Review of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) by Bill — 20 Nov 2005

A charmingly darkened coming-of-age as seen through a fantasy world lens. Haltingly adapted from Rowling's slightly-less-than-most-popular of the series, Goblet of Fire delivers a valiant effort at ramping up all the crucial variables in the Potter anthology: Maturity, Romance, Humor, Adolescence, Magical Eyecandy and the impending sense of a looming conflict.

Things that could've been more polished: Voldemort's nose. Where'd it go? Why? This provoked a few unsolicited laughs in the theater I saw it in. And as with the second and third films, Rickman's glorious Snape is woefully underused.

.. While such huge chunks of the book having to be excised (understandably) that there's an almost stuttering feel to the flow of things. Well, it was either that, or have Goblet of Fire I and II.

.. With the actors being in their 30's by the time the movies were done. Nevertheless, from Moaning Myrtle's bathtime advances on a suddenly-babe-magnet Harry to Ron's botched interactions with Hermione, we're seeing this group grow up - shifting away from children's fare.

Like anyone's first teen years, these are treacherous waters for the Potter films and for such a transitional piece, Goblet does pretty well.