Harry Potter and gang return in Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire to battle dragons, face of against other kid wizards, and deliver a movie that is a rollercoaster of special effects, adventure and excitement. The film also sees the series continue to grow a little bit darker as the kids grow a little older – Harry even discovers girls.
The fourth movie sees the return of the cast for another year at Hogwarts, and for the Triwizard Tournament - where student representatives from three different wizarding schools compete in a series contest to win the TriWizard Cup. The contest is meant to be reserved for students over 17, but a twist of magic finds young Harry as an unexpected contestant. It also sets Harry up for one of the biggest challenges of his short career as a wizard – not to mention he also faces death during each event.
The other contestants include Cedric Diggory - another member of Hogwarts, Viktor Krum - a powerful Quidditch player, and Fleur Delacour - from an all girls’ wizard school. The contest (which isn’t really something that any normal student would want to enter) sees the wizards have to face off against dragons; swim underwater to rescue friends and fight underwater creatures; and survive a giant maze that is filled with a few tricks of its own. They also have to watch out for each other since it is every wizard for themselves – which we quickly see when the contestants enter the maze.
If that wasn’t bad enough for poor Harry, Goblet of Fire also sees the return of baddie wizard Voldemort (played by a menacing Ralph Fiennes) and his Death Eaters (a group of dark wizards that follow Voldemort). This time, Voldemort returns in full power (instead of on the back of a wizard’s head or in a book like the first two films), and even uses some of Harry’s blood to complete the spell that brings him back to power. We also get to see a wizard’s duel between big V and Harry towards the end of the movie – which features a lot of overacting by Fiennes but is still fun to watch.
The movie has the excitement and effects you expect
Daniel Radcliffe (who plays Potter), Emma Watson (who plays Hermione Granger) and Rupert Grint (who plays Ron Weasley) all return in the movie, and show that they are continuing to become solid actors. They have grown up with the movies, and help make the fact that the films are getting darker seem natural – they are becoming teenagers after all.
This time we get to see a little of teenage love drama in the film with Ron and Hermione realizing there might be a bit more to their friendship, and Harry noticing another girl at Hogwarts beside Hermione. There is also a funny scene between Harry and Moaning Myrtle involving a bathtub and bubbles, but you will just have to watch.
This romantic twist, including the kids having to attend what amounts to a prom, adds some humor to the movie, and helps lighten some of the darker elements of the movie – such as the dragon battles, the return of Voldemort, and even the death of a student. You can’t help but relate with Harry and Ron as they struggle to get up the nerve to ask out one of the girls to the dance. It is also fun to watch Ron get extremely worked up when Hermione shows up on the arm of Viktor Krum – who has the basic characteristic of every stuck up jock you knew in high school.
The adult cast of the film once again shine with Michael Gambon returning as Albus Dumbledore, Maggie Smith as Minerva McGonagall, Alan Rickman as Severus Snape, and Robbie Coltrane as Rubeus Hagrid. Adding to this cast of great character actors, Goblet of Fire also sees the addition of Brendan Gleeson as the hilarious and mysterious Alastor 'MadEye' Moody, and Miranda Richardson as the busybody reporter Rita Skeeter. Once again the cast of adult actors adds some weight to the movies while providing performances that make the Potter series more than simple family films.
Goblet of Fire is darker than past films but also has humor
Although the actors all do a great job in bringing the characters to life, it falls to the special effects to bring the magic, creatures, and world of the Potter series to the screen. Goblet of Fire continues the Potter trend of dazzling special effects that are CGI heavy, but really blow your mind at times.
The movie series has continued to have some of the best effects since the first Potter film, and like the young actors the effects are only getting better with each movie. This time we get to enjoy a dragon fight (that is worth the price of the DVD by itself), the Quidditch World Cup, and the simple magic spells that kids are trying to learn.
Goblet of Fire continues to build on the franchise, and shows no signs that the Potter films are slowing down or resting on the success of the past. The movie’s pace is a bit long at times, but there is plenty of wizardry to keep you entertained. It does have a bit of a weak ending that naturally sets you up for the next film, but even that doesn’t take away from the rollercoaster of a movie you just watched.
With the Triwizard Tournament, the return of Voldemort, the mystery of Alastor Moody, and the romance plots, there does seem to be a lot crammed into this movie, but director Mike Newell handles the different plot points.
The movie features a wizard showdown between big bad V and Harry
He never lets one plot overshadow the rest, and makes sure there is enough of everything that people love about Harry Potter sprinkled throughout the entire movie. There are a couple of rough edits (such as the dance confrontation between Ron and Hermione) that might leave people thinking the DVD skipped, but that isn’t enough to ruin the movie.
The Two-Disc version of the DVD comes loaded with the type of special features that fans of the series would expect from a Harry Potter movie. They include additional scenes that explore a little more into the story but don’t really add much; conversations with the cast about the Potter films and reflections on the fourth film; and look at what went into preparing for the Yule Ball.
The second disc takes you into the movie and allows you to actually compete in the Triwizard tournament. The disc is divided into the Dragon Area, Lake Challenge, and Maze Challenge. Each section features the challenge that Harry faces, and involves you using your remote to win (such as using the directional buttons to avoid the dragon). This is a feature that might be a bit lost on adults, but that kids will love. There is also demo for EA’s game that works on your PC’s DVD-ROM drive and a Hogwarts Timeline.
Harry discovers girls!
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a fun and entertaining movie that continues the story of the boy wizard, his friends and his life in a world filled with magic. Although the characters are older and the story is a bit darker, the movie still has the charm and excitement that was established in the first film.
It builds on what has come before, and leaves you wanting what is coming next in the Potter franchise. I would highly recommend it to any fan of the series or anyone wanting a film that you can simply enjoy with a bowl of popcorn. The movie is fun from start to finish and won’t disappoint.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire – Two Disc Special Edition is now available at Amazon . It is available for pre-order at AmazonUK for a March 20th release. Visit the DVD’s database for more information.
Monsters and Critics are also hosting a Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Sweepstakes, sponsored by Warner Bros., until March 20th. The Grand Prize winner will receive a $300 Noble Collections Gift Certificate (the official Harry Potter collectibles distributor). The Runner-up Prize winner will receive a Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire DVD. Visit the DVD’s competition page for more information.
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