When Harry Potter’s name emerges from the Goblet of Fire, he becomes a competitor in a grueling battle for glory among three wizarding schools – the Triwizard Tournament. But since Harry never submitted his name for the Tournament, who did? Now Harry must confront a deadly dragon, fierce water demons and an enchanted maze only to find himself in the cruel grasp of He Who Must Not Be Named. In this fourth film adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, everything changes as Harry, Ron and Hermione leave childhood forever and take on challenges greater than anything they could have imagined.The latest entry in the Harry Potter saga could be retitled Fast Times at Hogwarts, where finding a date to the winter ball is nearly as terrifying as worrying about Lord Voldemort’s return. Thus, the young wizards’ entry into puberty (and discovery of the opposite sex) opens up a rich mining field to balance out the dark content in the fourth movie (and the stories are only going to get darker). Mike Newell (Four Weddings and a Funeral) handily takes the directing reins and eases his young cast through awkward growth spurts into true young actors. Harry (Daniel Radcliffe, more sure of himself) has his first girl crush on fellow student Cho Chang (Katie Leung), and has his first big fight with best bud Ron (Rupert Grint). Meanwhile, Ron’s underlying romantic tension with Hermione (Emma Watson) comes to a head over the winter ball, and when she makes one of those girl-into-woman Cinderella entrances, the boys’ reactions indicate they’ve all crossed a threshold.
But don’t worry, there’s plenty of wizardry and action in Goblet of Fire. When the deadly Triwizard Tournament is hosted by Hogwarts, Harry finds his name mysteriously submitted (and chosen) to compete against wizards from two neighboring academies, as well as another Hogwarts student. The competition scenes are magnificently shot, with much-improved CGI effects (particularly the underwater challenge). And the climactic confrontation with Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes, in a brilliant bit of casting) is the most thrilling yet. Goblet, the first installment to get a PG-13 rating, contains some violence as well as disturbing images for kids and some barely shrouded references at sexual awakening (Harry’s bath scene in particular). The 2 1/2-hour film, lean considering it came from a 734-page book, trims out subplots about house-elves (they’re not missed) and gives little screen time to the standard crew of the other Potter films, but adds in more of Britain’s finest actors to the cast, such as Brendan Gleeson as Mad-Eye Moody and Miranda Richardson as Rita Skeeter. Michael Gambon, in his second round as Professor Dumbledore, still hasn’t brought audiences around to his interpretation of the role he took over after Richard Harris died, but it’s a small smudge in an otherwise spotless adaptation. –Ellen A. Kim
Rating: 
(out of 695 reviews)
List Price: $ 14.98
Price: $ 4.73
Related Blogs
- Related Blogs on Edition
July 11, 2010
#1
Review by Jennifer Reif
Rating:
JK Rowling’s Book Four was as fabulous as all the rest, unfortunately the film version turned out a great deal of choppy editing and some personal scenes that were so deeply compressed that we rarely had a chance to enjoy them before they were gone. The extra scenes provided on disk two add background and texture, particularly when Alan Rickman (Snape) is present.
Emma Watson is a wonderful actress and the Yule Ball gave her a chance to shine…but… it seemed to me that as Hermione, her pitch rarely varied, mostly shrill and shrill (believe me, I love the actress, but I know she has a greater range than what appeared on screen). Fortunately, we were saved by the time that was given to the Weasley twins, by Miranda Richardson’s artfully wicked portrayal of Rita Skeeter and by Rupert Grint’s (Ron Weasley’s) comedic flair. Other highlights via actor Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), were the bubble bath egg sequence as well as the dramatic closing scenes with Harry’s enemy Lord Voldemort.
To the Director of Film Five…Enough money has already been made that you can successfully convince the studio to extend the time of the next film to at least three hours. If someone thinks that the audience can not sit through three hours, then they don’t understand their audience. Come on, give the next film the time that it deserves and listen to the screenwriter..work together to give us scenes that have not only the excitement required, but the small moments between friends that are full and complete.
“Return of the King,” the third theatrical installment of the Tolkien trilogy was taken from a book of 512 pages. The film, a total of 3 hours and 10 minutes, garnished many Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director. Described by the entertainment industry’s big mag, Variety, as an “urgently paced 200-minute film without an ounce of fat,” the film proved that most theater goers were happy to sit in their seats for three hours.
One last thing, please, I beg you, more light. Dark and darker is unnecessary and boring. It isn’t dark that’s better, it’s the contrast between light and dark that’s better. Please, don’t make me feel like I’m watching an unlit version of MTV. Good luck, Mr. Director, this is YOUR TriWizard Tournament.
