The worst Potter film yet.

Rating: 4/10 (18 November 2005)

I have to say, I'm really disappointed in how this film turned out, especially in comparison with how great the book is. In my humble opinion, studios have to face up to the fact that two and a half hours is no longer sufficient to capture the scope and power of J.K. Rowling's universe.
In this film, Harry is forced to enter the Triwizard Tournament when someone unknown puts his name into the Goblet of Fire, a magical artifact that serves as the selector of competitors from each participating school. The special effects, as always, are spectacular, but they seem to be a cover for a lack of effort, not the results of a work of love.
All of the highlights of the book are shown; the Quidditch World Cup, Harry's battle with the dragon, the underwater world of the merpeople and the enchanted hedge maze are all done in exquisite detail. But this only seems to point up the movie's shortfalls. Michael Gambon has none of Richard Harris' quiet dignity or unflappable demeanor as Dumbledore; instead he seems to jump at every shadow and constantly be lost in the situation. The worst example of this is when he almost tackles Harry and desperately interrogates him on whether he put his name in the Goblet of Fire.
The movie skips from one event to the next with very little shown of the intervening time; action is held up as a replacement for character development and plot. Draco Malfoy, the cruel bully everyone loves to hate, is only shown twice through the whole film. Mad-Eye Moody, beautifully portrayed by Brendan Gleeson, is given little to do other than push Harry along. Nothing is explained of the backstory between Barty Crouch and his son, nor of Snape's past or what Dumbledore intends to do in the face of Voldemort's return.
Along that line, Ralph Fiennes' portrayal of Lord Voldemort suffers in much the same way Michael Gambon's portrayal of Dumbledore does. Instead of the patient, cunning Dark Lord I'd come to expect from the first two movies, he is easily angered and has no control of his emotions or reactions, much less the situation. The scene should look hopeless, but it is obvious right from the start that Harry is more than Voldemort's equal. In the same scene, Timothy Spall seems almost bored in his portrayal of Wormtail, reacting to the loss of his hand with as little pain or emotion as one would scratching an itch. He literally doesn't seem to feel it.
I could go on, but I think I've made my point. Don't go expecting the magic of the first three films; it's gone, and only a severe rearrangement of cast, director and editor will bring it back if this franchise hopes to survive. If you must see it in a theater (and for all its faults, I recommend doing that at least once), see it in a matinée or better yet, wait until it's in a dollar theater.