Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Analysis/Review
Preface:
Re-watched it in blu-ray on a 4k TV.
Harry Potter Fan.
The mid-point of the series. The hinge. Where everything changes. Where the tone begins to shift from a childhood series to a dark young adult series. The novel itself is thick and sprawling. Apparently there was a huge plot hole or something Rowling had to work around, which led to its…eh, convoluted-ness. The movie is faithful to it in that sense, but that isn’t much of a problem.
Likes:
- Continues the previous film’s aesthetics and world styling. The costumes are similar to the Prisoner of Azkaban and the classrooms of Hogwarts are also the same. The director is different, but he chose the same path as the previous. The consistency is a very good thing.
- It is quite funny in some parts. There are some great humorous moments to it. Cedric giving the hint to Harry is hysterical and the dancing segments were particularly good. Awkward teenagers are an endless source of amusement.
- Action packed. There are a variety of major ‘event’ moments. The dragon scene, the merpeople rescue, the maze, the graveyard duel, and so on. Set pieces that give the movie motion and advance it.
- Epic in scope. There is a lot going onto it. Romance. Intrigue. Friendships tested and forged. Plot progression. It is dense. Rich in a variety of qualities.
- CGI holds up well. Dragon looked great. Really liked the creature design in various parts.
- The scene when Harry portkey backs to the tournament grounds with Cedric’s body and Cedric’s father screams and cries out is so powerful. It is a standout moment for me.
- The interplay between Harry/Ron/Hermione and the other Gryffindor members.
- Voldemort’s voice was on point. The scene at the graveyard was vaguely creepy.
Dislikes:
- There is some unexplained plot elements. Like how did Barty Couch Jr. escape Azkaban? The book explains it (sort of), but the movie does not. This was pretty chronic throughout the movie, but, to be fair, the book explanation is pretty, eh, lackluster so removing altogether frees up the movie to get to the point which is, well, Voldemort being back.
- Speaking of Voldemort, I’m not sure how I feel about his design and look. The teeth bother me, but the snake face effect was done pretty well. Lack of red eyes is a shame, but I’m not crying over it. The film version looks very good for the most part.
- Why all girl/boy for the other schools? The intro scene with them is cool, but…the girl one was so…meh. It makes my eyes roll a little. The Durmstrang one was alright.
- Felt like there could have been more dialogue padding with Krum and Fleur. They weren’t fleshed out that much. Like who are these other champions? Who cares?
Conclusion:
Goblet of Fire was very fun to watch. Maybe not the most substantial in plot of the series, but it certainly has a high entertainment value to it. I’d watch it alone. I have done so, on many occasions. Watching it and re-watching it is an enjoyable. It has a structure that is just so predictable that I can drop into. Easy to fall into and be immersed it. It reminds me of a well-worn sweater, loose and comfortable. And I love sweaters. So Goblet of Fire is pretty good.
