Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire ****

I'll admit that I'm a huge fanatic of the books, but some of the Harry Potter films have left something to be desired. I suppose the first two films were enjoyable for me because I had read the books and it was an immersion back into a world you had left behind. It wasn't until the third film that I was actually able to appreciate the films as separate entities from the books with a new view into the Potter world. This fourth film manages to stand on it's own, but seems more like a summer action movie than a film based on a Harry Potter book. To start with, the source material for the fourth film is massive and it's almost all integral to the plot (unlike the fifth book where Harry just whines continuously). As if that wasn't enough of an obstacle, this film goes much darker and much deeper into the magical underbelly, while exploring the innocence of young love and puberty at the same time. So it's almost impossible to imagine doing this film without skimping over some things or cutting others out, but I think it was a little too much too quickly.

Most of the awkward puberty and love bits get chucked out of this film in favor of big special effects shots, which - I must say - were incredible. The Quidditch World Cup stadium alone blew Lucas' re-invisioned Star Wars films to, well, a galaxy far far away. The visuals in this film were spectacular. When Harry was fighting the dragon I really thought he was going to bite it, which I don't ever recall thinking when I read it. Also, the Death Eaters and He Who Must Not Be Named were much scarier than I had ever imagined them to be. That being said, I think some of the relationship bits that will be important in the next films between Harry, Hermione and Ron get left out. Besides the Harry, Ron, Hermione "trinity" being important for the next films, it really gives the soul to the Harry Potter films and books.

Daniel Radcliffe gets better every movie and Rupert Grint is his usual lovable goof. But as far as star power is concerned, it's pretty apparent that Emma Watson far outshines her male co-stars and has a much greater depth to her character than Grint or Radcliff have yet to achieve. I hated that Watson seemed to get the love story angle between her character and Ron, while Grint didn't seem to let that come across at all. Leaving the all too familiar romantic comedy problem, when one character seems much more sympathetic and likeable and no one wants them to get together with the boor that's ignoring them anyway. The new characters in this film are all interesting enough, but the reptilian Ralph Fiennes as Voldemort and the return of Moaning Myrtle (Shirley Henderson)stand out in the crowded field of supporting actors. All in all, it's not the best Potter film yet, I think that honor remains with the Cuarón helmed third film, but it's the most action-packed, visually stunning Potter film yet. I wouldn't recommend it for kids under 8 and if you haven't read the books yet you may miss out on quite a few things that they don't take time to explain. And if you haven't read the books yet, what are you waiting for anyway?