Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire

HARRY POTTER & THE GOBLET OF FIRE

by Jane Louise Boursaw

Rated PG-13 for sequences of fantasy violence and frightening images. Ok for kids 8 and up. 157 min. Directed by Mike Newell. Written by Steve Kloves. Released in theaters Nov. 18, 2005

From the first scene, this movie plunges us into the world of magic and doesn't look back. It begins with Mr. Weasley taking the young wizards – Harry, Ron, Hermione and others – to the Quidditch World Cup. Fans of the sport are spread out en masse in a sprawling campground, and Harry and his friends step through the flap of a small-sized tent only to find themselves in a palatial villa with all the luxuries of a high-end resort. "I love magic!" Harry exclaims.

The Quidditch World Cup takes place in a stadium ten times the size of any Super Bowl, with fan mayhem just as wild. But things take an ugly turn when the Death Eaters make an appearance, sending thousands of attendees into mass chaos. It appears that the evil Voldemort is ready to rise again, and Harry's nightmares have been saying as much.

The students return to Hogwarts for their fourth year and learn that the school will be hosting the Triwizard Tournament, facing off against two other magical academies. From France come the beautiful girls of Beauxbaton, marching together in their baby blue uniforms and releasing hoards of butterflies on command. From an unnamed country in central Europe come the strong, clean-cut boys of Durmstrang in their military garb.

Students who wish to enter the tournament are encouraged to write their name on a piece of paper and toss it into The Goblet of Fire. At a specified time, the Goblet spits out the names of three finalists: the lithe Fleur Delacour from the Beauxbatons, the tough Viktor Krum from the Durmstrangs, and the boy-next-door-ish Cedric Diggory from Hogwarts. Then something mysterious happens. The Goblet spits out a fourth name – Harry Potter! But something is amiss because at just 14, Harry is too young to enter the tournament and swears he didn't enter his name. But rules are rules, so the young wizard must go through with it. The whole incident leaves a bad taste in the mouths of his Hogwarts friends, including Ron.

The tournament consists of three challenges involving a fire-breathing dragon, an underwater adventure, and a never-ending maze through tall hedges. If all this isn't enough, Harry must contend with the usual angst of teen life, including working up the courage to ask the girl of his dreams, Cho Chang (Katie Leung) to the Yule Ball.

The usual cast of characters have returned – Snape, Dumbledore, Hagrid, and McGonagall, as well as a few new ones. Brendan Gleeson plays Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, the new professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts. He seems to be cobbled together with spare parts, including an artificial leg and a roaming glass eye, which can swivel around and zoom in on unsuspecting subjects. Ralph Fiennes debuts as Voldemort, and Miranda Richardson plays Rita Skeeter, a snoopy gossip columnist of the Daily Prophet whose pen writes by itself as she talks – the ultimate writer's dream!

THE WRAP-UP: As with the other Harry Potter movies, I was completely immersed in this one from beginning to end. I saw the movie with my two kids -- 8 and 11 -- and my mom, who's read all the books. She was disappointed that some things were left out or not explained well, and I had to ask her a few questions to clarify in my mind what was happening in the movie. It seemed like they jumped from one scene to the next at times, without enough explanation.

Although, the previous movies had their dark moments, this movie is much darker and more violent than the others. As the kids get older and face romantic problems – not to mention the return of Voldemort – some of the fun is gone. We see less of the twinkling-eyed Hagrid and less of the intriguing Hogwarts – the moving staircases, real-life pictures on the walls, and friendly ghosts roaming the halls. There is some of this (Moaning Myrtle makes an appearance), but not nearly as much as in previous movies. In a way, it's a let-down to see Harry and his friends getting older, almost as if we‛re seeing our own kids grow up before our eyes. We know they'll never be young again. On the other hand, it's intriguing to think about what lies ahead for the wizards...

BRINGING THE KIDS:

PRE-SCHOOLER (ages 2-5): This movie is too intense for preschoolers; instead, they might enjoy "Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs," based on the best-selling books by Ian Whybrow and Adrian Reynolds. Seen on the Cartoon Network from 9 - 9:30 a.m., this show tells the story of 5-year-old Harry, who jumps into his magical bucket and transports himself into Dyno World, where his six dinosaur toys become full-sized playmates. Gentle magic for preschoolers.

GRADE-SCHOOLER (ages 6 - 10): This is the first Harry Potter movie to be rated PG-13, and with the dark abyss where Voldemort lies and the treacherous Triwizard challenges, that rating is much deserved. U.K. censors have classified this movie as 12A, which bars children under 12 from seeing it unless accompanied by an adult. That said, if your kids have been ok with previous Harry Potter movies, they'll likely be fine with this one – especially if they‛ve read the book. My kids – 8 and 11 – are great Harry Potter fans and enjoyed this movie, although the 8-year-old sat on my lap during some of the intense scenes.

TWEEN / TEEN(ages 11+): This movie continues the Harry Potter tradition of a great storyline, intriguing characters, and lots of special effects and action – moreso than the previous movies. We see young Harry and his friends grow up, attend a dance, become romantically entangled, and encounter more peril than ever before. Kids 11 and up will identify with that angst, even if their own "peril" consists of a yearning for independence and a newfound awareness of the opposite sex.

SCORE: 4 out of 4 Reels.

Harry Potter: Daniel Radcliffe
Hermione Granger: Emma Watson
Ron Weasley: Rupert Grint
Albus Dumbledore: Michael Gambon
Alastor Moody: Brendan Gleeson
Hagrid: Robbie Coltrane
Voldemort: Ralph Fiennes
Severus Snape: Alan Rickman
Minerva McGonagall: Maggie Smith
Cedric Diggory: Robert Pattinson
Viktor Krum: Stanislav Ianevski
Fleur Delacour: Clemence Poesy