HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE

HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE
By Aine

I know I am extremely biased as a huge fan of the books and of the films so far, but I am absolutely in love with Harry Potter and Goblet of Fire. If my attention wasn’t being pulled in twenty different directions all the time, I’d be going to see it repeatedly, like I’ve done with the other films. I have no shame. I will even admit that as the opening credits began, a tear came to my eye; Harry Potter is a beautiful thing.

The look of things in the film was identical to what I pictured in my head as I read the book. This just proves that J.K. Rowling is one hell of a great writer, and the director of the film isn’t too shabby either. The world of Harry Potter is more visually stunning than even the works of Tim Burton, and it’s easy to get lost.

If you’ve been hearing that this is the darkest of the films you are absolutely right, and they’re only going to get darker if they continue down the same path as the books, which is a good thing. Life isn’t all flowers and candy, even for a wizard. There are even deaths and downright terrifying moments in the Goblet of Fire, and I really wouldn’t recommend bringing very small children to it. As someone who deals primarily in the horror genre, take it from me, it’s PG-13 for a reason.

By now we’ve all learned that trouble has a way of finding Harry Potter, and this time is no different. It begins innocently enough, as Harry attends the Quidditch World Cup with his friend Ron and family. Being Irish, I was particularly amused by the dancing leprechaun fireworks display. But things go from hero-worship on the part of Ron for his Bulgarian Quidditch hero, Viktor Krum, to fleeing from terror in a matter of minutes.

The “Death Eaters” attack. Death Eaters are, of course, minions of Lord Voldemort, and Voldemort (played by Ralph Fiennes) is making a comeback of epic proportions.

Meanwhile, the Bulgarians, and the French are visiting Hogwarts for something called the Tri-Wizard Tournament: a dangerous competition for the older students only. Each of the three schools has a champion who must compete in a series of potentially lethal challenges for the Tri-Wizard Cup. Cedric Diggory is chosen as the Hogwarts champion by the Goblet of Fire, an enchanted goblet that picks the finalists. But mysteriously Harry Potter’s name is also chosen, much to his own dismay. After an almost frightening confrontation with a not-very-happy Dumbledore, he is allowed to compete. I have to admit that Michael Gambon as Dumbledore is much more believable this time around, but that may just be because he has so much more to do in this story than he did in the previous Prisoner of Azkaban.

The moments leading up to the first challenge are filled with typical Hogwarts hilarity: Ron having to dance with Professor McGonagall, getting in trouble with Snape (again!), budding romances between Hermione and Victor, Harry and Cho, Ron and Hermione?, and Hagrid and Madam Maxime, the instructor for the French girls, and the fun of learning about spells with the perfectly cast Brendan Gleeson as Mad Eye Moody. When will they ever learn that the ones who teach Dark Arts are always crazy, or at least they seem that way.

Harry inadvertently learns that the first challenge will be to steal a golden egg from a very pissed off fire-breathing dragon. After a heart-to-heart chat with Mad Eye, he comes up with a tactic and we’re treated to a spectacular flying sequence full of dives, suspense, and, well, a dragon.

The next challenge is a little more illusive, but with a hint from Cedric (Diggory) and some help from Moaning Myrtle, he figures it out. Kudos to the return of Moaning Myrtle and her new flirtatious ways, I was almost shocked at how forward she was. Even the dead have to get their thrills I guess. (Also of note is the appearance of David Tennant, who will be playing the new Doctor Who.)

During the next challenge Harry decides to go above and beyond the call of duty and ends up winning for being a goodie-two-shoes essentially. He moves on to the final challenge: a super scary maze that makes your mind play tricks on you and sometimes worse. The first to reach the Tri-Wizard Cup, and touch it, wins. After some scary moments, and what looks like a zombie effect on a certain student, Harry ends up playing the goodie goodie again when winning becomes a secondary goal.

I won’t give away the ending in case you’re one of the few who doesn’t know what’s going on with this series, but man, you are in for a treat. There is some major evil going on, and some major sadness. As I mentioned before, parents of small children who haven’t been reading the books, there is some heavy content in this one, you might want to leave your little one at home if these things are going to come as a surprise. (Speaking of leaving little ones at home, please don’t bring toddlers and three month old babies to movies and ruin it for everyone else when they won’t be quiet. This goes for all movies, not just Harry Potter.)

I couldn’t possible list every thing that went on in this movie, there’s just too much. I can tell you that some things from the book didn’t make it in, but I can also reassure you that they weren’t missed, everything was pretty much perfect, and I don’t really have a single gripe. I absolutely cannot wait to see what they do with the next film, Order of the Phoenix. If it’s anything like the book, it is going to be a drooling, weeping good time. As I keep saying, “it’s just so good!”