Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

The fifth film in the wildly popular franchise based on the bestselling books by J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix continues in the darker, more mature vein of the most recent entries. Rather than engaging in cute displays of magic and trickery, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) is an older, sadder lad who's not only subject to the emotional shifts of the average hormonal adolescent but also tormented by his psychic link to the evil Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes). Harry fears that you-know-who is planning an attack on his beloved Hogwarts—an attitude not shared by his fellow pupils and instructors, who pooh-pooh the unnerving visions that come to him in dreams. Eventually, Harry persuades Hermione (Emma Watson), Ron (Rupert Grint), and a handful of other students to begin training for battle, unaware that a new instructor (Imelda Staunton) is actively working to undermine both him and Dumbledore (Michael Gambon). The supporting characters introduced in previous films—played by Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, Emma Thompson, Brendan Gleeson, and David Thewlis—are back, although some get pretty short shrift (in fact, Robbie Coltrane's Hagrid is barely on for a cameo, although he reveals a key plot point). Recommended. [Note: DVD extras include the 44-minute “The Hidden Secrets of Harry Potter,” which looks at all five movies to date in the series, a 20-minute “Trailing Tonks” set tour with costar Natalia Tena, 11 minutes of additional scenes, “The Magic of Editing” featurette with the interactive option to edit your own scene (6 min.), DVD-ROM features, a digital copy of the film available for download and play on Windows Media Players, and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for another winning entry in the popular franchise.] (E. Hulse)