5 Plot Point Breakdown: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)

Screenplay Genre: Adventure / Family / Fantasy

Movie Time: 138 minutes

1. INCITING INCIDENT

Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) are under attack from the ministry of magic. Smear campaigns, legal troubles, threats of expulsion, etc. This is because the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge (Robert Hardy), thinks Harry and Dumbledore are lying about Voldermort being back. Fudge will do anything to avoid seeing the horrible truth and so has decided that Harry and Dumbledore are trying to usurp power from Fudge. (00:15:05)

2. LOCK IN (End of Act One)

Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton), the new defense against the dark arts teacher and vicious agent of Cornelius Fudge, delivers a creepy speech to the students that makes it is clear that the ministry is interfering at Hogwarts, and oppressive days are ahead. (00:29:58)

3. FIRST CULMINATION (Midpoint)

Umbridge’s new curriculum is theory-only because Fudge is afraid that the students of Hogwarts will rise against the ministry on Dumbledore’s order. Hermione (Emma Watson) convinces Harry to form a secret club to teach students defensive spells, so they can protect themselves. They call this club Dumbledore’s Army. (00:52:52)

4. MAIN CULMINATION (End of Act Two)

Umbridge finds the club, gets Dumbledore charged with treason, and becomes the new headmaster. She makes sure that all students are quiet and well mannered through means of torture. Fred and George Weasley (James and Oliver Phelps) have had enough and so they drop out of Hogwarts with a bang, literally. They disrupt the OWL exams with firecrackers, destroy the wall of mandates, and fly off to cheers and applause from students and teachers alike. (1:31:42)

5. THIRD ACT TWIST

Harry has an intense vision that Sirius is being held captive by Voldermort. He rushes to save him, but those visions were fabricated. Harry and his friends are more vulnerable than ever. Luckily the Order of the Phoenix shows up to help, and in the process, Sirius is killed. Harry caused exactly what he had worked so hard to prevent. (1:51:52)

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