A Turning Point for the Legendary Franchise

Rating: 9/10 (9 November 2016)

Up until Goblet of Fire, the Potter franchise is a load of fun with some creepy imagery and dark concepts mixed in. But Goblet of Fire is the turning point in the franchise for me. Yes, Prisoner of Azkaban has its dark moments, but the grave sense of danger and threat isn't really present until the 4th film.
The Goblet of Fire opens with a pretty terrifying dream sequence involving a deformed Voldemort, which may very well be my favorite opening to any of the films in the series. It comes right out and states that this franchise is no longer just a fun adventure, there are dangerously high stakes involved here, and Voldemort is a part of them. Of course, part of the fun nature of this film is its mysteriousness and the unpredictability. I've seen the film several times, but there's nothing quite like watching the Triwizard Tournament with someone who has no idea what they're in for.
Goblet certainly brings some new characters along with its different identity. Most notably, Brendan Gleeson's Professor Alastor 'Mad¬Eye' Moody. Looking back, it's difficult to assess how much I enjoyed the character considering he was kidnapped for nearly the entire length of the film, but his impact on Harry's tribulations throughout the film are felt. I mean, why wouldn't he be an interesting character? He's just the 4th straight new defense against the dark arts teacher to be hiding something in one way or another.
No matter, The Goblet of Fire is full of fresh adventures for the trio of Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Most of the film involves Harry competing in the various events of the tournament (which ends up feeling a whole lot like a Hunger Games), but there's always time for some quality trio scenes. Weirdly enough, this film made those scenes mostly deal with romance at the Yule Ball involving the three schools. It's admittedly the next logical step in these teenagers lives, but sometimes it can be a bit overboard. Some of it plays for comedy, but did I really need to see EVERYONE at Hogwarts, and I mean everyone, share the dance floor or have a scene with a love interest.
In many ways, The Goblet of Fire is the turning point in the franchise, and the first time you see someone of importance get hurt in a grave way. Although you don't have a ton of time for Cedric to develop, his death altered the course of the series and the mindsets of those at Hogwarts. That in itself makes it an important installment in the series. Not to mention the fact that there's a dragon, a bada** maze, and one unsettling resurrection towards the end. This is one of the better films, by a good margin.
+Moody's introduction
+Voldemort officially returns
+More mature and powerfully written than previous entries
+Turning point in the franchise
-Too much romance
9.2/10