Harry Potter and the Teenage Angst

Rating: 6/10 (2 December 2005)

When the first few Harry Potter movies came out, many fans were concerned. Important themes and subplots were being cut, and those movies were based on 300-400 page books. What were the film makers going to do when they had to tackle such formidable books such as Goblet of Fire and Order of the Phoenix? Well, the answer has been revealed. Goblet of Fire, although flashy and fun for a Harry Potter fan, falls short of the mark set by the first three books and disappoints the book it is based on.
Many readers agree that Goblet of Fire was one of the most powerful books, and it was certainly the bridge between Harry's boyhood and his maturity. Themes of death, love, and loss start to emerge in Goblet of Fire.
The movie misses the mark by focusing only on a few elements of the book while ignoring others. The subplots that the film attempts are mutilated and make no sense in the movie, because there isn't enough time devoted to them. Meanwhile, there are scenes of meaningless drivel, especially in an extensive scene at a dance. After ten minutes of watching teenage awkwardness, I grew angry. I was here to watch Harry Potter! If I wanted teenage angst I could go back to middle school.
There are a few good scenes in the movie, but overall the director failed to fairly represent the Goblet of Fire. Sadly, many people will only see this movie and not read the book. They will miss out on a great deal of magic.