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"HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX"
(2007) (Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson) (PG-13)

Alcohol/
Drugs
Blood/Gore Disrespectful/
Bad Attitude
Frightening/
Tense Scenes
Guns/
Weapons
*Minor Mild Extreme *Moderate Moderate
Imitative
Behavior
Jump
Scenes
Music
(Scary/Tense)
Music
(Inappropriate)
Profanity
Moderate Mild Extreme None Minor
Sex/
Nudity
Smoking Tense Family
Scenes
Topics To
Talk About
Violence
Mild None Moderate Moderate Heavy


QUICK TAKE:
Drama/Adventure: A teenage wizard must contend with changes at his school all while trying to get everyone to believe in and prepare for the return of a dangerous entity in this fifth installment of the "Harry Potter" series.
PLOT:
Having broken the rules about using magic in front of "muggles" by saving his bullying cousin Dudley (HARRY MELLING) from an unusual attack by soul sucking fiends known as dementors, Harry Potter (DANIEL RADCLIFFE) learns that he's been expelled from the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. While head instructor Professor Dumbledore (MICHAEL GAMBON) successfully defends Harry in front of a Ministry hearing held by Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge (ROBERT HARDY), the teenage wizard ends up with a tarnished reputation among his classmates.

That is, except for longtime friends Ron Weasley (RUPERT GRINT) and Hermione Granger (EMMA WATSON). They're concerned about Harry's growing inner turmoil and angst, while new and somewhat ethereal student Luna Lovegood (EVANNA LYNCH) befriends him, and Cho Chang (KATIE LEUNG) continues to draw his romantic eye. More troubles are afoot, however, and they extend beyond Harry's rival classmate, Draco Malfoy (TOM FELTON).

For starters, a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher has arrived in the form of Dolores Umbridge (IMELDA STAUNTON). She's a strict disciplinarian who's soon issuing a plethora of decrees that restrict the students -- including stopping them from practicing magic -- while also putting school leaders Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall (MAGGIE SMITH) on notice. She also creates unease among the likes of Professor Snape (ALAN RICKMAN), Sybil (EMMA THOMPSON), and groundskeeper Rubeus Hagrid (ROBBIE COLTRANE), and with the backing of Fudge, she becomes the most powerful voice at Hogwarts.

Harry also learns of the secret Order of the Phoenix, populated by the likes of Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody (BRENDAN GLEESON), Remus (DAVID THEWLIS), and his godfather Sirius Black (GARY OLDMAN), among others. Harry's parents were once part of the Order that's now concerned that the evil and all-powerful Lord Voldemort (RALPH FIENNES) is planning to return, build and army with the likes of Lucius Malfoy (JASON ISAACS) and Bellatrix Lestrange (HELENA BONHAM CARTER), and hopes to acquire a certain weapon to do his evil bidding. Learning from Snape that Voldemort's mind is connected to his own and could cause serious consequences, Harry must contend with various nebulous nightmares and visions related to that, all while dealing with the rest of what's occurring at his school.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?
Yes, especially if they're fans of the books and/or previous films.
WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13
For sequences of fantasy violence and frightening images.
CAST AS ROLE MODELS:
  • DANIEL RADCLIFFE plays a teenage wizard who must not only contend with Umbridge's strict rules about the school, but also the imminent return of Voldemort, and trying to get everyone to believe that's going to occur. Tormented by nightmares and visions, he finds time to make out (briefly) with Cho.
  • RUPERT GRINT plays his friend who tries to assist him in these trying times.
  • EMMA WATSON plays the third part of their trio, a young woman who does the same, but has also grown a bit rebellious and enjoys secretly going against Umbridge's decrees.
  • RALPH FIENNES plays the evil lord who's building an army to help in his plans to overthrow all that is good, and gets into Harry's mind as part of that plot.
  • IMELDA STAUNTON plays the new defense against the dark arts teacher, a strict disciplinarian who sets out to reform Hogwarts into her own vision, all in the name of the Ministry.
  • MICHAEL GAMBON plays the head wizard at Hogwarts who defends Harry against expulsion and is concerned about how things are changing.
  • ALAN RICKMAN plays another professor and head of a rival house at Hogwarts who seems to be in a perpetually stern mood, but tries to assist Harry in efforts to thwart Voldemort's ploy to get into and thus control Harry's mind.
  • JASON ISAACS plays Harry's rival's father who's conspiring with Voldemort.
  • MAGGIE SMITH plays the headmistress and professor at the school who's concerned about Umbridge's usurping of power there.
  • ROBBIE COLTRANE plays the school's groundskeeper who must also contend with Umbridge and her ways.
  • ROBERT HARDY plays the minister of magic who uses Umbridge to control Hogwarts and doesn't believe Harry's accounts that Voldemort is returning.
  • BRENDAN GLEESON plays a professor at the school who's also part of the secret Order of the Phoenix and is concerned about that return.
  • GARY OLDMAN plays Harry's outlaw godfather who's also part of the Order and has similar concerns.
  • EVANNA LYNCH plays an almost ethereal student who befriends Harry.
  • KATIE LEUNG plays another student who's drawn Harry's attention. She briefly kisses him.
  • HARRY MELLING plays Harry's cousin who enjoys bullying him, but is then traumatized by a dementor attack.
  • CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

    HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE


    Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
    Then read OUR TAKE of this film.


    (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).


    OUR WORD TO PARENTS:
    The following is a brief summary of the content found in this dramatic adventure film that's been rated PG-13. Profanity consists of a few minor expletives, while colorful phrases are also uttered, and brief and slightly passionate kissing occurs between teens. Violence includes magic on magic combat, resulting in one death (and possibly another), while flying demons attempt to kill two teens.

    Other less volatile material is present, but some of those other scenes, various moments of current or potential peril, and the sight of various creatures might be unsettling, suspenseful, or maybe even scary to younger viewers. Some of the violence has mild bloody results, while some behavior might be enticing for some kids to imitate.

    Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes, tense family material involves the death of a godparent, as well as talk of or references to previous familial deaths, while there's the possible presence of alcohol.

    If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

    For those concerned with bright flashes of light on the screen, there's some of that from lightning.

    For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, there are several instances of handheld camerawork (sometimes rather bouncy) as well as some point of view flying scenes.


    ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE
  • Sirius, Remus, and Ron's dad have what looks like beer in front of them (but it could be something else).
  • BLOOD/GORE
  • An ear is lowered on a string to eavesdrop on a conversation among the adults (played for comedy, with a cat after that, but there's no blood, etc.).
  • Umbridge punishes Harry by making him write a phrase on paper that, moments later, also magically etches itself onto the top of his hand (in slightly bloody letters).
  • When there's talk of a magical room that will conform to its user's particular needs, Ron asks what if one needs the toilet.
  • The Hogwarts caretaker has boils all over his face (from eating candy) and one of them bursts while he's talking to Umbridge, spraying the camera lens.
  • Ron's dad has some blood on his face from a snake attack, and we later see him with a few dried scrapes and cuts on his face, as well as some bandaged fingers.
  • Hagrid has some dried cuts and scrapes on his face upon his return to Hogwarts.
  • Some of the kids (Harry, Luna, etc.) have a few bloody cuts or scrapes on their faces (Luna around her mouth, Harry from his nose) during and following a fight with some evil beings.
  • DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE
  • Voldemort and those working for him obviously have bad attitudes.
  • Dudley and some other bullies taunt and make fun of Harry, asking if a man's name Harry muttered is that of his boyfriend, and wondering where Harry's mom is, asking if she's dead (and laughing about that).
  • Harry's uncle has a bad attitude toward him.
  • Those opposed to magic should note the film is filled with and is all about that.
  • Draco has a bad attitude toward Harry (in one scene).
  • Another student has a bad attitude toward Harry, but later apologizes.
  • Some older students are troublemakers for younger ones, giving them things to get out of class for various symptoms, etc.
  • Umbridge dismisses a professor, causing a confrontation with Dumbledore about the former's supervisory powers.
  • Umbridge repeatedly issues new decrees to keep the students completely in line, but is overbearing in her totalitarian rules.
  • Harry and others break Umbridge's new rules, including about gathering together without permission, especially to practice magic.
  • Two students purposefully bump into Neville in passing.
  • The caretaker tips a painting (where live figures appear inside it), thus tipping those figures down toward one end.
  • We see a flashback to teenage Snape being taunted by some bullies.
