Lots missing but you hardly notice

Rating: 8/10 (29 November 2005)

I cannot say enough about Brendan Gleason and Ralph Fiennes, two actors that have given more in their respective performances than you could hope for. Everything that Voldemort represents, the way he looks and sounds, even how he holds his wand, all are exquisitely realized in Fiennes' performance. And Gleason's portrayal of Moody is more than masterful. It is fun and thrilling.
One reason why I continue to go to the movies even though I'm now 53 years old is the amazement I feel and the admiration I have for the movie makers' ability to show me something I never imagined. I've read GoF three times, but there were so many beautifully realized images given to us by the film makers that so far surpassed anything that I saw in my mind's eye. It's tough to tag the absolute best. I was as likely to be tickled by a small thing as by, say, the stupendous emergence of the Durmstrang ship from out of the lake. For example, the curtsy by the girls from Beauxbatons as they entered the Great Hall was one of those wonderful little movie touches that only last a moment but make a lasting impression. Certainly everyone was wowed by the moving TV screen inside the quidditch stadium, but I find the attention to detail in the less spectacular scenes to be more memorable.
Other examples: The owlery is now a separate tower from the rest of the castle. I thought that was a very neat idea. And making the maze fill up the valley behind Hogwarts instead of occupying just the quidditch pitch was nifty, too. The emulation of wallflowers by Harry and Ron with their moping dates was perfectly done. The tension in Moody's first Defense class was ominous and palpable. Snape climbing the ladder in his potions store was just right. The transformation of the spacious wizard courtroom of the novel into the crammed and cramped little chamber with the open air iron maiden in the middle was beautifully done. The sweet moments with Hagrid and Madame Maxime as when his hand slips down to her rump during the ball and she hoists it back up to the small of her back...the awkward and touching encounter between Harry and Cho in the owlery...Moody making faces behind McGonagall's back...these things are what make seeing the movies such a pleasure. And Goblet of Fire is loaded with them.
Sure, there were things that didn't please me as much. For example, the maze's only menace came from the clinging vines and a possessed Krum. No spider, no blast-ended skrewts, and no sphinx. But the climax in the graveyard made up for it.
I'm at the age where my ability to hear the middle tones of peoples' voices is affected. Thus my disappointment with Rupert Grint whom I'd considered the strongest actor of the big three. I had to keep myself from calling out, "Mumbling! I can't understand you!" as Willy Wonka would say. The theater in which I saw GoF had the volume turned way up so I shouldn't have missed any dialog. But, as it was, I had to have missed half of Grint's dialog because of his grunting.
Some of the things that are missing: Rita Skeeter is never revealed as an animagus; there is no confrontation with a disbelieving Fudge at the end; and no elves whatsoever! That I thought would have been difficult to pull off, but screenwriter Steve Kloves managed it.
But even as I think of the shortcomings and disappointments I'm again thrilled by all of the marvelous things in this movie: Sirius Black's appearance in the fire as a face made out of living coals; Karkaroff's confession from inside the iron maiden; McGonagall's scolding of Moody after he turned Malfoy into a ferret and forced him down Crabbe's pants; the departure of the Beauxbatons carriage and its salute of the Durmstrang ship way out on the lake; Miranda Richardson's performance as Rita Skeeter; Harry's leap out of the water once he has his gills; and Harry saying, "I love magic!" This movie wasn't a 10 or even a 9, and I still like The Prisoner of Azkaban better, but wow! What a thrilling ride!