Weakest of the Harry Potter movies

Rating: 6/10 (10 December 2005)

This is definitely a good movie but certainly not a great one. It does not compare well with the other Harry Potter movies. This one is big on special effects and action and although it touches on the characters' emotional issues it never addresses any of those issues in depth. This is unfortunately a typical Hollywood blockbuster type of movie that lacks the charm of the prior Harry Potter movies. There is no uplifting feeling to any aspect of this movie. When it's over, it's simply over. Certainly Azkaban was not as charming as the first two, but Azkaban replaced that charm with a definite edge. Goblet lacks that edge. Since the cast was excellent, with the exception of Michael Gambon who continues his lethargic portrayal of Dumbeldore, the blame must fall squarely at the feet of new series director Mike Newell. I can only hope that the DVD fleshes out some of the many themes from the book that were abandoned by the movie.