Jennifer, a big JKR fan
July 11, 2010
#2
Review by Jedi_Master_Yoda
Rating:
Contrary to what others may tell you, all this copy has is the Film itself, nothing more, nothing less. If you truely want a good copy, get the two-disc special edition. It has far more materieal, including Deleated Scenes! So just spend a few dollars more and get more.
July 11, 2010
#3
Review by ThisParticular Reader
Rating:
This is a good movie, as most of the reviews say. I wanted to focus on one specific big problem, though. The guy playing Dumbledore since Richard Harris died does not get the character at all.
The way JK Rowling writes Dumbledore, he’s exceedingly charming and warm. He’s always one step ahead, and seldom surprised. He never really gets excited, he’s never rushed, but he always gets to the answer before anyone else — even when taking things slow. And he always seems to find things just a little bit funny. The way Rowling writes him, he’s always in control, always friendly. He seems to know a joke that no one else does, and always seems to be letting those around him in on it even if they don’t know what “it” is. In short, he’s very likeable, reasuring, confident, and composed. That’s the way Rowling writes him, that’s the way Richard Harris played him in the first two movies, and that’s the way he’s read in the audio books.
The guy who’s playing Dumbledore now (from the third movie on,) is ruining the character. He gets Dumbledore all wrong. His Dumbledore has no warmth and no charm. His Dumbledore is exciteable, and seems a bit mean and distant. His Dumbledore doesn’t seem in control or knowing, but rather aloof and rigid. Harry and Dumbledore in the books are very close – with this new guy playing Dumbledore, there’s no sense of friendship between the two. The way this new guy plays Dumbledore, their relationship comes off more like a teacher who doesn’t know and doesn’t really care how to relate to a student, and a student who would avoid the teacher if he could.
I honestly don’t know what the directors of the third and fourth movies were thinking letting the actor get the part so wrong, or what the actor was thinking when he has Rowlings books, the reader from the audio books, Richard Harris’s performance, and millions of fans expectations to go by, and yet still manages to completely missinterpret the character.
Dumbledore has one of the best scenes in the fifth Potter book when he good naturedely refuses to be arrested. With Richard Harris playing the part (or someone playing the part the way it is written and meant to be played,) it could be one of the best scenes in the movie — the way the current actor plays Dumbledore, it could be terrible. Without the charm, warmth, wit, and humor Dumbledore is supposed to have,the scene will be completely flat. In other words, if Dumbledore is played the way he’s been played the last two movies, the scene will not work despite being brilliant in the book and in the audio book.
Hopefully the director or producer will get a better grip on the character this time and will try to improve the portrayal. Right now I can’t help thinking back to right after Richard Harris’s death when rumors said Ian Mckellan was being considered for the role — now that would have worked. He would have gotten the character. He would have had the warmth and charm this current guy is missing — the warmth and charm that defines the character in the books and in the minds of the fans.
July 11, 2010
#4
Review by Chet Fakir
Rating:
And if I measure the choices made by the director, screenwriter, actors and casting director I find their efforts to be lacking. The book itself is wonderful in many respects, packed with information, back stories and texture that makes for a very enjoyable read. Now I know it’s not easy to condense a 700+ page book into a working movie, but c’mon! This is a poor job and not just because of the large amount of material they left out from the book. For example: no Ludo Bagman, no Winky, no Dobby, no S.P.E.W., no Dursleys, no Bertha Jorkins without whom Voldemort wouldn’t have known about Barty Crouch Jr’s escape from Azkaban, no Quidditch World Cup (we see is the teams fly into the stadium and the next thing everybody is celebrating Ireland’s victory), no Rita Skeeter being an animangus, no gobblins, no betting, no Platform 9 3/4, no Barty Crouch Jr. receiving the dementor’s kiss, and no final scene with Cornelius Fudge where he denies Voldemort’s return. Instead we are treated to extra long and superfluous dragon fight/flight sequence a long and boring grindylow battle scene during the Triwizard Tournament’s second task, not to mention the maze being completely different from the book: no sphinx, no acromantula. It is certainly possible to make edits and a coherent movie. Unfortunately so many details are left out, awkwardly edited or portrayed that if you haven’t read the book you might not know what is going on. And if you had read the book you’re not going to like the changes, at least I didn’t. For example I didn’t like all the Beauxbatons students being all-female, nor the Durmstrang students being all male, and don’t get me started on the fake CGI looking merpeople, yuck.
