Flawed, but still very good movie

Rating: 8/10 (19 November 2005)

OK. I'm a Harry Potter fan, nevertheless, I'm a fan of good cinema, so unlike most of the reviews here(who are either biased pro-Harry or biased against it) I will be as merciless & objective as I can. Here we go.
The plot in a few words: In Harry's fourth year at Hogwarts, an important celebration will take place in his school. The Tri-Wizard Tournament, an international competition between England, France and Bulgaria in which the representatives are chosen by the Goblet of Fire. Harry is chosen as a fourth champion by unknown reasons and meanwhile he has begun to face the troubles of being a teenager, he must discover the mystery surrounding his election and the consequences of it.
Well, the movie keeps the dark lighting & mood used previously in the third movie. Nice touch, considering that it is here where Harry Potter's story turns darker and his troubles really begin. Nevertheless, meanwhile Alfonso Cuaron kept a fantastic(almost Burtonian) feeling in the movie, while here it's a more realistic approach. It's a good change, the kids are growing, they see the world with a different eyes, and even in the wacky world of wizards & witches, they get serious.
The direction is solid, Mike Newell does a great job in exploring the three main characters emotions, just like he has done in the past with romantic dramas/comedies like his famous "Four Weddings and a Funeral" or "Mona Lisa Smile". He seems to be the perfect choice for this movie.
The bad thing is that meanwhile we get a HUGE development of the three main characters, support cast is not that lucky. New characters Fleur, Krum, and their teachers do have development, but it's limited, while old time favorites like Snape or Hagrid appears almost as cameos. Maybe this is a flaw in the development of the script, but we have to consider that they had a hard time adapting it to the screen.
I have always thought that Daniel Radcliffe was the worst actor in the previous movies, nevertheless, he shows an advance here and manages to put a performance that shows more promise than his acting in the previous movies. Rupert Grin displays his increasing talent for comedy, but it's miss Emma Watson who steals the movie. Every scene she is in it's pure gold. I see a bright future for this young actress. Her acting is a tour de force that shows how she has improved as an actress, she is ready for different roles.
The SFX are awesome most of the time. The movie has probably the best art-direction of the series and has a good pace. Edition, something that most fans have complained, does a great work making an enjoyable film by keeping a good rhythm.
In the end it is a very enjoyable experience by both fans of the movies, fans of the books, and the casual movie-goer. After the third movie, this is probably the best of the series.
Solid 8/10. Very recommended.