  • Twin students decide to throw off Umbridge by disrupting her class. They fly in and set off various fireworks, some of which cause property damage, mainly in the form of her decrees being smashed and falling off a wall.
  • Umbridge calls a centaur a "filthy half-breed."
  • FRIGHTENING SCENES
  • Scenes listed under "Violence" and/or "Jump Scenes" may be unsettling, suspenseful, or maybe even scary to younger viewers and/or those with low tolerance levels for such material.
  • The appearance of various characters and/or monsters, such as Voldemort, some fiery dragon type apparitions, the dementors, an elf, etc. might be unsettling and/or scary for very young viewers.
  • Harry gets mad about Dudley and some bullies taunting him, so he points his wand at them. The skies suddenly darken and a storm brews, prompting all of them to run, with Harry and Dudley taking refuge in a park tunnel that suddenly turns ice cold. A faceless but ghastly dementor then flies in, grabs Harry by the throat and pushes him back against a wall where it starts to suck out his soul. Dudley tries to run away, but slips on the ice and falls, with another dementor hovering over him, also sucking out his soul. Harry then uses magic to blast away the two dementors. Moments later, a woman tells Harry not to leave his house.
  • Harry hears someone or something at his door, and sees (in close-up) the key in the lock turning. Harry prepares for the worst, but it turns out to be Moody and others rescuing him.
  • Harry walks down a narrow, dark, and decrepit hallway, with someone suddenly behind him, but that turns out just to be Moody.
  • There's worried talk about Voldemort building up an evil army.
  • Sirius talks of deaths of some of the original members of the Order of the Phoenix (which might worry some younger kids that the same might happen to current members).
  • Harry has a nightmare featuring Voldemort at a train station (just spotting him).
  • Harry has another nightmare featuring Voldemort.
  • Harry has a nightmare that shows the reflection of a large snake slithering along the floor, and then a point of view attack by it on Ron's dad (we see his fearful reaction, as well as a little bit of blood on his face). We later see him with a few dried scrapes and cuts on his face, as well as some bandaged fingers.
  • We hear that there's a connection between Harry and Voldemort's minds, with Snape fearful about what might occur should Voldemort realize and then control that.
  • We briefly see some death eaters flying about.
  • There are thunderous sounds on the other side of a wall (causing some concern for Harry and other students), with Umbridge then using her power to blast a large opening in the stone structure.
  • A giant chases after Harry, Ron, and Hermione, including grabbing and picking up the latter. Ron runs up and bashes the giant on the leg, but he kicks him aside. However, the giant turns out to be the mentally slow half-brother to Hagrid and wishes them no harm.
  • A fiery dragon apparition comes after Umbridge and bites down at her, but it's just fireworks based and disappears on that bite attempt.
  • A centaur fires an arrow at Umbridge who blocks it with her magic. She then uses the same to wrap a rope around the half-man, half-horse, strangling it, until a giant picks her up. The centaurs want her and one fires an arrow at her, but it lands in the giant's arm (like a pinprick to him). He then drops her, with the centaurs grabbing and dragging her off as they ride away.
  • Harry and others enter the place that he repeatedly sees in his nightmares. They end up being surrounded by Lucius and various masked henchmen. The teens use their magic to blast the figures away, but the latter keep coming back as the kids run through an immense warehouse filled with magical orbs. This ends with the shelves holding those orbs collapsing all around the teens as they try to run out without being hit by any of the falling debris. They end up falling out of a door and then to a floor below them, but then magically hover a foot above it, before finally falling those extra inches.
