Good but not great

Rating: 7/10 (10 June 2004)

I mildly enjoyed it, but all this fuss about it being better than the first two is not true.
If you have not seen the movie or read the book, I recommend seeing the movie first and then letting the book fill in the gaps for you.
The movie's breakneck pace is too fast - you never have time to properly understand or savor anything. It's always "on to the next thing, quick!". Most of the characters besides Harry, Ron, Hermione and Lupin are cameos, including Dumbledore, McGonnagall and Snape. There is no depth.
Questions answered in the book are not answered here. Why does Lupin know about the Marauder's Map? Who created the map? Why is the Patronus a stag?
How does Harry trust Sirius after, oh about thirty seconds, without an adequate explanation? What potion does Lupin take and why? What is Snape's connection to Lupin? Why and how are there so many Animagi? Who is that crazy knight cavorting around the paintings? The list goes on and on. The film is good but the book is a far richer experience.
There were other items I found irritating. Harry can't use magic at home, but the movie opens with him practicing a spell. X! The Whomping Willow is smaller now, in a different location and is a breeze to sneak past. XX! Crabbe and Goyle are both in the film, but Malfoy ends up most of the time hanging around with Crabbe and some other kid?? XXX!
Bottom Line: I was not sure before, but now I agree that Goblet of Fire should be two movies or it will be an even more hurried affair than this one.