For more movie summaries, see Kam's Kapsules.
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WHAT WAS THAT??!: While researching a problem in magic and wizardry, our three heroes, Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint, left), Hermione Granger (Emma Watson, center), and Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe, seated right) are startled by the appearance of an unexpected being. |
Mike Newell is best known as the director of Four Weddings and a Funeral, which was nominated for an Academy Award as the Best Picture of 1994. However, that might change after Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the adaptation of J.K. Rowling's book about the adventures of a boy wizard and his friends.
Rowling's decision to entrust Newell with her book is a brilliant move. Newell has arguably improved upon the Potter formula by excising its cutesy elements and giving the production a darker tone.
As a consequence, Goblet of Fire is the first of the four Harry Potter films with a PG-13 rating. Parents with younger Potter enthusiasts might want to prepare them for the graphic approach.
Another new development is adolescent Harry's emerging interest in girls, which is typical for a 14 year-old. Otherwise, the film features a variety of the tried-and-true staples of the books and stars Daniel Radcliffe as Harry, Emma Watson as Hermione, and Rupert Grint as Ron.
Several others reprise their roles, including Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid), Maggie Smith (Professor McGonagall), Alan Rickman (Professor Snape), Michael Gambon (Headmaster Dumbledore), Gary Oldman (Sirius Black), and Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom). Noteworthy cast additions are Brendan Gleeson as Hogwarts School faculty member Mad-Eye Moody, Katie Leung as Cho Chang, Ralph Fiennes as the voice of Lord Voldemort, and Miranda Richardson as gossip columnist Rita Skeeter.
Inevitably, the process of condensing a novel of this size into a two-and-a-half hour movie involves eliminating a considerable amount of the source material. Nonetheless, the original remains faithful to the book.
As the movie opens, we find Harry at the start of his fourth year at Hogwarts, tormented by an ominous, recurring nightmare about Lord Voldemort, the evil wizard who murdered his parents. The story soon shifts to the Quidditch World Cup Match which is ruined by the arrival of Death Eaters dispatched by the malevolent Voldemort.
When the dust settles, Dumbledore announces that Hogwarts will be hosting the upcoming Triwizard Tournament, playing against France's Beauxbatons Academy and Bulgaria's Durmstrang Institute. After the French and Bulgarian teams parade in, those interested in representing thier respective schools are directed to toss their names into the Goblet of Fire.
The goblet's initial three choices don't include Harry, since he's underage. But a fourth player is allowed for Hogwarts, and Harry Potter is chosen and assigned Mad-Eye Moody as a trainer.
The tournament involves three challenges: slaying a fire-eating dragon, performing an undersea rescue, and threading through a mammoth maze which has a mind of its own. Glory awaits the ultimate winner, however, the entrants are warned that they could die during the dangerous ordeal.
Goblet of Fire also portrays the sexual awakenings of various characters, including Hagrid, when couples for the annual Yule Ball are paired off. However, the picture is at its best when enthralling us with spectacular computer generated witchcraft and wizardry when the main characters take on evil forces that emanate from the dark side.
Aside from two minor flaws (repeated abrupt editing which never let scenes breathe and thick English accents which should have had subtitles), The Goblet of Fire offers an exhilarating experience for anyone young enough at heart to be entertained by an improbable and fanciful fairytale.
Excellent (4 stars). PG-13 for fantasy, violence, and frightening images. Running time: 157 minutes. Distributor: Warner Brothers.
For more movie summaries, see Kam's Kapsules.
