With the Ministry of Magic denying the return of Lord Voldemort, Harry Potter is forced to train a secret group of students for the upcoming wizarding war while facing a tyrannical new professor who threatens to destroy Hogwarts from within.
Synopsis
Returning for his fifth year at Hogwarts, Harry Potter discovers that the wizarding community has been led to believe his recent encounter with the evil Lord Voldemort is a lie. With the Minister for Magic installing a tyrannical new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Dolores Umbridge, to seize control of the school and suppress the truth, Harry is forced to take matters into his own hands. Bringing together a secret group of students known as "Dumbledore's Army," Harry prepares them for the wizarding war that is rapidly approaching, all while plagued by disturbing visions that link his mind to the Dark Lord.
Information |
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Language |
English |
Country |
United Kingdom
United States |
Premiere date |
July 11, 2007 |
Running time |
138 minutes |
Genre |
Adventure
Fantasy Mystery |
Budget |
$150,000,000 |
Box Office |
$942,200,000 |
Crew |
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Directed by |
David Yates |
Produced by |
David Heyman David Barron |
Written by |
Michael Goldenberg |
Music by |
Nicholas Hooper |
Cinematography |
SÅ‚awomir Idziak |
Edited by |
Mark Day |
Production Co. |
Heyday Films |
Distributed by |
Warner Bros. Pictures |
Top Cast |
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Official Trailer |
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Movie Collection |
Movie Order: #05 in Harry Potter Collection
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The Plot
The Dementor Attack and The Order's Rescue
In the wake of Cedric Diggory's tragic death and the terrifying return of Lord Voldemort, Harry Potter finds himself in a state of constant anxiety, fearing that the situation is rapidly deteriorating. While walking home from the park with his cousin Dudley—following an incident where Dudley antagonized Harry in front of his friends—the atmosphere suddenly shifts. They are viciously attacked by Dementors, creatures secretly dispatched by Dolores Umbridge. Acting on instinct to save their souls, Harry casts a powerful Patronus Charm, repelling the creatures and saving them both from the Dementor's Kiss.
An extremely baffled and shaken Dudley is escorted back to Privet Drive by Mrs. Figg, an eccentric neighbor who reveals herself to be a Squib. She informs a stunned Harry that she was placed there by Albus Dumbledore specifically to keep an eye on him. Shortly after returning home, a terrifying Howler arrives from Mafalda Hopkirk of the Ministry of Magic. The letter coldly announces that Harry has been expelled from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for the reasonable offense of using magic in the presence of a Muggle.
Rescue arrives in the form of the Order of the Phoenix. Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody informs Harry that Dumbledore has managed to have the expulsion order suspended pending a formal disciplinary hearing. The Order escorts Harry by flight to their secret headquarters at 12 Grimmauld Place. There, Harry reunites with Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, discovering that the Weasley family is staying there as well. Despite the reunion, Harry is plagued by nightmares recalling the traumatic events of the previous year, specifically the murder of Cedric Diggory and the rejuvenation of Voldemort.
The Hearing and The High Inquisitor
While at Grimmauld Place, Harry's godfather, Sirius Black, reveals a crucial piece of intelligence: Voldemort is actively seeking "something he didn't have last time." Harry learns about the composition of the Order of the Phoenix, an organization dedicated to fighting the Dark Lord, counting among its members Sirius Black, Severus Snape, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, and Professor Moody.
At the Ministry of Magic, Harry faces his disciplinary hearing. Dumbledore arrives to defend Harry’s actions, but the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, is hostile, flatly denying Harry's account of the Dementor attack and refusing to entertain the notion that Voldemort has returned. Mrs. Figg provides testimony as a witness to the event. Despite Fudge's obstinance, Harry is cleared of all charges after Dumbledore argues that expelling an underage wizard for using magic in a life-or-death situation is unjustifiable.
Upon returning to Hogwarts, the students discover that the sinister and mean-spirited Dolores Umbridge has been appointed as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. It becomes immediately apparent that she is a puppet of the Ministry, placed there to interfere with the school and suppress rumors of Voldemort's return. When Harry defiantly insists that he saw the Dark Lord return, Umbridge punishes him with a sadistic detention. She forces him to write "I must not tell lies" repeatedly with a Black Quill, a dark magical object that carves the words into the back of his hand and uses his own blood as ink.
Dumbledore's Army and The Occlumency Lessons
Umbridge begins her reign of terror as the Ministry's first "High Inquisitor," introducing a slew of restrictive Educational Decrees and "evaluating" teachers. She attempts to sack Professor Trelawney, aiming to throw her out of the castle, but is stopped by Dumbledore, who asserts that while the Ministry can dismiss teachers, they cannot banish them from the grounds. During this time, Dumbledore surprisingly distances himself from Harry, fearing that the connection between Harry’s mind and Voldemort’s could be exploited.
Faced with Umbridge's refusal to teach practical defensive magic, the trio, along with students from Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff, form a secret group named "Dumbledore's Army." Neville Longbottom discovers the Room of Requirement, a hidden space that provides exactly what they need for training. With Harry acting as their teacher, the students learn to defend themselves, and Harry begins a romantic relationship with Cho Chang. Umbridge, suspecting subversion, bans all student organizations, effectively revoking student freedom.
