Harry Potter Movies Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Movie

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, was released in U.S. movie theaters on November 18, 2005.

The film version of the very popular Harry Potter book by JK Rowling covers Harry and friends' fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Directed by Mike Newell with screenplay by Steven Kloves, the now familiar faces of Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, Rupert Grint playing Ron Weasley, and Emma Watson as the brilliant wizard Hermione Granger was joined by many of their old friends as well as some new ones.

Brendan Gleeson's Mad-Eye Moody is introduced as the new Defense of the Dark Arts teacher and has his work cut out for him as Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and Cedric Diggory (Robert Pattinson) were chosen from the Hogwarts students to compete in the Tri-Wizard Tournament.

The prize of the tournament, the Goblet of Fire trophy, is the key to Harry's battle with the dark wizard, Lord Voldemort. Besides the thrills of the Tournament and the threats of Voldemort, this film adds a quick look at the World Cup for Quidditch and the Hogwarts' Yule Ball dance which results in love interests for each of the main characters, adding a bit of romance and teenage drama to the plot as childish characters grow up to begin facing adult challenges and responsibilities.

Movie review

The evil Voldemort is once again plotting revenge on the boy wizard in the movie version of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. From the slithering snake leading you to the opening credits in Harry's worst nightmare to the scenes of the army of Deatheaters sprinkled through the story, it is clear that he who should not be named is gathering strength for a resurrection.

Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), with his mates Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) are teens and in their 4th year of their magical studies at Hogwarts. As the friends mature, scholarly studies play less of a role than sports, romance and fighting the Dark Lord. The action and special effects are as stunning as the previous Harry Potter films, but it is the focus on the real life issues the teens face as they become young adults that sets this movie apart.

and introducing .... Mad Eye Moody.

Hormones, changing relationships among the friends and their classmates, questions of integrity and peer pressure are all part of being a teenager. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire lets you see the young wizards as teens who have to face the same questions as any high school student. They may have magical spells and wands, but it doesn't help them get dates for the Yule Ball or make Ron feel better about having formal clothes that are out of style. Even the famous Harry Potter has to deal with rejection from Ravenclaw Seeker Cho Chang, the girl he asks to the ball.

Snape (Alan Rickman), is as diabolical as ever. He is still as strict with Harry and his friends and not above applying a whack or two with a textbook as they whisper together in class. Alastor "Mad Eye" Moony (Brendan Gleeson) is the newest Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. The Hogwarts students are understandably terrified of him and there is no doubt that his eye is not the only thing "mad' about him. His teaching methods and discipline are not standard Hogwarts. Miranda Richardson's Rita Skeeter, the reporter assigned to write about the TriWizard Tournament, is someone you will love to hate. Dumbledore (Michael Gambon), Prof. McGonagall (Maggie Smith) and Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane) are all back providing Harry with advice and support.

If you read Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, you'll find that some of the details -- especially in the romance department -- are left out of the movie. Keep in mind that the book was very long. At 157-minute running time not including the credits, all of the important details are included. The actual playing of the Quidditch World Cup game and Hermione's SPEW campaign are eliminated, but the movie doesn't suffer. The portrayals of JK Rowling's characters in the movie are true to the book. The action leading up to the Quidditch World Cup and all of the TriWizard Challenges are breathtaking. The graveyard confrontation between Voldemort and Harry near the end of the movie is fast paced and a bit gruesome.

Let the games begin

There be dragons.

The Goblet of Fire focuses on the TriWizard Tournament. Three wizard's schools from around the world meet every three years to challenge each other to claim the honor of having the best wizard.

The French wizard academy Beauxbatons' champion is the beautiful and brainy Fleur Delacour (Clémence Poésy). The entrance of the girl's school group is well done from the flying couch to the acrobatics as they enter the hall at Hogwarts.

The other school entering the competition is Durmstrang a boy's school represented by Viktor Krum (Stanislav Ianevski). His name may rhyme with dumb, but this champion makes up for his lack of creativity with his strength and the guidance of the Durmstrang Headmaster, Igor Karkaroff.

The Hogwarts' champion is Cedric Diggory (Robert Pattinson), a capable and well liked older student. Through the intervention of Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes), Harry Potter winds up getting added to the competitors at the last minute.

The scenes featuring the champions in the challenges are suspenseful and here is where the magical realm is displayed at its finest. The scenery and the magical creatures are beautiful, disturbing and extremely dangerous. The final challenge brings Harry face to face with Voldemort and his death-eaters in a duel that is heart pounding.

In the Goblet of Fire, the Harry Potter tale turns decidedly darker and, while most of the action sequences are fine for the whole family they are a bit frightening. By the final scenes of the Goblet of Fire in the screening we attended, a few younger children were whispering to their parents that it was getting "too scary." This movie is rated PG-13 and parents should think about trying to avoid having younger children see it. It should be a thrill for most tweens and teens. Our group ranged from 8th grade through grandparents and everyone agreed that it was, without question, the best Harry Potter movie so far.

More about Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire around the Web:

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Internet Movie Database - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Photos from the movie, bios and filmography for the each of the credited cast members and others associated with the film, comments, a forum for discussing the film with other fans and much more...

Rotten Tomatoes - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) - Check out this archive featuring excerpts of what movie reviewers had to say from major US publications coast to coast.