A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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Positive Messages
some
Key lessons are that it's your choices and the actions you take that define you and that friends, family, and love make you more powerful than even the strongest evil.
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Positive Role Models
some
Harry's friends bravely agree to practice defensive spells to help him ward off Voldemort and his evil cohorts. In particular, Ron and Hermione refuse to let Harry go up against "You Know Who" alone. Harry, his friends, and the Order of the Phoenix members act in a courageous, selfless manner, demonstrating perseverance and teamwork.
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Diverse Representations
a little
Strong female characters abound, with several young witches proving themselves extremely capable and skilled. Hermione organizes a group of students to form Dumbledore's Army so that they can secretly learn and practice defensive spells. Ginny frequently shows off her growing powers. Cho, a British Asian character, continues to play a significant role as Harry's love interest. Also introduces the whimsical yet profoundly observant Luna Lovegood, who befriends Harry at Hogwarts. Adult female characters demonstrate a range of strengths, from the maternal in Ron's mother Mrs. Weasley to Professor McGonagall's fierce protectiveness, while Dolores Umbridge and Death Eater Bellatrix Lestrange reveal themselves to be formidable and unforgettable villains. Order of the Phoenix members include Nymphadora Tonks, a witch who can magically change her appearance, and Kingsley Shacklebolt, a Black wizard who works in the Ministry of Magic. Main cast remains predominantly White.
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Violence & Scariness
some
Scary images of Dementors, Death Eaters, and Lord Voldemort. Angry centaurs drag a character away. Professor Umbridge severely punishes Hogwarts students using a method that appears to be torture. A character is attacked by a large snake, with somewhat bloody results. Depiction of battle at Department of Mysteries is intense, and one key character is killed (though not in a gory way). Harry is painfully inhabited by the Dark Lord; he's also very angry during much of the movie.
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Sex, Romance & Nudity
a little
Harry and Cho kiss; Ron and Hermione continue their thinly veiled flirtation through bickering and glancing at each other.
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Language
very little
The word "bloody."
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Products & Purchases
very little
No product placements, but the film franchise includes a ton of merchandising deals, toys, and other tie-ins.
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
very little
Harry and his friends meet in a rundown pub in Hogsmeade, but they don't drink anything.
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that, as has been the case with each succeeding movie in the Harry Potter series (all based on the books by J.K. Rowling), Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix has its main characters taking on bigger challenges, with darker themes and more intense danger. The climactic battle scenes with Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) and his minions are downright frightening. Spoiler alert: There's a very upsetting (but bloodless) death of someone near and dear to Harry (Daniel Radcliffe). As a result, Harry grows even more introspective and angry, sometimes demonstrating a lack of self-control and inability to communicate. At the very least, he does enjoy his first kiss, and Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) continue their flirtatious bickering. Harry, his friends, and the Order of the Phoenix members act in a brave, selfless manner, demonstrating perseverance and teamwork. The movie's key lessons are that it's your choices and the actions you take that define you and that friends, family, and love make you more powerful than even the strongest evil. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
What's the Story?
From the opening scene of HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX, in which Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and his cousin Dudley (Harry Melling) are attacked by Dementors, our courageous young hero has an ever-heightened awareness -- and acceptance -- of how his destiny is entwined with You Know Who's. In the fifth installment of J.K. Rowling's seven-volume phenomenon, Harry, who survived his last confrontation with Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) but watched school favorite Cedric Diggory (Robert Pattinson) perish, is no longer a popular wizard genius. The Ministry of Magic mounts a smear attack against him and Professor Dumbledore (Michael Gambon), he's nearly expelled, Dumbledore avoids him, and new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton) tries to squash the idea that the Dark Lord is back. Sweetly odious Umbridge refuses to teach any defensive spells, so Hermione (Emma Watson) convinces Harry to hold secret classes in combat magic. Meanwhile, Umbridge -- a child-hating, Ministry-approved enforcer -- installs herself as dictator and launches a fascist campaign. Before the credits roll, a climactic battle will pit Harry and friends against their most fearsome opponents yet. But Potter lovers know that Harry isn't ever alone: He has an entire world of devotees on his side.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix's increasingly mature themes as Harry grows into a full-blown adolescent. Why is Harry so angry? Do you think Harry and his friends act and feel like real teenagers?
Even though this movie and the last one are rated PG-13, they're heavily marketed to younger kids. Do you think that's OK, or are the later movies too scary for little kids?
Potterheads: What parts of the book this movie was based on were best depicted in the film? What got left out that you would have included? What scenes included heavy foreshadowing of things to come?
How do the characters in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, especially the members of Dumbledore's Army, demonstrate courage, perseverance, and teamwork? Why are these important character strengths?
