unlike the earlier novels - before I came across you saying the same thing here.
How does knowing about Voldemort's family make any difference to the battle now? ... It just fills the pages with worthless backstory that does nothing to drive the plot forward.
Amen. I *really* couldn't work out the fans who said that they found this 'interesting'.
Voldemort is EVIL, folks ... now let's move on, shall we?
As I used to say in my rants, I don't care what flavour jam Tom used to put on his toast for breakfast at the orphanage, or what colour his pyjamas were ... it's inconsequential to the story!!
I'm wondering what would be left of the book? A romantic comedy, when the war and threat should have been at its height? Sjeez.
You've said that you don't monitor the PR machine? David Yates, who will be also directing the sixth movie, has said that his intent is to do exactly that - he sees the film as being much more 'sex, drugs and rock 'n roll'.
The HPANA article with the quote was here, although the site seems to be down at the moment, so I can't double-check it.
So (a) you were totally on the money, and (b) you can start weeping now. :-(
I just hope you're not setting your hopes up too high. ... Her interview and HBP don't leave much room for anything else.
Yeah. :-( I'm going to try and do my first ever journal post, summing up my predictions for DH, and I've been thinking exactly that. And you're right ... the interview really doesn't leave much doubt (although there are some H/Hr people who are trying to ignore it, saying she was speaking 'as Harry', etc). But, yeah ... HBP was just a bad book, and no author would deliberately write a bad book, no matter if she was planning major 'twists' in the sequel or not ... therefore JKR was sincere in her smug self-congratulation in the post-HBP interview, she honestly thinks she did a good job, and so DH is likely to be much of the same.
:-(
no subject
Date: 2007-07-14 04:33 pm (UTC)*weeps*
But, yeah ... HBP was just a bad book, and no author would deliberately write a bad book, no matter if she was planning major 'twists' in the sequel or not ... therefore JKR was sincere in her smug self-congratulation in the post-HBP interview, she honestly thinks she did a good job, and so DH is likely to be much of the same.</I. Yeah, this is my belief. Even if DH is for some reason a shining beacon of (H/Hr optional) love and redemption, it will never erase HBP and the characterisation/plot development/literary value from hell. I just don't see how it could be pulled off, and I don't think it will be. All that potential, thown away. What a pity, eh? Maybe I'm being too pessimistic? o_o