Reel Talk: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
By Audrey Rock
Transcript Bulletin Movie Critic


When the fourth movie in a franchise comes along, naturally the first question is: how does it compare to the others?

The answer, for "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," is complicated. It comes in somewhere above the first two installments ("Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" and "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets") and just slightly below "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban."

When you're talking about a film with such fiercely written source material, the best effects money can buy, and the support of J.K. Rowling, you know at the very least that none of them will be bad. And none of the Potter films have been. It's just that they could have been slightly better.

"Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" is the first in the series to get a PG-13 rating. Potter (played by Daniel Radcliffe) and his gang are apparently growing up. With his friends Hermione (Emma Watson), Ron (Rupert Grint), and Ron's family, Harry attends the Quidditch World Cup, a Bacchanalian celebration of Wizardry's greatest sport.

Harry believes it's a chance to get away from the disturbing dreams he's been having. But while the party camps outside the arena, a terrifying debacle greets Harry. The evil Lord Voldemort, killer of Harry's parents and nemesis to respectable wizardry, has made his presence known.

Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) hasn't been seen for years. But he's always been looking for Harry, the one human being to have ever survived his deadly "killing curse".

Harry finally makes it back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, only to be faced with a new problem. The school will be hosting the Triwizard Tournament, a treacherous battle of magical wits. Only three are chosen to compete for the prestigious Triwizard Cup.

The contest is open to students 17 and older%u2014Harry is only 14. But somehow his name finds its way into the pool of possible contestants. And to his horror, Harry is chosen to compete alongside three older and more accomplished students.

It is not an honor or a responsibility Harry wants. But students become suspicious of his motives as the tournament draws nearer. The antics of journalist Rita Skeeter (Miranda Richardson) don't help his reputation. And his friendship with Ron is suffering.

Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody (Brendan Gleeson), the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, is assigned to keep an eye out for Harry. Even Professor Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) believes Harry's name was entered into the competition as a way to hurt him.

Harry's worried about the Triwizard Tournament and it's impossible tasks. But what terrifies him is the traditional tournament Yule Ball. He wants to take Cho Chang (Katie Leung,) a sweet student with whom he's become enamored. And Ron hasn't admitted it yet, but he's developing an attraction to Hermione.

Director Mike Newell (Mona Lisa Smile,) new to the franchise, wisely places as much importance on the horrors of puberty as he does on the dangers Harry faces in this installment. Some of the film's most lively interactions evolve around this awkward theme. And you might be surprised to know that the film's PG-13 rating is as much merited for its puberty-related innuendo as it is for its violence and frightening themes.

The screenplay appears to have been tethered too faithfully to source material, as manifested by a 147 minute running time. And the antics of Rita Skeeter are forced and out of place here. She had a nice little place in the book. But there's no room for her in this dark film version.

The film's sets, effects, and cast, are predictably stellar. The icy Yule Ball and the glittering, massive mayhem of the Quidditch World Cup are alone worth a viewing.

As Voldemort finally takes mortal shape, he also becomes more frightening. But given the film's persistently dim lighting, it's sometimes hard to tell. Just make sure you bring your Harry Potter glasses so you can see what's happening.

Grade: B