The First Big Showdown

Rating: Null/10 (6 March 2017)

During the previous three Harry Potter films, a showdown between Harry Potter & Dark Lord Voldemort was always hinted at but never quite fully conceived. In "Goblet of Fire", however, that confrontation does indeed finally take place and vaults the series to new heights.
For a basic plot summary, "Goblet" begins with Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint), & Hermoine (Emma Watson) attending the Quidditch World Cup with the Weasley family. While at the Cup, the Dark Mark of Voldemort appears in the sky along with a series of attacks on the crowd.. Thus, when the trio report to their fourth year at Hogwarts, it is with an air of caution and suspicion. This is no normal semester at wizarding school, however, as the Tri-Wizard tournament is revived for the first time in ages, allowing the Hogwarts house to see students from other wizarding academies. As the competitions begin, Harry (as usual) plays a key role in the proceedings, as well as the search for Voldemort's (Ralph Fiennes) followers.
In terms of spectacular visuals, the fantastic aspects of the Tri-Wizard tournament make this film a perfect vehicle to really showcase some impressive special effects...which it takes full advantage of. "Goblet" is a visual treat to observe and really makes it feel as if you are completely immersed in the Potter universe.
In keeping with the book, the character development and drama only amps up in this installment. The scenes at the Wizard Ball provide more insight than ever into the relationships between our favorite protagonists, while the big confrontation between Harry and the Dark Lord is absolutely riveting and almost steals the show in and of itself. A better actor than Fiennes could not have been cast for the role, as he truly is a frightening sight to behold.
Overall, "Goblet of Fire" (like its novel namesake) is the best installment of the franchise so far. It perfectly combines adventure, drama, characters, music, and even some lighter moments to create a nice entertaining mixture. A few plot lines from the book are excised completely, but other than that there isn't anything else to criticize here.