Harry Potter And the Order of the Phoenix- Review

If there's one thing that can beat a never-before experience of watching a movie from the first row on the first day of its release by paying seventy rupees for a ten rupees ticket, it's reading the title "Harry Potter um Maya Kattalayum" in the CBFC certificate of the English movie I had supposedly paid for. We were half expecting Harry to be rescued in a thodapakuchi and fight the Death Eaters with his Mayamanthrangal. Thank god, the movie started with English dialogues. Obviously the book is better, as always with the Harry Potter series. But of all the other books this is the best screen adaptation of the book. Of course the first and the second movie did not require much adaptation, being very short and easier to script. Watching the first two was like reading the book. It's from the third that the director's had a real challenge. And only David Yates has come close to matching it. The third and fourth movies absolutely sucked.

Of course, it is difficult to picturise the entire book. I was not expecting to see Grawp or Arthur Weasley being bitten by the snake etc. And he could have definitely avoided the dragging conversations of Harry with Luna(with the thestrals) and Hermione(the one after the kissing scene). But there were many scenes I was really looking forward to, but didn't show up. Like the Magical Brethren fighting Voldemort in the end on Dumbledore's orders, Firenze entering the Main Hall when Trelawny gets sacked (what was the point of that scene without that wonderful climax), the Black Family tree (It was visible in the background of one scene, but wasn't explained- better that than the photograph that Sirius uselessly gave at the station). Even Dumbledore's escape was not satisfactorily portrayed. But the War at the Department of Mysteries had some stunning special effects and is really worth looking forward to. One thing that was irritating in the narration was the order of events. First it was all about the hearing, then it was all about Umbridge taking over as High Inquisitor and her villainous deeds, then it was continuously about Dumbledore's Army. Everything should have happened side by side.
Trelawny getting sacked was towards the end of the book and thestrals to be explained after Hagrid arrives.

The casting of Umbridge, Luna and Bellatrix couldn't have been better. They didn't act; they were the characters themselves. But since the movie came after the sixth book released, I expected some more importance to have been given to Ginny's looks. They should have anticipated the audience to look forward to her being stunning and fit for Harry to go out with. But she looks very ordinary, especially compared to Emma Watson.

When I was watching the movie, I came up with another theory. Not exactly theory. The prophecy was in row number 97. The Harry Potter series is from 1991 to 1997. Does the year '97 have any significant connection with the row number of the Prophecy? Like, that being the year when the prophecy gets fulfilled. Not sure if it has already been talked about in the fan sites. But I realised it today.

Note: Was it me or did Harry not have a scar in many scenes? (in Hog's Head, during the hearing, during DA classes, when he woke up from bad dreams etc.)