Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
By The Misfit | November 19, 2005
I’m not quite sure where to start with this one. With Azkaban, it was relatively easy to pinpoint exactly what the problem was for me. Goblet of Fire is much harder to decipher in those terms.
I enjoyed it, and will go see it at least once more in the theatre when I get to Atlanta to pick up anything I missed the first time around, but there is just something I can’t put my finger on. The acting was strong all across the board, though admittedly there were one or two “cringe” moments. The rebirth of Voldemort was nothing short of amazing, and, as I emailed to Cactus Girl, there was something erotically hot about it (the fact that it’s Ralph Fiennes helps, I’m sure). I loved Professor Flitwick’s new look. The new awareness creeping up between Ron and Hermione was handled quite nicely. It didn’t flow for me, though. Everything was there, but the movie jumped from one situation to another without the added benefit of seamlessness.
But there’s still something that was evident in the first two movies, missing for me from the subsequent films. Maybe it’s the sense of wonder the Chris Columbus was able to capture; Hogwarts was new to Harry – everything it encompassed was awe-inspiring not only for Harry, but for Ron and Hermione, as well. The films have lost that. While the kids must grow up, just as in real life, it’s sad to me that they’ve lost that sense of wonder. Perhaps that’s part of the darkening of the wizarding world that encompasses the world of Harry Potter, and part of the growing-up process (which, in real life, should be declared illegal – the loss of childlike awe, I mean, not growing up).
The best part about both Sorcerer’s Stone and Chamber of Secrets was how they seemed to ignore the darker side of the magical world, but if you take a second look, that darkness is there, hidden just beneath the surface. With the new films, the darkness is ever-present, as it should be, but the good things about life are ignored and pushed to the background without so much of a hint of their existence. In some ways I can understand that because the return of Voldemort means all hell is about to break loose. But there should be calm before any storm, and that just hasn’t happened.
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