Movie Review of "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire"
Rated PG-13
By CK Movie Kid Jonathan Lack

The novel of the fourth Harry Potter story is 734 pages long. The movie is two and a half hours long. You'd think the producers would be cutting most of the book out for the fourth movie, ruining the story. But it isn't the case.

As with all the movies, all the classes are cut, and some of the smaller side plots are missing. But the essential storyline is there, completely intact. The fourth movie doesn't have you leaving the theater wishing they'd put more stuff from the book in it. The adaptation is great and it makes for a great movie.

For those of you not familiar with the story, Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts and learns that the Triwizard Tournament is being played at Hogwarts. Two rival schools, Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, and Durmstrang Institute, are also competing in the tournament. A champion is selected from each school. Victor Krum for Durmstrang, Fleur Delacour for Beauxbatons, and Cedric Diggory for Hogwarts. But the selector of the champions, the Goblet of Fire, also selects Harry Potter. Who put his name in the goblet? And is Harry in for another unforgettable year at Hogwarts?

The movie is truly spectacular in the areas of special effects and storytelling, but also, the actors for the trio (Harry, Ron and Hermione) have come a long way from the beginning. In the third movie, Prisoner of Azkaban, Daniel Radcliffe's (Harry Potter's) onscreen crying was almost laughable, it was so cheesy. In this one, everyone's emotions are believable, and add to the movie.

The score for this movie was not done by John Williams, who did the first three. The score was written by composer Patrick Doyle, who worked the John Williams themes into the movie magnificently, and added some great new themes and songs. This was probably the best score so far.
I would recommend this movie to ages 10 or 11 and up. Not only would anyone younger not understand the story, but the movie is violent and intense in spots. It's the first Harry Potter movie to get a PG-13 rating, and for good reason.

In short, it's a great adaptation, a great story, and a great movie. Go to the theater now and see Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. (November, 2005)