What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that even kids who can't read know about Harry Potter -- so unless they're avid Hogwarts haters, most kids and teens will want to see this fifth Potter movie (which is especially well timed, since the seventh -- and final! -- book hits bookstores July 21). As has been the case with each succeeding movie as the central characters have gotten older and taken on bigger challenges, the themes are now darker, the danger is more intense, and the climatic battle scenes with You Know Who and his minions are downright frightening. One of Harry's beloved allies perishes in this installment, and Harry grows more and more introspective and angry. At the very least, he does enjoy his first kiss (no spoiler to Potterheads), and Ron and Hermione continue their flirtatious bickering.

Families can talk about the movies' increasingly mature themes as Harry grows into a full-blown adolescent. Do you think Harry and his friends act and feel like real teenagers? How does what they're going through reflect some of the same issues real teens face? Why is Harry so angry? Also, even though this movie and the last one are rated PG-13, they're heavily marketed to younger kids -- is that OK? Are the later movies too scary for little kids? Is it easier to watch if you've read the books and know what happens? Potterheads: What parts of the book were best depicted in the film? What got left out that you would have included? What scenes included heavy foreshadowing of things to come?

Common Sense Media Review
There's no longer a doubt that, with the advent of THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX, Harry Potter -- the character, as well as the film series -- has grown up. The fifth installment of J.K. Rowling's seven-volume phenomenon is a dark (even by Potter standards) and captivating new adventure.

From the opening scene, in which Harry (Daniel Radcliffe, proving once again that he was perfectly cast) and his portly dolt of a 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.

At Hogwarts, Harry, who survived his last confrontation with Voldemort (a disfigured Ralph Fiennes) but watched school favorite Cedric Diggory perish, is no longer a popular wizard genius. The Ministry of Magic has mounted a smear attack against him and Professor Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) in the Daily Prophet, he was nearly expelled for casting out the Dementors in front of his Muggle cousin, Dumbledore keeps avoiding him, and new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton, the latest acclaimed Brit to score a supporting role in the films) is out to squash the idea that the Dark Lord is back.

Since the sweetly odious Professor Umbridge refuses to teach any defensive spells, Hermione (Emma Watson) convinces Harry to hold secret, extracurricular classes in combat magic. Umbridge, meanwhile, is authorized by the Ministry to "raise the falling standards at Hogwarts." She launches a fascist campaign dictating everything from how far apart boys and girls must stand (at least 8 inches) to when student groups can meet (never). Her matronly pink getups and kitty-decorated office belie the sadistic, child-hating enforcer she quickly proves to be.

The bureaucratic intrigue and boot-camp magic lessons overshadow the brief romantic interest between Harry and Cho (Katie Leung). Sure, Harry finally enjoys his first kiss, but the infatuation doesn't last. And forget about Quidditch, because director David Yates doesn't include any game sequences -- or much of the Hogwarts social scene, for that matter, outside of the clandestine magic lessons. Those who haven't read the novels might hope for a Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione hook-up, but apparently that's just not in the books ... yet, anyway.

As for the film's intensified peril, the climactic battle at the Department of Mysteries is a real nail-biter. Harry and his friends at first don't seem like a match for Voldemort's fearsome Death Eaters -- like Azkaban escapee Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham Carter) and flaxen-haired Lucius Malfoy (Jason Isaacs) -- but, like young and eager recruits, they impressively hold their own. There's a tragic (albeit expected) death and an even more tragic moment when Harry thinks he's alone and defeated. But Potter lovers know that Harry isn't ever alone: He has an entire world of devotees on his side.

Families who want to learn more about Harry and his Hogwarts crew should revisit the four preceding films: Goblet of Fire, Prisoner of Azkaban, Chamber of Secrets and Sorcerer's Stone. Needless to say, the uninitiated should read the books, quite possibly the most celebrated series in modern children's literature. For a list of all things Potter, click here.