Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Unfortunately, after the fourth attempt the Harry Potter movies remain for me only a slightly above-average fantasy spectacle with a big budget. I didn't expect any miracles from Mike Newell (when even a strong author like Cuarón couldn't do it, what do you expect from a conservative Englishman?) and I didn't get any, either. The first part of the film is a boring sequence of unmemorable episodes and conversations that mirror the director's insecurity and lack of familiarity with the fantasy world of J.K. Rowling. The fourth Harry Potter unsurprisingly finally gets going during the prom scene, which fits Newell's sentimental-comedy nature and is brought out with British charm and humorous ease. Another positive is the second part of the film after the interlude, when Newell is better able to evoke the much-rehashed dark atmosphere. Although he is constantly desperately helping himself with guaranteed props (rain, fog, gargoyles), even a viewer unfamiliar with the book has a chance to find some grateful spots (maze, underwater scene) in the more dynamic sequences of Master Potter's magic tirades. If I put it together retroactively, it's a slightly disparate splinter that lacks firmer motivation and a stronger story to make a skeleton out of it. Moreover, the logic of the book (as I asked) is quite leaky, and the film does not count on uninitiated viewers in places. The ending suggests that perhaps next time we Potter-infidels will be watching something other than the endless series Hogwarts 90210. I summarize: the fourth Potter film is far from achieving the qualities of Cuarón's predecessor - it is again more childish, starchy, less civil, old-fashioned, but mainly much more supported by props. The acting is once again mediocre (but Hermione confirms growth in all aspects, which is nice to see). Technically, it's fabulous, spectacular, pampered. Unfortunately, it's a little hard for me to look at beautiful color pictures for three hours when I lack deeper emotions behind it. But that's just my problem. (12/11/2005)

You might well expect that the best part of this series based on a 570-page book would be difficult to adapt. A priority was the main story around the tournament itself, but the creators couldn’t help themselves from at least a taste of the remaining elements to avoid disappointing the fans... Unfortunately this was a mistake, because this movie has a little taste of everything, but all in all it seems like nothing. Nothing is (fully) said, if you haven’t read the novel, you won’t orient yourself, drastic truncation of the fundamental scenes might be understandable, but it is shocking that the longest (and paradoxically the best) scene of this picture and most important for the story is the ball. The low-quality screenplay could be saved only by the steady hand of a director with a clear vision that he wants to film. Which unfortunately Newell was unable to do and so was unable to add the smallest hint of emotion even to the most receptive scenes like the finale in the cemetery. Something simply happens and we carry on with the rest of the movie. And doesn’t help that the music is completely drowned out, so you don’t notice it at all during the movie, which is surprising considering the outstanding soundtrack. The only thing that Newel managed to do in the Goblet of Fire is the adolescent aspect and the action scenes, but Harry Potter isn’t about that. It is pretty easy to watch, but it relies too obviously on the Harry Potter brand, instead on filmmaking qualities. (11/21/2010)

When Harry and Ron have a falling out and piss Hermione off, you feel that it's really happening, not that the actors are just acting out something in the script. And that's great. Despite the abundance of action scenes (and that there are a lot of them in Goblet of Fire and that they are good), this is what I liked most about the fourth installment of the Potter saga. And when the teenage magicians tried to ask the female teenage magicians to the ball, when they learned to dance, and when they eventually danced, there was so much feeling and tenderness and perhaps even romance... No Beverly Hills, no Teen Idol romance, really believable situations. Well, Mike Newell. As far as the young actors are concerned, I was very pleasantly surprised by Robert Pattinson, who I haven't seen in any film so far and who is very likable. The adult ensemble cast is traditionally excellent, especially the slapping Snape and Dumbledore, who certainly doesn't give that tired old man impression anymore thanks to Michael Gambon. Plus the casting of Brendan Gleeson as Mad-Eye Moody was a great idea, and I don't think I'll even mention Ralph Fiennes as Voldemort. He looks great, and his resurrection definitely matched the darkest moments of Cuarón's previous contribution in terms of horror atmosphere. In conclusion: Great music by Patrick Doyle, John Williams couldn't have asked for a better successor. (09/09/2015)

If I may express the opinion of an ordinary Muggle such as myself, Newell has not spoiled anything, but neither has he impressed. First of all, there’s not a single scene or a single character that impressed, intrigued or frightened me. I recall with a tear in my eye Cuarón's stylish dementors who strummed the dark string of the story so perfectly; in Newell's film, the darkness is represented by Voldemort, who wouldn't scare my hamster (and I like Ralph that much) and whose overacting theatrical finale is one of the film's weakest moments. But the main problem is the lack of deeper emotions (at least for me) and the too fragmented narrative. Many scenes are plotless, Newell hastily, probably thanks to the script, jumps from scene to scene, a person untouched by the book's source material gropes, and the bare fact remains that only readers who can compare their visual imagination with what is happening on the screen can fully appreciate this film. I believe it would have helped to "stretch" the film, or divide it into two parts and make the plot feel fuller. Oh, and by the way, I no longer want a hypogryph, mow I'm longing for a "frogwood", with my swimming misery it would be good to show off in front of the women in the pool :) (02/21/2006)

When I saw this episode of the series in the cinema, it made quite an impression on me, mainly because it was again so grandiose, unlike the third episode, which I actually quite liked for its intimacy. The effects are absolutely amazing in some places, no doubt about that, but the truth is that apart from the emotional finale, not much of it stayed in my head afterwards. And I think I like the fourth book the most. It's an excellent film, but for me, the third one is still the winner. (12/30/2014)