Despite being the shortest film in the series, Order of the Phoenix was a monumental commercial success:
The death of Harry's godfather, Sirius, marks the loss of Harry's last connection to his parents' generation and acts as the final blow to his childhood innocence. A New Direction: David Yates and Cinematography movie harry potter and the order of the phoenix
By 2007, Daniel Radcliffe was no longer a child actor playing a hero. In Order of the Phoenix , he plays a trauma victim. Radcliffe’s performance is defined by frustration and anger. He screams at his friends, lashes out at Dumbledore, and internalizes the guilt of almost getting his loved ones killed. Despite being the shortest film in the series,
Imelda Staunton's performance as Dolores Umbridge was universally praised as one of the film's highlights. Critics called her "the scariest and funniest heavy to date", with her character described as "a tea-cozy Fascist" and "the distillation of every twisted, power-hungry bureaucrat". Staunton deliberately modeled her performance on Margaret Thatcher. Critics called her "the scariest and funniest heavy
Lord Voldemort is back, but the Ministry of Magic refuses to believe it. They think Headmaster Albus Dumbledore is lying to grab power. The government uses the media to paint Harry as a liar. This leaves Harry feeling lonely and angry.