Best in the Series

Rating: 9/10 (10 June 2013)

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is my favorite Harry Potter movie. There I said it. The reason is simple; it is the transition from a light magical adventure to a dark and serious fight. The first two were colorful and adventurous with a touch of evil. The third was different and a fresh twist to the plot. The fourth is the middle man and most important in the series. It is the first movie rated PG-13 in the series and you can tell it gets serious. This is The Goblet of Fire.
By the release of the 4th movie Harry Potter had exploded into a phenomenon. Every man women and child knows the story and the series continued to get better and better. It is another year at Hogwarts and it is a special one. The Triwizard Tournament is occurring at Hogwarts and three champions from three different schools compete for the grand prize. Of course Harry gets involved and becomes the fourth member and what starts as a dangerous competition turns into a tournament filled with questions and conspiracy.
Harry is now 14 and he understands the magical world but at the same time he has a lot more to learn. It was nice seeing him know a lot but still not be an expert. He is introduced to the port key, the three unforgivable curses, and of course the dark mark. I loved the Quidditch World Cup. I loved reading it in the book. It introduced Viktor Krum's character really well and it was Quidditch, which is awesome. In the movie it cuts it short and as disappointed as I was I understood it took away from the story. The point of the Cup was to introduce the Death Eaters and the dark mark. This scene was intense and it set a tone for the rest of the movie. This is no longer a little kid's movie.
Harry is growing up and he deals with new problems that every teen manages to struggle with. Every director put his own spin onto the movie and this one was the teenage problems Harry struggles with. Harry is 14 and he has an interest in girls and you would think it would be easy for him giving his reputation, but he doesn't and that makes him more human. I liked how he was scared to ask a girl to the Yule Ball and I loved the idea of the Ball. I liked his love interest in Cho Chang. In this movie it worked because he showed his awkwardness and a weakness in a way. I also loved the idea of the Yule Ball and it meshed well with the tournament.
Let's take a moment to discuss the tournament itself. I love the idea of the tournament and I love how we are introduced to different cultures of the wizarding world. I like how it's not just Hogwarts and there are other things out there. So we have Fleur and Krum representing their schools. Then we have Cedric Diggory and Harry form Hogwarts. Each character is unique and brings different personalities to the stage. The tournament itself has three challenges each different and more dangerous from the last. It lasts the entire year and I think the second was my favorite because it took mental strength along with physical. Besides the tournament we have many things happening. There is this dark force lingering and something not right in the world. There is a different attitude in year four so in a way the tournament is a major and minor factor to the story.
We are also introduced to Mad-Eye Moody and he is a character you will never forget. He is also a man surrounded with questions. I mean he is the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher so he is obviously not what he seems to be. The difference is the big question and confusion isn't as obvious. The director and writers did a fantastic job in making this character come to life. He is really important but does a really good job at hiding his intentions. If you have seen the movie you will know what I mean.
Easily the best part of this movie is the ending. I don't know why but I didn't see it coming whatsoever. I won't spoil it but if you haven't seen the movies then why are you reading this? Go see the movie and come back. Nevertheless, this movie changes the world of Harry Potter forever. It gets real and it gets serious. The entire movie is kind of like heave clouds starting to block out the sun and by the end of the climax scene there is no sun and the storm is coming. It blew me away, it is epic, and I remember sitting in the theater amazed by what I had just seen.
Overall, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is the best book and movie in the series. I loved everything about it from the directing to the acting to the lighting. Yes I said the lighting. I will go deeper into detail in the next review as it turns more relevant. This movie sets up the rest of the series and the tone for the rest of the movies. It is a small taste of what is to come and is a great tease. I love how relatable the characters continue to be. I love how they develop and we dive deep into their emotions and get another small taste of the rest of the series. I was getting a little bored with the series but this movie tuned me in and got me so excited for the end. Harry Potter 4 proudly gets the WillyT Seal of Approval.