  • A black cloud or clouds of evil beings swarm around Harry and the other teens. When it stops, we see evil characters holding wands on each of the teens, with Lucius telling Harry to hand him an orb or watch his friends die.
  • Sirius punches Lucius, followed by various good and bad characters firing energy blasts back and forth at each other. During this, one good character (an adult) is killed, with a view of his soul floating up and away.
  • Dumbledore and Voldemort battle with magical energy aimed at the other, including Voldemort creating a fiery dragon apparition that Dumbledore destroys with magic. Voldemort then causes all of the glass in an enormous room to shatter, aiming it back at Dumbledore and Harry. Dumbledore blocks most of it with a force field of sorts.
  • Harry looks pained and then possessed by Voldemort, but is then freed from that possession (that gave him glowing, evil-looking eyes).
  • GUNS/WEAPONS
  • Weapons: Magic Wands/Arrows: Used to threaten, wound, or kill others. See "Violence" for details.
  • IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR
  • Phrases: "Loopy," "Muggle" (human), "Bloody," "Are you barking mad?" "A complete nutter," "What a load of waffle" (or something close to that), "Bloody hell," "A foul, evil gargoyle," "This is mad," "I'm a nutter," "You toss pot" (or something close to that), "Some sort of freak," "Blimey," "Watch where you're going, Longbottom" (a character's name), "Shut up," "You have the emotional range of a teaspoon," "A bloody idiot," "The old hag," "You great buffoon," "Are you mental?" "Filthy half-breed" and "Bugger off."
  • The film could inspire some kids to get into magic and such.
  • Dudley and some other bullies taunt and make fun of Harry.
  • We see some miscellaneous graffiti.
  • Sirius has tattoos on his chest and arm, while we later see what looks like the same snake one on Bellatrix's arm.
  • Snape whacks Ron on the back of his head with a book for snickering about Umbridge.
  • JUMP SCENES
  • A dementor suddenly surprises Harry.
  • Harry walks down a narrow, dark, and decrepit hallway, with someone suddenly behind him, but that turns out just to be Moody.
  • MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)
  • An extreme amount of ominous and suspenseful music plays in the film.
  • MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)
  • None.
  • PROFANITY
  • At least 1 bugger, 1 hell, and 1 use of "For God's sakes."
  • SEX/NUDITY
  • A girl is called Nymphadora and doesn't like that, but we don't know if it's intended sexually or not (as in nympho or nympha).
  • Harry and Cho do some brief, passionate kissing (which Harry later describes to Ron as wet).
  • Bellatrix shows a little cleavage.
  • SMOKING
  • None.
  • TENSE FAMILY SCENES
  • Dudley and some other bullies taunt and make fun of Harry, including asking where Harry's mom is, asking if she's dead (and laughing about that). On other occasions, Harry is briefly reminded of his parents, who've been dead for some time.
  • Harry's uncle has a bad attitude toward him.
  • Luna states her mom died when the girl was nine (from a bad spell).
  • Neville talks of his parents being tortured in the past.
  • Sirius mentions running away from home when he was a teen (and shows where his mother burned out the image of his face on a wall showing the family tree).
  • A teen must contend with the death of his godfather, the last person in his immediate family.
  • TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT
  • Magic.
  • Bullying.
  • The quote that "truth will out."
  • Umbridge repeatedly issues new decrees to keep the students completely in line, but is overbearing in her totalitarian rules.
  • The comment that all people have light and dark in them (good and evil) and that the important thing is which they choose to act upon.
  • Sirius mentions running away from home when he was a teen (and shows where his mother burned out the image of his face on a wall showing the family tree).
  • VIOLENCE
  • A faceless but ghastly dementor flies in, grabs Harry by the throat and pushes him back against a wall where it starts to suck out his soul. Dudley tries to run away, but slips on the ice and falls, with another dementor hovering over him, also sucking out his soul. Harry then uses magic to blast away the two dementors.
