A teen perspective: Harry grows up - a lot.

By Chase Shiflet, Times X-Team
Published July 10, 2007

When the first Harry Potter movie came out, Harry was a young boy with a bright spirit, hoping to master wizardry. He played Quidditch and hung out with his friends, Ron and Hermione.

That Harry Potter is long gone.

We last left Harry in the fourth movie, The Goblet of Fire, with his life taking a turn for the worse.

The death of friend Cedric Diggory and the return of the dreaded Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) left Harry faced with one task: to evolve into a hardened young man capable of killing the Dark Lord, or die. It's rather hard to kill somebody, if you're a naive boy.

In The Order of the Phoenix, things look grim for Harry (Daniel Radcliffe).

And it has never been better for us.

The main actors reprise their roles, and this is the movie in which they truly shine. Radcliffe, especially, does an astounding job as a depressed and hopeless Harry.

Alan Rickman as Professor Snape doesn't show up much, but he practically steals each scene he's in with his monotone voice and cold glare.

Surprisingly, Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) also get little screen time, as did Hagrid, Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall.

That's my only complaint. The visual effects amaze me, and the cinematography is absolutely gorgeous. The aerial view of Hogwarts and the area surrounding it are especially incredible.

The series definitely begins to take on a darker tone. It began at the end of the fourth movie, when we witnessed the death of Cedric, and in this film, it's in full swing. Everyone is on edge for fear Voldemort truly is back, and they're all incredibly sad.

Few jokes are shared among Harry, Ron and Hermione, and, especially at the beginning, they hardly talk. It is nice to see everyone stop bandying corny jokes about and start getting serious.

Unfortunately, this will alienate some younger fans of Harry Potter. If they want to see Harry playing Quidditch and levitating a book for nearly three hours, look to the first three movies; you'll get none of that here.

The part they might like best is when Harry, Ron and Hermione form a secret group in which they practice Defense against the Dark Arts their way. There's a nice montage when they begin to develop their powers, and everyone is a little bit happier. Afterward, it's back to depression.

Be warned: This isn't your 9-year-old's Harry Potter.

Chase Shiflet, 14, recently completed eighth grade at Rampello Downtown Partnership School, Tampa.

[Last modified July 9, 2007, 19:30:59]