Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - PG-13
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Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that even kids who can't read know about Harry Potter, and some kids who are too young for the content will want to see this fifth Potter movie (which is especially well timed, since the seventh -- and final! -- book hits bookstores July 21). As has been the case with each succeeding movie, as the central characters have gotten older and taken on bigger challenges, the themes darken, the danger becomes more intense, and the climatic battle scenes with "You Know Who" and his minions are downright frightening. Spoiler alert: There's a very upsetting (but bloodless) death of someone near and dear to Harry. As a result, he grows even more introspective and angry. At the very least, he does enjoy his first kiss (no spoiler to Potterheads), and Ron and Hermione continue their flirtatious bickering.
Families can talk about the movies' increasingly mature themes as Harry grows into a full-blown adolescent. Why is Harry so angry? Do you think Harry and his friends act and feel like real teenagers? Also, even though this movie and the last one are rated PG-13, they're heavily marketed to younger kids -- do you think that's OK, or are the later movies too scary for little kids? Potterheads: What parts of the book were best depicted in the film? What got left out that you would have included? What scenes included heavy foreshadowing of things to come?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Sandie Angulo Chen
There's no longer a doubt that, with the advent of THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX, Harry Potter -- the character, as well as the film series -- has grown up. The fifth installment of J.K. Rowling's seven-volume phenomenon is a dark (even by Potter standards) and captivating new adventure.
From the opening scene, in which Harry (Daniel Radcliffe, proving once again that he was perfectly cast) and his portly dolt of a cousin Dudley (Harry Melling) are attacked by Dementors, our courageous young hero has an ever-heightened awareness -- and acceptance -- of how his destiny is entwined with You Know Who's.
At Hogwarts, Harry, who survived his last confrontation with Voldemort (a disfigured Ralph Fiennes) but watched school favorite Cedric Diggory perish, is no longer a popular wizard genius. The Ministry of Magic has mounted a smear attack against him and Professor Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) in the Daily Prophet, he was nearly expelled for casting out the Dementors in front of his Muggle cousin, Dumbledore keeps avoiding him, and new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton, the latest acclaimed Brit to score a supporting role in the films) is out to squash the idea that the Dark Lord is back.
Since the sweetly odious Professor Umbridge refuses to teach any defensive spells, Hermione (Emma Watson) convinces Harry to hold secret, extracurricular classes in combat magic. Umbridge, meanwhile, is authorized by the Ministry to "raise the falling standards at Hogwarts." She launches a fascist campaign dictating everything from how far apart boys and girls must stand (at least 8 inches) to when student groups can meet (never). Her matronly pink getups and kitty-decorated office belie the sadistic, child-hating enforcer she quickly proves to be.
The bureaucratic intrigue and boot-camp magic lessons overshadow the brief romantic interest between Harry and Cho (Katie Leung). Sure, Harry finally enjoys his first kiss, but the infatuation doesn't last. And forget about Quidditch, because director David Yates doesn't include any game sequences -- or much of the Hogwarts social scene, for that matter, outside of the clandestine magic lessons. Those who haven't read the novels might hope for a Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione hook-up, but apparently that's just not in the books ... yet, anyway.
As for the film's intensified peril, the climactic battle at the Department of Mysteries is a real nail-biter. Harry and his friends at first don't seem like a match for Voldemort's fearsome Death Eaters -- like Azkaban escapee Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham Carter) and flaxen-haired Lucius Malfoy (Jason Isaacs) -- but, like young and eager recruits, they impressively hold their own. There's a tragic (albeit expected) death and an even more tragic moment when Harry thinks he's alone and defeated. But Potter lovers know that Harry isn't ever alone: He has an entire world of devotees on his side.
Families who want to learn more about Harry and his Hogwarts crew should revisit the four preceding films: Goblet of Fire, Prisoner of Azkaban, Chamber of Secrets and Sorcerer's Stone. Needless to say, the uninitiated should read the books, quite possibly the most celebrated series in modern children's literature. For a list of all things Potter, click here.
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentHarry and Cho kiss; Ron and Hermione continue their thinly veiled flirtation through bickering and glancing at each other. |
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ViolenceScary images of Dementors, Death Eaters, and Lord Voldemort. Angry centaurs drag a character away. Professor Umbridge severely punishes Hogwarts students using a method that feels a lot like torture. A character is attacked by a large snake, with somewhat bloody results. The depiction of the battle at the Department of Mysteries is intense, and one key character is killed (though not in a gory way). Harry is painfully inhabited by the Dark Lord; he is also very angry during much of the movie. |
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LanguageThe word "bloody." |
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Social BehaviorHarry's friends bravely agree to practice defensive spells to help him ward off Voldemort and his evil cohorts. In particular, Ron and Hermione refuse to let Harry go up against 'You Know Who' alone. Harry, his friends, and the Order of the Phoenix members act in a courageous, selfless manner. The movie's key lessons are that it's your choices and the actions you take that define you and that friends, family, and love make you more powerful than even the strongest evil. |
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CommercialismNo product placements, but the film franchise includes a ton of merchandising deals, toys, and other tie-ins. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoHarry and his friends meet in a run-down pub in Hogsmeade, but they don't drink anything. |
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