Movie Review: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

by Nathan

The biggest, most anticipated movie of this holiday season, “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” hits theaters today, Friday, November 18, 2005. This could possibly be the best “Harry Potter” movie to date.

The movie opens with the Frank Bryce scene, and then goes to Harry’s reaction when he’s awakened by Hermione for the Quidditch World Cup. There is very little Quidditch World Cup action before we see the scenes of chaos with the Death Eaters. We also see Barty Crouch Jr. conjuring the Dark Mark and his father’s “attack” of the trio about who conjured the mark.  Then, we go to the Hogwarts Express for the usual journey to Hogwarts.

At Hogwarts, we automatically see the foreign visitors arrive for the start-of-term feast and Dumbledore’s introduction of Mad- Eye Moody, Barty Crouch, and the Tri-Wizard Tournament.

The movie progresses through the plots of the first (1st) task, which the special effects are amazing, the “unexpected task” of the Yule Ball, where the Great Hall looks magnificent, and the second (2nd) task, which is a little odd, but has good special effects.

The third (3rd) task was different form the books, however. There were no monsters or the special “filmy substance” that made Harry’s world turn upside down is absent. The only “horrifying creature” that attacks Harry are the bushes since they converge and form new pathways, similar to the moving stair cases in the first movie. Harry and Cedric do their little verbal and a little physical battle for the Tri-Wizard Cup.
 
The Lord Voldemort scene is truly spectacular. He rises with the cauldron burning in flames, and transforming into his cloak. Cedric’s death isn’t really a big deal, yet. The Death Eaters arrive and the big duel against Voldemort occurs. Harry goes through the Priori Incantatem sequence, and is returned to Hogwarts, where he psychologically breaks down over everything. He starts balling his eyes out and he is forcibly taken by Moody for the clincher: Moody’s transformation into Barty Crouch Jr.

The movie ends on a happier note as the trio watch the guests from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang leave.

I enjoyed the movie, as it’s the best movie of the “Harry Potter” series yet. I think “Order of the Phoenix” and “Half-Blood Prince” will be good, but not as good. Although the movie had its downsides of being very fast, not properly explaining every (Barty Crouch Jr. never gave his testimony), cut scenes ( the full Quidditch World Cup, the Dursleys’, leaving for the burrow, the entire Frank Bryce scene, some of Harry’s dreams, the major row between Fudge and Dumbledore at the end, and Fred and George receiving the Tri-Wizard money from Harry to name a few, and yeas I knew they had to cut stuff out), it had its good points: the Yule Ball and Hermione’s dress, which made her look prettier, the Voldemort scene, and the Fred and George beard growing scene.

On a scale of one (1) through ten (10), I’d rank this a nine point five (9.5)

Last point: be wary of an agitated Dumbledore!