It may seem redundant to post the umpteenth review of HP and the Goblet of Fire, but the heck with it, I can’t resist! It’s possibly the best movie I’ve watched this year (my husband disagrees, his vote is for Narnia). I’ve watched all the previous HP movies and read the book the week before I watched the movie, and though I was a little disappointed to find so much cut (inevitable and understandable considering the mega-length of 600+ pages), my overall reaction is an emphatic YES! HP Rules!

Sure, the book is better, but this movie is arguably the best one so far. Is it perfect? No. To be perfect, it would have to be 6+ hours long in order to do justice to the book. But given the time constraints, it’s as close to a perfect movie adaptation as makes no difference. The action sequences are what make a movie come alive (and get my husband sitting up and paying attention) and in HP & the Goblet of Fire, the action sequences rock!

For those few who have yet to watch it, the latest instalment of the HP saga centres around the dangerous Tri-Wizard Tournament held during Harry’s fourth year at Hogwarts. Two visiting schools (Beauxbatons with their sylph-like girl-students and Durmstrang with their finest) have come to participate in the tournament. The Goblet of Fire selects three champions, one from each school. But then the Goblet spits out one more name—-Harry’s. Who put Harry’s name into the Goblet? Because he most certainly didn’t. Are they trying to kill him? One thing’s for sure, Harry’s no longer safe at Hogwarts. Voldemort’s old followers, the Death Eaters, are rallying, and soon Harry’s world will be turned upside down. He’s intent on surviving the three parts of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, but even if he did, would Voldermort and his Death Eaters leave him alone? Your guess is as good as mine.

WHAT I LIKED

The action sequences, especially the one where Harry battles the dragon (it looks so real and the battle is so exciting), and the under-water sequences with the mercreatures are amazing. The entrance of Durmstrang 's finest into Hogwarts' Hall was way cool. Miranda Richardson brought to life Rita Skeeter (Rowlings has a wonderful way with names), the reporter who writes her stories her way, to hel* with the facts. The Quick Quotes Quill is exactly as I imagined it (and even funnier in the book). Robbie Coltrane is amiable as always as Hagrid, but this time he’s met his match in Madame Maxime, Frances de la Tour giving a towering yet understated performance. And the horse-drawn Beauxbatons carriage flying through the air and the Durmstrang ship rearing from the lake are beautifully done.

THE SUBTEXT OF GROWING UP

The scene with Harry and Moaning Myrtle in the perfects’ bathroom was hilarious. Daniel Radcliffe’s growing up to be quite a heartthrob—the producers, director, and J.K. Rowlings herself must be thanking their lucky stars for him. He also did all his own stunts, including those under water, even though he admits to not being a strong swimmer. He actually stayed under water for over an hour at a time during the shooting of the under-water sequences, quite a feat for a young boy.

Rupert Grint/Ron is getting tall and lanky (taller than Harry, as in the books) and the picture of a gawky teenager. His reaction to Professor McGonagall’s dance lesson is a riot. In fact, the awkwardness of all the teens at the Yule Ball is very true to life and Rowlings’ depiction of this rite of passage is very well done. It should also be said that the set (the Hall transformed into an Ice Cave) is amazingly well-rendered.

I’ve never been too fond of Emma Watson; at the risk of offending her legion of fans, I think someone should tell her to tone down on her over-wrought portrayal of Hermione. I do find her over-acting very irritating. Fleur Delacroix looks more anorexic than siren-like, and Krum is portrayed as much more hunky than in the book, for which Hermione should be thankful.

WHAT I MISSED

I miss the Quidditch. The World Cup ended as soon as it began! It felt so abrupt! They could at least have shown a scene or two with Krum doing the Vronsky Feint. Of course I miss Dobby and Winky, and especially S.P.E.W., which I thought was hilarious and very Hermione-like. I also miss Percy, possibly the best-drawn brother of the Weasley clan. I miss Richard Harris and deplore Michael Gambon who imbues a scary intensity into twinkly Dumbledore that is just WRONG. I miss the scene on the staircase where Harry’s trapped by a dodgy floorboard and Snape and Mad-Eye Moody get into each other’s personal space. In fact, I miss Alan Rickman a lot, as Snape didn’t have much to do in the movie at all. Brendan Gleeson was good as Mad-Eye, but I pictured him as being even more OTT, shouting ‘CONSTANT VIGILANCE!!’ at every turn. I miss Mrs Weasley, who didn’t even appear. And I miss the Fat Lady (the delightful Dawn French) and all the other portraits which come to life, and the moving flights of stairs that catch the students unaware.

DECIDEDLY DARK

Ralph Fiennes puts in a deliciously maleficent performance as Voldemort, He Who Must Not Be Named, evil personified. Timothy Spall as Peter/Wormtail is creepily rat-like and subservient. Though the scene was toned down (Wormtail’s screams and bloody stump are much less in evidence than in the book), it’s still very disturbing and definitely not suitable for younger children. As in the book, it only gets really dark from the moment the champions enter the maze, and it becomes decidedly scary when the Cup turns out to be a portkey and transport Harry and Cedric to the graveyard.

CONCLUSION

All in all, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a must-watch. As long as you don’t take the younger kids (10 and up would be my recommendation, unless you’re prepared to deal with nightmares), you should have a rollicking good time.




Recommended:
Yes

Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older