Harry casts his spell again - critics praise darkest Potter film yet

Hundreds of fans turned out for the world premiere of Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix in Tokyo, described by critics as the "best and darkest yet".

The first reviews suggest that the film offers something for adults as well as for its core teenage fanclub.

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Magic moment: Fans crush against the barriers for a glimpse - or a photograph - of Daniel Radcliffe at the premiere of Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix in Tokyo - described by critics as the 'best and darkest yet'

The Times reviewer Leo Lewis says: "It is far crueller than its predecessors and begins to introduce the idea that we are no longer in an amusing magical playground, but are en route to an epic confrontation with real victims."

Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Charles Frederick says: "Harry is no longer just fighting off monsters in impressive set battles. He is fighting fear of failure and inner demons that wreck his peace of mind."

He adds: "To dwell on a few weaknesses would be to neglect the obvious point - that Harry Potter is older, bigger and darker than ever. And no one would want to miss his journey."

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Harry and his friends, Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson), in the critically-acclaimed Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix

Crowds of screaming girls, dressed in witch costumes and clutching magic wands, surrounded the red carpet at the Virgin cinema in Tokyo as star Daniel Radcliffe rolled up in a white suit for the first showing.

Speaking before the premiere, Radcliffe said: "It's just absolutely brilliant. Harry's an icon. He is somebody whose character has got his generation of kids into reading. So it's an honour to play him."

Described as not only "dark" but also "political", the film is fast-paced as 766 pages of JK Rowling's fifth Harry Potter book are packed into two hours and 18 minutes on screen.

It opens as Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is undergoing a gradual takeover by the bureaucratic Ministry of Magic and its emissary, Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher Dolores Umbridge, played by Imelda Staunton.

The sense of impending doom is heightened by a series of nightmares that link Harry ever more closely to his devilish adversary, Voldemort. There's also a new love angle: Harry's first kiss with fellow student Cho Chang, played by Katie Leung.

In the Telegraph, Frederick comments: "That much anticipated kiss with his fellow pupil Cho might put people off. It lingers just a bit too long and there it not enough chemistry."

But speaking after the film premiere, Japanese fan Kenta Harada said: "That was great fun."

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Daniel as the boy wizard

Momoko Kawai, a 22-year-old Japanese student, said: "It was very different from the other Harry Potter films. It was more adult than before - in fact I even cried at one of the scenes."

The Harry Potter books have been translated into 65 languages and sold more than 325 million copies since the first volume, Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone, was published in 1997.

After this movie, the next Harry-related frenzy will be the publication of the seventh and final book, Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, on 21 July. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix opens in Britain on 12 July.

Radcliffe and co-stars Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, who play Harry's friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, have been at the centre of the Harry Potter storm for almost half their lives.

All three stars have signed up for the final two Potter films.

Radcliffe has signed a £25 million deal to star in the last two films, Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince - which starts shooting in September - and The Deathly Hallows.