So basically Harry Potthead killed Cedric by saving him in the maze...

Rating: Null/10 (24 September 2007)

An improvement over the third part. HPATGOF is more dynamic, and the humour works better. Not surprisingly, there's more excellent photography and many new gimmicks, some of which remind very much of the LOTR trilogy - Tolkien's books being an endless source of ideas for Rowling.
I would like to say that the lead kid trio have all grown into their roles, but I can't. While marginally better overall than in previous installments, it's only Emma Watson who has a pretty good grip on what she's doing. The kid playing Ron, though ideally cast as far as charisma and the way he looks, seems a little lost in certain scenes, while Radcliffe still cannot shake off the the blandness that is in his nature.
Radcliffe has been cast through some serious connections (his father is a literary agent (what a coincidence!) and his mother a casting agent (another coincidence - amazing!)). Nepotism is NOT the way to go when you're spending something in the order of a billion dollars on making seven movies based on hugely popular kiddie books. However, nowadays the masses are totally uncritical, would watch/accept ANYONE playing Harry Potter (even Paris Hilton, I guess), so from the commercial standpoint I guess it didn't really matter much. I guess in an age when even David Arquette (give me a barf-bag...) can be a star there is nothing to prevent ANY person with influential parents from stardom - no matter how limited or non-existent their talent.
Or maybe talent isn't really required to pass off as an average actor?
As for the casting of other new faces, the guy playing Viktor was a good choice, same goes for Cedric, but I wasn't sure about the French girl; she wasn't attractive enough. But then again, she DOES have a dad who is a theater director, and that as we all know (at least the ones who care) certainly can't hurt when hunting for movie stardom.
Unfortunately, no Thewlis and Oldman this time, but there are still Rickman, Gambon and the charming Richardson to provide for some good stuff, from the adult side of the cast.
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