Harry's connection to Voldemort grows stronger, manifesting in a vision where he sees Arthur Weasley being attacked in the Department of Mysteries, a vision that ultimately saves Mr. Weasley's life. Following this, Dumbledore instructs Severus Snape to give Harry Occlumency lessons to block his mind from the Dark Lord's influence. These intrusive and painful lessons cause Harry to further distance himself from his friends. Meanwhile, news breaks that ten Death Eaters, including the deranged Bellatrix Lestrange, have escaped from Azkaban.
Betrayal and Snape's Worst Memory
Umbridge eventually discovers the secret of the Room of Requirement by illegally using Veritaserum on Cho Chang. The Inquisitorial Squad—comprising Draco Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and others—breaks in, capturing Harry and Cho. In Dumbledore’s office, the Headmaster takes full responsibility for the group to protect the students, as the group was named "Dumbledore's Army." When the Minister attempts to arrest him, Dumbledore makes a spectacular escape with his phoenix, Fawkes. Umbridge is subsequently named Headmistress and begins punishing the DA members with the blood quill.
During an intense Occlumency lesson, an exasperated Harry retaliates against Snape's constant insults by casting a shield charm, inadvertently penetrating Snape’s mind. Harry witnesses a traumatic memory of a teenage Snape being relentlessly bullied by James Potter and Sirius Black. Livid at this invasion of privacy, Snape throws Harry out and refuses to continue the lessons.
Chaos erupts at the school when the Weasley twins, Fred and George, stage a massive revolt. They set off an array of fireworks in the Great Hall, destroying Umbridge’s decrees and shattering her authority. They leave Hogwarts to thunderous applause from the students and even silent approval from the staff.
The Trap in the Department of Mysteries
Following the twins' departure, Harry has a vivid vision of Sirius being tortured by Voldemort in the Department of Mysteries. Despite Hermione’s warning that it might be a trap, Harry is desperate to save his godfather, his "only family left." The trio breaks into Umbridge’s office to use the Floo Network but are caught by the High Inquisitor and her squad. Snape arrives, and Harry attempts to give him a coded warning about Sirius. Snape claims he has no Veritaserum left—having used the last on Cho—and leaves, seemingly ignoring the plea.
Umbridge threatens to use the Cruciatus Curse on Harry to extract information. Thinking quickly, Hermione deceives Umbridge into believing they have a "secret weapon" in the Forbidden Forest. They lead her to Grawp, Hagrid’s half-giant brother. There, they are confronted by a herd of Centaurs. Umbridge foolishly insults and attacks them, leading the Centaurs to drag the screaming Headmistress into the depths of the forest. When she begs Harry for help, he coldly replies, "I'm sorry, Professor. But I must not tell lies."
Harry, Ron, Hermione, Luna Lovegood, Neville, and Ginny Weasley fly to the Ministry of Magic on Thestrals. They search the Hall of Prophecies but find no sign of Sirius. Instead, they find a prophecy record bearing Harry’s name. As soon as Harry touches it, they are ambushed by Death Eaters, led by Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange. Lucius taunts Harry, revealing that the vision was a ruse: "You only saw what he wanted you to see."
The Battle of the Ministry and The Death of Sirius
The students engage in a desperate battle against the Death Eaters. Just as the Death Eaters corner the group and threaten to kill them if Harry does not surrender the prophecy, members of the Order of the Phoenix—Sirius, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Lupin, Tonks, and Moody—arrive, having been alerted by Snape. A fierce duel ensues. In the chaos, Sirius punches Lucius Malfoy, causing the prophecy orb to smash and be lost forever.
Tragedy strikes when Bellatrix Lestrange hits Sirius with the Killing Curse. The spell pushes him backward through the mysterious Veil in the Death Chamber, killing him instantly. Devastated and consumed by rage, Harry chases Bellatrix into the Atrium, knocking her down with the Cruciatus Curse. Voldemort’s voice whispers in Harry’s ear, urging him to give in to his hatred and kill her. Realizing he is being baited, Harry turns to face the Dark Lord himself.
The Duel of the Wizards and The Prophecy Revealed
Voldemort attempts to kill Harry, but Dumbledore arrives via the Floo Network just in time to intervene. A titanic duel erupts between the two most powerful wizards alive. Dumbledore counters Voldemort's destructive torrents of dark energy and shards of glass with incredible skill, at one point trapping the Dark Lord in a sphere of water. Unable to defeat Dumbledore physically, Voldemort possesses Harry’s body, attempting to force Dumbledore to kill the boy.
However, Harry fights back through the power of his love for his friends and Sirius. He defiantly tells Voldemort that he is the weak one, for he will never know love or friendship. The pain of these emotions forces Voldemort to flee Harry’s body. Just as Voldemort disapparates to escape, Ministry officials arrive and catch a glimpse of him. Cornelius Fudge is forced to admit the truth: He is back.
In the aftermath, Fudge resigns in disgrace, Umbridge is fired, and Dumbledore is reinstated as Headmaster. Back at Hogwarts, Dumbledore explains the true meaning of the lost prophecy to Harry: "Neither can live while the other survives." They are destined to fight a final battle where only one can remain. Despite this sobering revelation, Harry ends the school year with a sense of resolve. Standing with his friends, he feels optimistic, knowing he possesses something Voldemort does not: something worth fighting for.
