The Goblet of Fire is a most dark Harry Potter film. It marks the end of happiness and the descent into the real world. It is also a most difficult film, for it does many things very well, and some quite awkwardly. The story revolves around Harry's three tasks that he must complete in a Wizard tournament he has been put into against his will. We later discover that he has been placed in the tournament to allow the evil Lord Voldemort to return to power by transporting Harry in the thick of an unsupervised maze. The film was directed by Mike Newell, who has made some excellent films: Four Weddings and a Funeral, Donnie Brasco, and some not so good ones: Prince of Persia, Love in the Time of Cholera. And that seems to be the trouble with this film. I remember being outraged that the film started off immediately during the Quidditch World Cup, leaving out much of the beginning, and then bypassing the quidditch scene entirely. Seeing it now I also noticed that the male characters all sported long and stereotypical teen hair. This was a stupid addition, but it is fixed in the next film. I also did not enjoy the scene with the dragon, which seemed silly. Looking at my complaints, I still have to admit that the Goblet of Fire is a damn good movie. It's exciting, it's mysterious, the characters are colorful (especially Brendan Gleeson as Mad-Eye Moody) and the subplots are very well done. The tone is perfect and despite complaints like the character's hair, they don't milk the characters for moody teenagers (that's a different Potter film). It can be funny when it wants to be, and then it can be heartwrenching, it's skillful and one of those movies that actually excites you. It's very good.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: ★★★1/2
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