Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
AMC Fenway 13
* * * 1/4 (out of 4)

I loved Prisoner of Azkaban. I thought they hit the perfect mood and feel for the book, and also for the age that the three main characters were hitting – that kind of confusing, immediately pre-puberty period where you’re really not sure what to do with yourself. It was just dark enough to facilitate a great transition from being a kid’s book or movie.

The fourth installment picks up the tone about where the third left off. I should also mention that this is the first film based on a Harry Potter book that I have not read. Because of this, I have no idea what’s been changed or cut or added, which is either good or bad, depending on how much you might love the books. That lack of knowledge of the book contributes, I suspect, to my one major gripe in this film.

In the previous films, Harry, Hermoine and Ron were relatively inseparable. Yes, Harry had his own side plots and adventures, but they always seemed like subplots compared to the overall plot that involved all three of them. The other two always made sacrifices to ensure Harry – the star – did what he had to do, but they were major players. I feel like Goblet of Fire is the first time Hermoine and Ron are relegated to sidekick or best friend duty. I understand there was always going to be a point where Harry began dominating the films… I guess I just wasn’t ready for it yet. I enjoy watching the other two so much more than Harry.

Fortunately, Daniel Radcliffe picks up some slack in this one. He does step into his role as the sole star of the film (as a title character ought to do), which is fantastic for him, but character-wise, everyone else suffers for it. I was somewhat shocked to see and hear people behind me crying at the death of one of the supporting characters, because besides being a piece of the Tri-Wizard Tournament that is at the center of the film… he didn’t do anything. At no point did he say or do anything interesting or important. I think this might be one of the places that a character was cut down significantly from the books. The same with the Quidditch World Cup. I’ve enjoyed the quidditch scenes from the previous films, and they teased a HUGE match at the beginning of Goblet, and then never followed through.

The tone was great; they really picked up where Alfonso Cuarón left off. The appearance of Voldemort, which has been getting built for four years, basically lived up to expectations, and I’m looking forward to Ralph Fiennes in freaky makeup in the future. I am, however, very worried about the marginalization of the fantastic supporting cast that the films have built over the last four years – I know it’s Harry Potter’s story, but I have my doubts that it is a burden he can shoulder by himself on film.