MOVIE REVIEW: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Directed by Mike Newell (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Mona Lisa Smile). Starring the usual trio of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint. They are joined by Brendan Gleeson and Ralph Fiennes who perform the newly introduced charachters.

Another successful instalment to the untouchably successful Harry Potter franchise. As my favorite of the books, the combined levity of the romantic sequences and the most violent action yet in the series, makes for a more varied and substantial experience than it's predecessor Prisoner of Azkaban, which was largely dark from beginning to end. The performances and production are of the high level we have come to expect from Harry Potter films and continues to set the benchmark for the children's fantasy film and any other would be contenders in the family market!

However the film did suffer from the most prevalent problem in adaptations from novel form - brevity. As the books get sequentially larger, the maximum length of the films do not grow by anywhere near as much and ultimately many sequences are lost entirely, transition shots are kept to a bare minimum, and the pacing of the films are increasingly rushed. As part of a series, continuity also demands inclusion of details and plot fundamental sequences too which further burden the screenwriter and director. Unfortunately I must realistically shelve hopes of the 6'th or final installments being anything like the smooth and complete film The Philosopher's Stone was.

I also didn't like the dramatic change in the performance of Dumbledore, Michael Gambon, who's charachter suddenly (from previous films) becomes far, far more energetic, aggressive and impatient than the same charachter in both films and novels. Brendon Gleeson was entertaining as Moody however I felt the animator's and the director could have made him more intriguing with extended use of his 'mad-eye' which was largely underutilised I thought, and in unimaginative shots. In a personal dislike, I didn't imagine Cho Chang with a heavy scottish accent!

All in all a very entertaining film - Oh! And it had Dragons! Score!