Age Range: Ages 13 and up
Genre: Fantasy/Drama/Adventure
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Richard Griffiths, Jason Isaacs, Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman, Fiona Shaw
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
Release date: July 11, 2007
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Plot Summary
Following the story of the fifth Harry Potter book, the movie version of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is darker and more intense than the previous movies. Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) has grown up, and his challenges have matured as well. Even his pompous cousin Dudley (Harry Melling) gets a taste of the darkness and evil that is growing in strength all around them, when two Dementors enter the muggle world and go after Harry and Dudley.
Harry is able to run the Dementors off using a magic spell, but this action results in an almost immediate notice informing him that he has been expelled from Hogwarts for practicing under-age magic in front of a Muggle. Harry has little time to fume over the injustice, though, before Professor Moody (Brendan Gleeson) and some others come to take him away from the Muggles and lead him to a mysterious and magical hideaway.
The hideaway is serving as a headquarters where some type of meeting is taking place - a meeting which obviously concerns Harry, but that no one will tell him anything about. Harry's feelings of isolation and frustration are increased when he discovers that even his best friends, Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson), know more than he does about the circumstances surrounding the meeting. What Harry does learn, is that Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) is gathering an army of evil, and the Ministry of Magic is trying to make Harry and anyone else who claims that Voldemort is back look like liars.
Still, no one will tell Harry the whole truth. Even in his own mind, where he is haunted by dreams and visions that rack his soul, Harry feels like a prisoner. With some help from Dumbledore (Michael Gambon), Harry is allowed to go back to Hogwarts, but back at school his problems only get worse.
Angry over Harry's return, the Ministry sends Professor Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton) to serve as Hogwarts' Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and bring the school back into compliance with the Ministry's ideas. Before long, Umbridge gains power and is controlling every aspect of the student's lives. If Harry can't overcome his battle within and ban with other students to prepare themselves, they will be defenseless against their enemies in the war that is looming.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Guide Review for Parents
Like other Harry Potter movies, Order of the Phoenix tells a great story that is interesting and intense; however, Order of the Phoenix is much darker and the subject matter is considerably more mature.
Without any Quidditch matches or silly ghosts to add light-hearted action to the movie, the entire focus is on Harry's intensely burdensome plight. His frequent nightmares and visions are obviously disturbing and frightening to him, and thus will likely be frightening to viewing kids as well. In one of his dreams, Harry sees a massive snake attack another character. Although the actual attack is not shown, the victim is shown bloody and in pain. As it turns out, Harry's dream was a vision of an act that had actually occurred.
In addition to Harry's scary dreams and visions of Voldemort, the movie contains a considerable amount of magical violence. Dementors attack some characters and try to suck out their spirits. Wizards and witches use their wands to cast lightening-bolt darts at each other. Some characters are thrown through the air and crash into objects. In one scene, a crazy witch uses her wand to murder one of the characters. The victim is shown as his spirit seems to painfully leave his body. In addition, the subject of death (especially the death of Harry's parents and the torture worse than death of Neville's parents) is discussed often.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Content Overview
The following contains two or three of the most prominent examples of possibly scary or offensive content in each category:
Violence (Extreme)
- Dementors cause a terrible storm and fly after Harry and Dudley. In a tunnel, the Dementors are shown hovering over the boys as they suck out the boys' spirits.
- A massive snake is shown slithering up to a man. The man is then shown lying on the ground bleeding and in pain, having just been attacked by the snake. Heavy scary music and sound effects intensify the scene.
- A great battle ensues between some Hogwarts students and some evil wizards and witches. The head wizard threatens to kill the students. A witch kills one man with a spell and his spirit leaves his body. Wands are used violently in several ways and Voldemort tries to enter Harry's body and overcome his mind.
Sex/Nudity (Mild)
- A boy and girl kiss for several seconds.
Profanity (Mild)
-Words such as "God," and "hell" are used.
Alcohol/Drugs (None)
-No obvious drinking or drug use occurs.
Bad/Disrespectful Behavior (High)
-Dudley and his friends taunt Harry and make fun of the fact that his mother is dead.
- When some students break the rules and form a forbidden club, one character exclaims that it is fun to break the rules.
- Two students allow Professor Umbridge to be taken by Centaurs and do not attempt to save her.
Scary Scenes (Extreme)
-Scenes listed under "Violence" may be scary for kids.
- Professor Umbridge tells Harry to write some words on a paper, as he writes, the words are magically etched into the skin on his hand, causing him pain.
- Several scary looking and disturbing creatures are shown including Dementors, Lord Voldemort, creepy elf-like creatures, and a witch who acts mad and crazy.
Sad/Distressing Scenes (High)
- The deaths of Harry's parents and something worse than death that happened to Neville's parents are discussed on several occasions.
-Students discuss the recent death of a classmate.
- Harry is distraught over the death of someone close to him.
