Movie Review: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)

Looking back on these reviews of the Harry Potter series, I could not believe that I'm already talking about number 4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is directed by Mike Newell and stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Michael Gambon, Robbie Coltrane, Alan Rickman, Tom Felton, Brendan Gleeson, and Ralph Fiennes. The movie focuses on Harry Potter as he goes into his fourth year at Hogwarts and is mysteriously chosen to participate in the Triwizard Tournament (A series of extremely dangerous, 3 tasks that Harry must compete in) Rewatching Goblet of Fire was a great experience for me because not only is this one of my favorite Harry Potter movies out of the entire eight - filmmography, but this is also a great film. It's so dark and suspenseful and it has a fantastic who done it type mystery that almost makes Goblet of Fire  like a thriller. I loved this movie. The film also reaches a much more emotional height then in the previous film. It's definite progress in the series as we see the characters and the story line mature. Mike Newell's direction in this film feels so coherent. This is the Harry Potter film that to me has the most linear feel to it. It's not a bunch of scenes cut together (not that any of the films are that bad), but this is the movie that really gets the sequence of events correct. In my mind Goblet of Fire is also excellent because it doesn't contain anything not important. Everything is valid in this movie. You don't just watch pieces of it because that wouldn't make any sense. This is a movie with no scene that should be wasted. Every moment on screen matters and contributes equally to the story. The new characters and including the original, great cast were terrific the Goblet of Fire. Brendan Gleeson as Mad Eye Moody channels just the right amount of heart and insanity. Not to mention Robert Pattinson as Cedric Diggory in a surprisingly great performance from him. I saw this movie way before Twilight was even a thing and Diggory's character was always something that stood out to me. His character is so well composed and created and crafted. I've been leaving one out on purpose and that would be Ralph Fiennes as Lord Voldemort. Voldemort is a character that always really mystifies me because the story doesn't get affected by how we do not sympathize with him. We don't really give any emotional weight to Voldemort because your not as invested in him. It's the one flaw with Harry Potter that I always wondered why they never chose that. That being said, in the books Voldemort was the same character, and I never felt anything for him or even about him there either. Other than that, Voldemort is evil, sinister, and great. I loved Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and I think it's actually one of the best movies in the entire film series. Overall, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a great film with a fantastic, emotional, well directed narrative. Four stars