I guess it is hard to condense a 600 page book

Rating: 7/10 (17 November 2005)

Spoilers lurk below . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . s p o i l e r s
Hmm, saw a sneak preview the day before wide release. Overall it was okay, but some of the decisions made to trim the fat may have lasting impact. In a nutshell the modifications are: Fudge does not have Crouch Jr killed at the end. Problematic since the entire next book details a cover-up that Barties death allows. There was no prize given for winning the tournament, hence, no galleons for the Weasley twins, hence, no Weasley Wizarding Wheezes. Rita Skeeter is only represented as a semi-lecherous reporter. No paparazzi. No animagus. No tension. Dumbledore just doesn't seem like a powerful wizard. More like an absentminded professor. As seen in the pensieve, the accused in a wizard trial is caged in what appears to be an iron maiden of some sort. Weren't devices like these used on witches in our own timeline? Why wouldn't the chair with animated chains work here? Voldemort waxes poetic about love. No, really. The Dark Lord just seemed more like a bad guy from a Clint Eastwood movie and less like the vacant evil shell he was. Grint's acting is getting worse. I really wanted to see a blast-ended skrewt. The maze is missing its monsters. You don't see the Quiditch world cup, just the opening ceremony.
I think the film is really just a series of favorite scenes from the book. I never felt connected, because the development kept getting interrupted and the pacing was awkward.