Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

I want whoever designed the Yule Ball outfits as my personal fashion consultant.

In “Goblet of Fire,” we finally get the arrival of Mike Newell, one of the most visionary and creative directors, who kicked off a new magical tone that was carried through the rest of the franchise by David Yates – leaving his visual mark in a spectacular way. It’s also in this chapter that things start to get way more dangerous and dark (definitely more intense than what we saw in “Chamber of Secrets” and “Prisoner of Azkaban,” which is important to note).

The movie sets the tone from the very beginning, with Nagini slithering through the graveyard that will soon become the setting for one of the franchise’s biggest twists. Plus, Newell plunges the film into a much darker atmosphere compared to the earlier movies, emphasizing that Hogwarts is no longer as safe as it should be: on one side, we have Harry Potter dealing with strange, recurring dreams about Voldemort; on the other, we have the tension of the Triwizard Tournament and the mystery of who threw Harry into this dangerous situation, literally putting him in the dragon’s den.

Once again, the script by the excellent Steve Kloves doesn’t waste time on random or filler scenes: everything shown on screen matters to the story. Kloves’ writing also brings us even closer to the characters, giving extra attention to some – like Neville, who at one point plays a huge role in helping Harry overcome one of the obstacles. The reactions of the characters, along with the cinematography, make it clear how urgent and dangerous the situation is: like during the first task with the dragons, and Dumbledore’s attitude (which, to this day, is criticized by fans who’ve read the books).

Newell directs all the action scenes with absolute energy: while we don’t see much of the other competitors during the first task, this “lack” is made up for by the nail-biting chase as Harry escapes the Hungarian Horntail across the skies of Hogwarts. The second task, though more “slow-paced” underwater, still builds tension effectively. But the third task is the real peak: not just for what happens inside the maze, but for the jaw-dropping twist that introduces the return of the terrifying Lord Voldemort. This sequence is a mix of shock, anxiety, and tension, making it one of the best-executed moments in the entire series. The buildup in the previous chapters and the two hours of “Goblet of Fire” all pay off with what we see on screen.

Daniel Radcliffe continues to charm as Harry: it’s wonderful seeing him so amazed when he steps into Mr. Weasley’s tent before the Quidditch match at the beginning of the movie. As in “Prisoner of Azkaban,” Radcliffe is given a much heavier emotional load, as Harry not only faces real dangers but also grapples with his own romantic feelings. On top of that, the complexity of Harry and Ron’s friendship throughout much of the film enhances Rupert Grint’s performance. As for Emma Watson: I never realized how much she likes to change expressions quickly in this film – lots of exaggerated reactions that, at times, feel a bit forced.

We also have the addition of Ralph Fiennes, who, right from his first scene, makes it clear that no other actor could capture the pure evil of Lord Voldemort. And Brendan Gleeson is fantastic as Mad-Eye Moody – his performance becomes even more interesting once you know the twist about his character at the end. Lastly, regarding Michael Gambon: many fans complain about Dumbledore’s urgency and stress, especially compared to the book where he appears calm, and in the movie, he’s much more agitated. This also threw me off the first few times I watched the movie, but within the context of the scenes themselves, his behavior makes sense: just take a look at the chaos that literally follows him when he questions Harry about putting his name in the Goblet of Fire.

Packed with flawless visual effects and featuring a fascinating new visual identity (the Dark Mark, the spell flashes – all worth mentioning), “Goblet of Fire” is yet another GREAT entry in the Harry Potter franchise that nails the crucial transition from “innocence” to “darkness.”

Still annoyed we didn't see (part of) the Quidditch World Cup match.

The Triwizard tournament is amazing, great to see new schools as well. Althought I find Harry a bit of a cheater when brooms aren't allowed and then he just accio's it in there.

The scene were Voldemort returns is scary as hell, the death of Cedric Diggory is so brutal and the "THAT'S MY BOY" scene is chilling.

Beautiful music, "Harry in Winter" being my favourite and the Hogwarts' March is epic.

My second favorite Harry Potter movie, right after Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. I remember loving this movie as a kid and I'm glad the feeling still holds. For now, this is the last Harry Potter movie that has a top rating given by me, we'll see if I'll raise a rating of the ones I'm missing. Seeing this element of the franchise reminded me that there was a time when I really wanted this Funko figure, in honor of Cedric, one of the sadly and unfairly least explored characters in the wizarding world of Hogwarts. Maybe I'll finally buy it....

Though it in no way compares to the book, this movie was exciting and funny. It is probably my favorite of the series of films.

I know it's a long movie already and the book was also very long but they missed SO much out of the movie. There were so many scenes that would have made the film so much better and would have provided people who don't read the books with better content and more information and context of the trio's fourth year.

What a film, a fantastical fourth film for the Harry Potter trilogy

My favourite Harry Potter movie. I love the extension of characters we see in this one, especially love the Yule Ball scene and of course the actual tournament scenes.

As I recall, this one was one of my favourite Harry Potter movies but now this time I didn't find it that exceptional, I think I prefer the previous ones.