Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Widescreen Edition) (Harry Potter 4) DVD
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Plot Outline: Harry finds himself selected as an underaged competitor in a dangerous multi-wizardary school competition. Plot Synopsis: Harry’s fourth summer and the following year at Hogwarts are marked by the Quidditch World Cup and the Triwizard Tournament, in which student representatives from three different wizarding schools compete in a series of increasingly challenging contests. However, Voldemort’s Death Eaters are gaining strength and even creating the Dark Mark giving evidence that the Dark Lord is ready to rise again. In the unsuspecting lives of the young wizard and witches at Hogwarts the competitors are selected by the goblet of fire, which this year makes a very surprising announcement: Hogwarts will have two representatives in the tournament, including Harry Potter! Will Harry be able to rise to the challenge for the Tri Wizard Tournament while keeping up with school or will the challenges along with Voldemort’s rebirth be too much for the young hero? |
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Editorial Reviews
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 Tri-Wizard 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
Buy Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Widescreen Two-Disc Deluxe Edition) (Harry Potter 4) (2005) DVD Online!
Summary: Awesome!
Comment: This is the best Potter movie yet. Lots of action, cool special effects and the spirit of the novel. Can’t wait for Order of the Phoenix!
Summary: HPGF
Comment: This was an awesome movie! the only terrible thing about it was how much they left out and some of the things they left out were really important. Anyway during most of the movie I was pretty much sitting on the edge of my seat ( not literally ) because I couldn’t wait to see what happened next. I can’t wait for the movie to come out!!!!! I am soooooo lucky! it comes out the day before my b-day. take my advice and see this movie!!!!
Summary: Best book of series, not of movies
Comment: Warning: Contains some spoilers
First and foremost, I am a big fan of Harry Potter. However, do to my slight disappointment in the most recent endevors by JK Rowling (mostly The Half Blood Prince), my energy and enthusiam for new novels and movies has become somewhat subdued, and I’ve tried to look at the Harry Potter films from a average viewers perspective. Harry Potter is very popular and has a huge legion of fans, so, it’s right to deduce that, regardless how bad (or good) a Harry Potter film will always at least be good to the fans. Just like die hard Star Wars fans.
So, I’ll start simply. This film is not Alfonso Cuarón. That is, the Cinematography is not as impressive, nor does the film flow or feel as dramatic. Newell, the director of Goblet, nailed the romance, as that really is his specialty. Still, Newell doesn’t seem to really have his own distinct style as the previous directors, as Columbus and Alfonso Cuarón had. He borrows a great deal from Cuarón and does some brilliant romance and dancing scenes, though the action and fighting scenes are nothing new and follow a very Columbus style in that they are simply way overblown and detract from what the author originally told in the book.
More money has certainly helped the special effects here, allowing them not just to achieve a greater realism but also to take on more of their own style. The tasks themselves required such a thing, though some fans may be disappointed. The dragon scene is one of those Columbusesque scenes in that it takes an almost completely different direction than Rowling had written. That really isn’t a problem, as long as it makes sense with the story. The first task, the one with the dragon, does not. Harry fights in a pit full of sharp rocks, trying to reach the dragon’s egg. In the book, it was a big cage. This is really not a problem either, as big rocks with pointy edges gives more of a sense of a dragon’s lair. What is worse is what comes afterward. Harry quickly grabs his broom and makes for the sky. The dragon breaks from its chain leash. What follows is a typical Columbus. Harry dangles from a ledge hundreds of feet above the ground, almost is killed, eaten, devoured by the dragon, and he lands on the ground, perfectly composed. Come on, even Harry is not invincible. Any real person would be either freaking out after something as traumatic as that, but Harry Potter simply walks away, doesn’t barf or show any sign of emotion indicating that he should really be scared out of his wits. People get in car accidents all the time and commonly are shaking or cry after such a traumatic event. Secondly, Dumbledore would never willingly and consciously put Harry in a situation where he knew he could die. This idea that Dumbledore would allow a faulty leash on a dragon is just stupid and allows the special effects guys some time to shine on the big screen.
