Review 3: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Rating: Null/10 (10 July 2007)

One thing that I really enjoy about the Harry Potter series is the fact that even though the movies are set up in a fantasy like world, the characters develop a sense of growing up. In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the characters develop teenage habits and start become attracted to other people. Much like real people in our world. So even though the series is fantasy like, the audience still gets characters that they can relate to. The characters developing into adulthood is not only thing that develops in this movie. As suggested by it's "PG-13" rating, the movie is more dark, frightening, scary, and violent. I mean, maybe Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire isn't the worst "PG-13", but some smaller viewers might not be able to handle or understand the developments in this new entry. The movie opens with Harry having a bad dream in which an old man is murdered by a figure that is completely unrecognizable (his body is blocked by a chair anyway). Harry, Ron, and Hermione then continue a new year at Hogwarts were the Tri Wizard Tournaments are being held. The Tri Wizard Tournaments is were champion students from every magical school compete for the Tri Wizard cup. Only if a student is seventeen and is chosen from the Goblet of Fire, can they compete in the tournament. Oddly Harry is chosen from it and is made fun of by all the schools (and his) for cheating the Goblet of Fire. Even though Harry doesn't want to, he now must compete with the contestants Cedric Diggory, Fleur Delacour, and Viktor Krum in dangerous events including dragons, a maze that closes from the end up, and weird fish like creatures (not so dangerous actually). However, as the Tri Wizard competition progresses, odd events happen that link in the end to Lord Voldemort's full return. For me, it wasn't the graphics or the plot or directing that made me so happy about this film. Like I said, the thing that made me most happy was that characters were so easy to relate to because they developed into what real teenagers would be like. Even look closely at the characters. Harry develops an attraction for a girl, Hermione develops into a beautiful young girl (attrating Viktor Krum), and Ron spawns a form of jealousy over Hermione. Maybe this may not be one of the most important key elements in the film, but I think it was pretty important. Overall: A-
-Ben Russell