Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) Review

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)

Goblet of Fire follows Harry Potter, who after mysteriously having his named pulled out of the Goblet of Fire, must participate in the Tri-Wizard Tournament, amidst the growing signs of the Dark Lord’s return.

Probably the most underrated movie in the franchise, Goblet of Fire is one of the few Harry Potter films to really capture the excitement of the games, along with the dark secrets that lie beneath the surface of this particular story. While the movie adaptation leaves out a ton from the book, I think streamlining the focus to situate on the tournament was the best possible decision, as it keeps your focus locked in and keeps the story moving at a solid pace from event to event. 

Above all else though, is the back half of the film, which really needed to nail the return of Voldemort and tease us for what’s to come…and they knocked it out of the fucking park. It’s a scene that invites terror and darkness, that when paired with Harry’s escape, makes for one of the best cliffhanger endings, possibly ever. Something about seeing everyone happy and the band playing, only for the realization of tragedy to hit and the reactions slowly drop into just dreadful horror. It’s such a raw and jolting scene and will forever be one of the more gut wrenching scenes to make its’ way through the Harry Potter series. 

We get another excellent cast as well, starring David Tennant, Robert Pattinson, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Michael Gambon, Ralph Fiennes, Brendan Gleeson, and Daniel Radcliffe. Once again, Radcliffe pulls from such a raw emotional basement in this outing that when put up against the horrifying Fiennes or the mad-eyed Gleeson, allows him to really prove his worth as an actor. 

Based on the novel by J.K. Rowling, Goblet of Fire, directed by Mike Newell, may be a disappointment for serious fans of the books, but in terms of narrative visual storytelling, this more than does the job and leaves us with the reality that the fucking Dark Lord has risen and he wants Potter’s ass something fierce. The game has just begun. 

8.8/10