The one task that really works in this film is the Lake. Goblet being my favorite book, this is one of my two favorite scenes. Newell did perfectly, even if it didn’t fit my imagination exactly. It was given the time it needed and wasn’t rushed.
Which brings us to the bad beginning, by far the weakest in all of the Potter films. Quite simply, it’s terrible. I have no problem with the Dursleys being gone, but, to really understand how bad the beginning really is, you must see it. Next to no character development, no quidditch after a huge and climatic build up. The film really starts getting going a fourth of the way in.
The beginning also starts us down a road to the book’s mysterious plot, by far the best in the entire series of books, with the most sub plots and twists. It was good to see the House Elf subplot removed, as I never noticed it and it really would have detracted from the movies breakneck pace.
Going in I knew the entire plot, every twist. Still, even as a Potter fan, there was simply way to many visual cues used in this film. Way to many that, by simple deduction, reveals the plot before it even comes to a conclusion. What is Newell expecting for an audience? Stupid kids? Everyone should know by this time Harry is making a transformation into an adult and no longer is a twelve year old, and the book likewise is graphic and violent and not made to read it at that age (though they’re welcome to). The cues themselves are cheesy and had me almost laughing.
Another some will miss (although probably not notice the first time round) is the missing John Williams. The score in this film plays it safe and follows John William’s familiar themes; so don’t expect anything staggering or brilliant. Hedwig’s theme is heard but not overpowering, something I will miss. The only hope we have is a composer as talented as Williams taking the helm in the next movie or John returning. I’m not very optimistic on that point.
Overall, Goblet of Fire is a very good movie and better than Columbus’s’ attempts, though still is a step in the wrong direction, as it takes a little too much from Christopher and doesn’t have any unique style to identify itself with, like Cuarón. Should be a delight for most Potter fans and a good movie for others.
Summary: Best movie of 2005
Comment: Although much has been said about the fourth Potter film as to it’s hype and big budget, I believe it lived up to it’s expectations. It was drastically undermarketed, unlike the mediocre Prizoner of Azkaban, whose quick cuts and book-straying script left me with a bad taste in my mouth. I believe more could have been done to promote the release of Goblet of Fire. The only thing I would have wanted to add to the movie is a better development of Harry and Cho’s relationship. Regardless, I think Goblet of Fire was the best movie of 2005.
Summary: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Comment: I really liked the first three, but I really hated this movie. It’s a two hour long movie about the Potter kids going through puberty. Yes, I know they are now 14, puberty age, but they didn’t have to make the ENTIRE movie about it. The plot was very weak because so much of the film focused on the puberty aspect of it. The kids begin to notice the opposite sex, fight for no reason, girls are emotionally irrational, they need to find dates, Harry even ends up naked in a bath tub with the ghost girl. What disturbs me about the movie is that Hermione starts dating this bulgarian guy who’s at least 17 years old if not older. Why would a 17 year old want to date a 14 year old? When you’re in high school and going through puberty, even 1 year is a world of difference. Then it was hinted at that their relationship was “physical” which made me so thankful that I didn’t have kids because 14 is disgustingly young to be having sex. Then there was some forshadowing that Hermione and Ron would end up together. It’s like, Johnny Quest. Everyone wants Johnny to go out with Jessie, but she goes out with Haji intsead. Harry’s love interest makes her appearance. Some Asian girl with a bad Irish accent. I can’t get over the ball scene where all the girls are crying for no reason. Seriously, if I wanted to watch a movie about a bunch of kids going through puberty, I would have seen 10 Things I Hate About You or The Breakfast Club. By the way, NOTHING is resolved at the end of this film. It lacked action to the point where I left the theater with a strong urge to watch Kill Bill vol. 1. I know, I didn’t read the book, but this a MOVIE, not a book. Actually, I’m thinking of reading the book because it HAS to be better than this movie.
Buy Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Widescreen Two-Disc Deluxe Edition) (Harry Potter 4) (2005) DVD Online!
