They FINALLY got it right!

Rating: 8/10 (19 November 2005)

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
After being disappointed each year by increasingly unsatisfying movie interpretations of the Harry Potter books (I found 2004's 'Prisoner of Azkaban' to be the worst of the lot) I think it's fair to say that my expectations for the fourth movie were not very high. Actually, to be honest, I didn't really intend to see it at all. But thankfully, miraculously, the movie defied my expectations and ended up surpassing the first three movies by far - easily the best Potter movie to date!
Safely put, if you were disappointed by the earlier films, as I was, 'Goblet of Fire' should easily live up to your expectations, if not exceed them. This seems to be the best work to date of director Mike Newell (whose previous credentials included such films as 'Mona Lisa Smile' and 'Four Weddings and a Funeral') and the principal kids are beginning to grow up a bit, showing that they are actually capable of genuine drama, especially Emma Watson as Hermione Granger, though Daniel Radcliffe as the title character also manages to impress. The general overall sense of quality in the movie has been greatly augmented from those of the past.
But the main highlight, I would say, is despite the fact that huge sections of the book have been lopped off, the movie still seems very true to the book, and still manages to remain tense and engaging the whole way through, seeming much shorter than its almost 3 hour running time. Unlike the first three movies, which always seemed full of plot holes and missing parts, and like they were in a frenzied hurry just to get to the finish, 'Goblet' is fast-paced, but never feels rushed, and certainly doesn't skimp on the action setpieces. There's the (sadly short but still exhilarating) Quidditch world cup, the attack of the Death Eaters, Harry battling a giant dragon, swimming through Hogwarts lake, fighting off Mer-people, and the final engaging confrontation in the graveyard (not to mention the awkward hilarity of the Yule Ball, Ron's frilly dress robes and all). Let's say you certainly won't leave the theater feeling you haven't earned your money's worth.
Newell also manages to extract very satisfying performances from his cast, the standout here being newcomer Brendan Gleeson as gruff, demented yet lovable Professor Mad-Eye Moody, managing to overcome his ridiculous looking eye patch and deliver the film's most enjoyable performances (though Ralph Fiennes is flat out terrifying as the long-awaited Lord Voldemort). All returning cast and crew are great, and some characters such as Neville Longbottom and Professor McGonagall are given a quantity of screen time they've been denied for quite a while, while Fred and George Weasley, as always, raise all the laughs that Moody doesn't. Safe to say, the kids have grown up enough to have learned how to actually act with conviction, and the adults seem to be racing to stay up to par. Performances are quite satisfying as a whole, and manage to stay highly faithful to the book.
So overall, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire clearly surpasses the previous three movies in terms of quality, faithfulness to the source material and overall enjoyment factor. The last of the 'fun' Potter movies before the series gets increasingly dour (certainly the last where Harry is likely to excitedly exclaim "I love magic!"), this is the first I have felt genuinely satisfied with, and clearly the best of the bunch so far. But don't take my word for it - see it yourself. Safe to say, you will almost certainly not be disappointed.
-8/10