Missing details and editing are not the least of the problems. There’s also direction, acting and casting misteps gallore. The casting choices for the new characters are atrocious. Krum looks nothing like he is described in the book, nor does he behave like the Krum of Rowlings novel. His role in the movie too is sadly reduced. Madame Maxine was supposed to be an olive skinned, handsome women with a prominent Gaulic nose. What we get is a scarecrow with a bad French accent. Fleur Delacroix is supposed to be beautiful, part veela with white blond hair, magically delicious! In the movie she’s rather plain looking with light brown hair. None of her haughtiness is portrayed and might as well not have been there for all the impact she made. Karkaroff had white hair, wasn’t scruffy but rather well groomed, crafty or shifty rather than brutal. Barty Crouch Jr. was supposed to be blond and somewhat good looking, not some goggle eyed, sweaty, tongue flicking loony. In fact it was his “normal” appearance that made his slavish devotion to Voldemort so much more disturbing. He wasn’t a stock character bad guy. Shame on the director and shame on the actor for making him a sweaty nutjob. But the worst is Dumbledore. Richard Harris effectively portrayed the sensitivity, gravitas, intelligence and power written into the character by J. K. Rowling. The new Dumbledore is a grouchy, somewhat thick-headed man who projects all the presence and majesty of a minor bureaucrat with a bad attitude. After Harry’s name comes up from the Goblet Of Fire making him the fourth Triwizard champion, he screams Harry’s name. Then later grabs Harry by the shoulders, shoves him and yells in Harry’s face “Did you get an older student to put your name in the Goblet for you!?!?!” This is NOT the way Rowlings beloved Dumbledore would act, sorry. How’d this guy get the job? I can’t really fault Daniel Radcliffe or Rupert Grint too much, they were servicable if not remarkable in their roles. Emma Watson as Hermione however is scenery chewingly off character. She’s either on the brink of tears, crying or on the brink of angry tears. Her performance is way over-the-top, falsely dramatic and untrue to the character. ACTING!!! with a capital A.
The tone and tenor of Rowlings book is simply missing from this movie. The characters bear little resemblence to those in her book and not least because they run around in Muggle clothes for half the movie. Because of editing choices the movie has an awkward flow and might not be comprehensible to someone not familiar with the book. Now I know I’ve been emphasizing differences between the book and movie and to some people I’m being a nit picker. Well I could forgive radical changes if the movie wasn’t so and here’s that word again: awkward. The story simply doesn’t flow well, the rhythm feels rushed, the emphasis is on action rather than plot. I got bored about half way through. In fact it took me two viewings to get through it. I’d rent this one before buying it and then decide if you really need to own this thing.
July 12, 2010
#5
Review by Rei
Rating:
In this forth instalment in the ever popular Harry Potter series based on the novel by JK Rolwling we see Harry mature in many ways, he must over come three deadly tasks, face a fully formed Lord Voldermort and possibly the most horrifying task of all for the 14 year old Harry, he must get himself a date for the Yule Ball!
The performance of the trio in the Goblet of Fire is amazing, every scene seemed to be executed perfectly and the on screen chemistry between the young stars is evident. Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) reaches new heights in this movie perfectly portraying the uncomfortable adolescent Harry has become; he faces the new emotional roles in the movie with confidence and enthusiasm, like wise for Radcliffe’s young co-stars Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) and Emma Watson (Hermione Granger) Once again we see terrific performances from the likes of Dame Maggie Smith (Professor McGonagall), Alan Rickman (Professor Snape) and Robbie Coltraine (Hagrid) as well as meeting some new faces amongst the students, including students from two other magical academies who join the students at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry to participate in the Tri-Wizard Tournament! Another highlight of this marvellous movie is Ralph Fiennes’ portrayal of Lord Voldermort which can be rather alarming even to an adult!
I believe this movie to be of an excellent standard not only due to the charismatic trio, but also thanks to the special effects of this movie. We see many fascinating creatures including a ferocious fire breathing dragon (which Harry must fight armed with nothing but his wand!) and while watching you can truly forget that these creatures were created using blue screen and you can honestly believe that you are in this world, that it truly exists just behind closed doors. This is very true to the novels making this a movie every Potter fan can enjoy and indeed fans of spectacular plots and mind-blowing special effects alike can appreciate this, making the Goblet of Fire a movie for all the family! Overall I would call this movie riveting and n absolute gem of the movie world. You do not want to miss this brilliant piece of film history, no DVD collection would be complete with out it! Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire amazing 5 stars!