  • An owl delivers a message and crashes into something in the process (but is okay).
  • Harry has a nightmare of one character knocking another backwards with a blast of magical energy.
  • Umbridge punishes Harry by making him write a phrase on paper that, moments later, also magically etches itself onto the top of his hand (in slightly bloody letters).
  • Snape whacks Ron on the back of his head with a book for snickering about Umbridge.
  • Two students purposefully bump into Neville in passing.
  • While doing magic practice with their wands and spells, various students knock others around with some magical powers, including one blasting Harry backwards (while the recoil knocks the young student back as well). Hermione blasts Ron backwards, while Cho lets a boy drop to the floor when her levitation focus is broken (no one is harmed during this).
  • Harry has a nightmare that shows the reflection of a large snake slithering along the floor, and then a point of view attack by it on Ron's dad (we see his fearful reaction, as well as a little bit of blood on his face). We later see him with a few dried scrapes and cuts on his face, as well as some bandaged fingers.
  • As Snape tests Harry's ability to try to block a powerful mind from connecting with his, Harry looks pained.
  • There are thunderous sounds on the other side of a wall, with Umbridge then using her power to blast a large opening in the stone structure.
  • As Dumbledore uses magic to disappear, the resultant explosion knocks Umbridge, Fudge and others backwards.
  • The caretaker tips a painting (where live figures appear inside it), thus tipping those figures down toward one end.
  • A giant chases after Harry, Ron, and Hermione, including grabbing and picking up the latter. Ron runs up and bashes the giant on the leg, but he kicks him aside. However, the giant turns out to be the mentally slow half-brother to Hagrid and wishes them no harm.
  • Snape grabs Harry, throws him down to a chair, and then grabs him by his clothing.
  • Twin students decide to throw off Umbridge by disrupting her class. They fly in and set off various fireworks, some of which cause property damage, mainly in the form of her decrees being smashed and falling off a wall.
  • Harry sees a vision of Voldemort causing Sirius pain.
  • Umbridge slaps Harry across the face.
  • A centaur fires an arrow at Umbridge who blocks it with her magic. She then uses the same to wrap a rope around the half-man, half-horse, strangling it, until a giant picks her up. The centaurs want her and one fires an arrow at her, but it lands in the giant's arm (like a pinprick to him). He then drops her, with the centaurs grabbing and dragging her off as they ride away.
  • Harry and others enter the place that he repeatedly sees in his nightmares. They end up being surrounded by Lucius and various masked henchmen. The teens use their magic to blast the figures away, but the latter keep coming back as the kids run through an immense warehouse filled with magical orbs. This ends with the shelves holding those orbs collapsing all around the teens as they try to run out without being hit by any of the falling debris. They end up falling out of a door and then to a floor below them, but then magically hover a foot above it, before finally falling those extra inches.
  • Sirius punches Lucius, followed by various good and bad characters firing energy blasts back and forth at each other. During this, one good character (an adult) is killed, with a view of his soul floating up and away.
  • Harry uses a magical blast to knock down Bellatrix.
  • A villain is engulfed in flames, burns up, and vanishes (all in a matter of seconds).
  • Dumbledore and Voldemort battle with magical energy aimed at the other, including Voldemort creating a fiery dragon apparition that Dumbledore destroys with magic. Voldemort then causes all of the glass in an enormous room to shatter, aiming it back at Dumbledore and Harry. Dumbledore blocks most of it with a force field of sorts.



  • Reviewed July 6, 2007 / Posted July 11, 2007

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