Good Harry Potter, but not great Harry Potter

Rating: 8/10 (30 December 2005)

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005), directed by Mike Newell, is a must-see movie for Harry Potter fans.
It can't be easy to direct a Harry Potter film--each book is crammed with new characters and a complex plot. Director Newall tries to squeeze in as many events and plot twists as possible, but the film still struck me as rushed and poorly edited. If you've seen the three previous movies, and read the book, everything will make sense and you can lean back and enjoy the special effects. Otherwise, some of the scenes will will be confusing and hard to follow.
The acting is uniformly excellent, especially in the case of the lead actors: Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, Emma Watson as Hermione Granger, and Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley.
The supporting actors--Timothy Spall, Michael Gambon, Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, and Miranda Richardson are all skilled professionals who perform their roles with their usual competence.
If you're a Harry Potter fan, you obviously should and will see this movie. If not, I don't think there's any compelling reason to seek it out.