Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix.

In the fifth film of the franchise one thing is strikingly clear from the outset; Harry Potter and friends have finally grown up. Director David Yates brings a much needed shot in the arm for the franchise both from a visual standpoint and particularly with regard to the control he has over the actors' performances. Alfonso Cauron hinted at how good this franchise could get with The Prizoner of Azkaban. Finally the seeds that he sowed have begun to flourish.

The expectations of this film for many Potter fans is undoubtedly high, but fans need not worry; it is likely these expectations will be met.

I have personally never been all that engrossed in previous entries in the series, with the possible exception of the aforementioned Azkaban, but during this film I found myself actually caring about what was going on on screen. This is helped very much by what can only be described as a vast improvement in the performances by the three leads. Daniel Radcliffe seems much more comfortable as Harry, injecting the character with a believable sense of authority that one would expect from a leader, and tapping into a darker side without it feeling forced or over the top. Rupert Grint gets the chance to show a tougher side to Ron's character as he stands up for Harry, a far cry from the simple scared little boy who provided comic relief throughout the earlier adventures. And it finally seems as though Emma Watson has managed to stop acting with her eyebrows, bringing a subtlety to her performance that has been previously lacking.

There are also some fine new additions to the series, the standout performance coming from Vera Drake actress Imelda Staunton, who chews up the scenery as Dolores Umbridge playing it both sinister yet sweetly innocent. Others include Helena Bonham Carter who relishes the chance to play it dark and sadistic as Bellatrix Lestrange, and newcomer Evanna Lynch, who is just plain strange as Luna Lovegood; but without being annoying.

The film itself is of course much darker than its predecessors, but it does not lose itself, allowing time for the occasional comedic moments. In all it shows a progression to a more mature franchise that has grown with its audience. David Yates will be back on board for all of the next instalments. A wise move by Warner Brothers. Roll on Potter 6.

9/10