Funny, upsetting, and dark- with plenty of teenage angst!

Rating: 8/10 (22 December 2005)

I am an avid reader of the Harry Potter series, and the fourth one, in particular, is one of my favorites. After reading several fan reviews in outrage, angrily declaring that it was too different than the book, I was surprised. I, for one, absolutely loved the fourth movie in the Harry Potter series: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
The movie begins perfectly, setting the tone with dark colors and lighting and an eerie version of "Hedwig's Theme". From that moment on, you know that this movie will be very dark- but amazing at the same time. The opening scene made many people in the theatre flinch, especially near the end- the infamous flash of green light.
The adaptation of the book is spectacular- I'm not going to rehash the plot in one review- but trimming a 700- page book into a two and a half hour movie? Not an easy task. The movie runs quickly and it doesn't seem like two and a half hours sitting in one chair. We jump from scene to scene very quickly. Perhaps it's a little too fast, but do you really want to feel like you're sitting there, watching the minutes go by slowly? Yes, there's a lot of funny stuff from the book cut out. We don't get to see of Hermione's crazed S.P.E.W frenzy, and we don't get to hear Viktor Krum(Stanislav Ianevski) say, "Herm-own-ninny." However, the audience does get to view a LOT of teenage angst in this movie that especially I- being fifteen- can relate to. Us girls ooh and ahh at the males like Cedric Diggory(Robert Pattinson) (Forgive me, I did whisper, "Oh, my God. He is so hot.") and the guys drool at Fleur(Clémence Poésy) and Cho(Katie Leung). (They whispered the same thing as I did, only with a 'she'. We're teenagers- we're allowed!) Empathy comes with Ron and Harry's fight after Harry is chosen unexpectedly in the tournament. At the Yule Ball, all of the girls pitied poor Hermione, feeling like a lost Cinderella at the end of the scene. This scene, I must add, is done wonderfully. I never expected this to be in the Harry Potter movies, such a relaxed and fun dance scene reminiscent of many a homecoming and prom night. Ron and Hermione's fight is hysterical, if it didn't make us ANXIOUS for those two to get together already! (Just cross your fingers, readers- their time will come!) The new characters are interesting, Brendan Gleeson as Mad-Eye Moody in particular.
The action scenes are also breathtaking. The first task is an amazing effort at pulling off a CGI dragon, and it succeeds for sure. You don't think, "Okay. This is where the CGI comes in" you think, "Oh my god, that's a DRAGON!" The mermaids in the second task are scary and surprising, and made more than one person jump. The third task is another scene attacked by fans. There are no sphinxes or Blast Ended Skrewts here, but the maze is clearly psychologically damaging and scary enough on its own. (Fans of the book probably begin to get a little upset here, anyway, knowing what's to come- this is the point where I started crying.) The Death Eater scene didn't really scare me- it angered and upset me. I know many who WERE scared, and I do think the scene was pulled off very well. Voldemort is creepy and brings hate to all who view him. The scene afterwards, however, was extended purely for the sake of drama, and it's a hard scene to watch. (Daniel Radcliffe can finally cry now, by the way.) Cedric's death and his father's reaction had me sobbing- and no, not just because Robert Pattinson's such a handsome young lad! Many were crying, and I do think that it was a scene where you should feel upset.
The scenes after this point are most likely my only complaint. I did not like the revelation of Barty Crouch(David Tennant) as Polyjuice Moody scene- mainly because of Michael Gambon(Dumbledore). I'm not one of the rallying "MICHAEL GAMBON SUCKS- RICHARD HARRIS LIVES FOREVER!" fans. However, Dumbledore was a bit aggressive in this scene, as well as previous scenes he was in. The scene was overall weak, with too much shouting that didn't really have a purpose.
Cedric's funeral is touching and sad. Harry's 'annual talk with Dumbledore' is cut short and could have been a little longer. (It's okay- we'll see enough of Dumbledore in movie six.) The movie ends with our trio, bringing the point home that friendship is what holds this series together.
The acting is very good in this movie, with a few exceptions- I already mentioned Gambon, and I wasn't crazy about Crouch Senior(Roger Lloyd-Pack), either. However, the trio has matured significantly. Emma Watson is the lovable busy-bee know it all and Rupert Grint is endearing as Ron, as usual. (He's my favorite of the trio.) Daniel Radcliffe as Harry is definitely a teenager, but it shows a little bit of how wise Harry is beyond his years. Funny, compassionate, and not afraid to cry, he's a hero many can identify with. Perhaps the cast looks a little older than they should be- but they all believably act like adolescent teenagers. (Ianevski and Pattinson in particular both look to be in their late teens to early twenties, which I believe are their ages, but Ianevski pulls off an awkward yet intense Krum and Pattinson acts as a popular teenager very well.) The staff is hysterical and wonderful to see, as always. Alan Rickman as Snape is a blessing and gift of a character, and Maggie Smith as McGonagall gets her own funny moment to shine. Robbie Coltrane as Hagrid is dependable and a figure of Hogwarts, and even he gets a little romance! Overall, the movie is fantastic. With a few minor complaints, I loved it. Can't they hurry up and get movie five out already?