Harry Loses Much Of His Charm

Rating: Null/10 (18 January 2006)

Mike Newell's attempt to darken the tone of the Harry Potter franchise in 'Goblet of Fire' is welcome. Out go a number of the more tricksy background CGI embellishments, and a greater attempt is made to develop Harry's character. The opening is genuinely creepy, and there are more opportunities for Daniel Radcliffe to interact with, rather than react to, other performers. Ralph Feinnes as Voldermort is gleefully grim, works well with the young lead, and it would have been nice to see more of him. Newell references many a horror movie to good effect, but this, essentially, is where the film falters: the characters and the plot just aren't distinct enough to penetrate the darkness, and the inevitable lesson-learned  about the finality of death  is somewhat undermined by Harry having just survived his latest encounter with Lord V through the intervention of his long-dead parents (not to mention an odd bathroom encounter with the increasingly randy  disturbingly so as wee Danny's 16 and Shirley Henderson is 37  Moaning Myrtle. Radcliffe is a more confident presence than in previous ventures, but he doesn't have sufficient presence to carry the film. All in all a game attempt at redeveloping the franchise, and occasionally visually interesting  but let down by an insubstantial script and characters.