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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

In the fourth adaptation of J.K. Rowling's fantasy series, Harry Potter straddles the line between childhood and maturity as he takes on the demands of the Triwizard Tournament.

Goblet of Fire falls pretty much in line with the rest of the Potter films – Voldemort lurks, spells are cast, Harry's life is in jeopardy and epic heroism abounds. Yet somehow this fourth installment is different from the others, perhaps due to the thread of darkness that this popular franchise had carefully avoided in the earlier films. This is illustrated within the first scenes as Voldemort's Death Eaters burn a tent village full of wizards to the ground during the Quidditch World Cup, a scene unimaginable in Harry's first few years at Hogwarts. Impending doom is further hinted at when The Dark Mark, a sign that Voldemort is nearby, is emblazoned on the sky. Harry must come to terms with this imminent threat while at the same time juggle the demands of adolescence. To further complicate matters, he has been mysteriously entered into the Triwizard Tournament, a competition with a minimum age requirement three years more than Harry's current age.

At the beginning of the film, Harry still has the vestiges of youth – at one point, after witnessing a clever trick, he whispers, "I love magic" with the wide-eyed exuberance of the first few films – but by the end, we see a world-weary young man emerge. Goblet of Fire is the book where everything changes for the young wizard, and the movie does an admirable job of not skirting the more difficult aspects of that process.

Director Mike Newell does a credible job steering the Potter machine although he lacks the lyricism of his predecessor Alfonso Cuaron. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint are growing up like their characters, which adds a whole new dimension to their performances.

Written by: Jennifer O'Reilly

Reviewers Rating: 9
Reader's Rating: 8.22
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