Friday, November 18 saw the release of the fourth film based on the wildly popular Harry Potter novel series. Though featuring the same cast as the previous three installments, The Goblet of Fire introduced the series’ third director, Mike Newell (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Mona Lisa Smile). The 150-minute showcase is an impressive visual spectacle, but the production fails to grasp any sense of the imaginative artistry that makes the magical world of Harry Potter so fun to step into.
In general, the experience of a film and that of reading a book are so vastly different that it is an incomplete and misdirected analysis which evaluates one according to the other. However, there is something to be said for the degree to which a cinematic retelling uses the work at its disposal in order to make a dynamic film. Unfortunately, while The Goblet of Fire captures all of the important parts of the narrative, namely Harry’s participation in the Tri-Wizard Tournament and navigation of the three competitive trials it involves, it develops almost none of the many subplots that make the book so interesting and enjoyable.
This results in a film chock full of darkness, epic battles between good and evil, and a great affinity for sweeping, panoramic shots of (mostly computer generated or enhanced) landscapes—inspired, no doubt, by those used in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. While all of these elements seemed intended to reflect the maturing worlds of Harry and friends as they approach the adult realms of responsibility and relationships, they do so without really stepping into the characters. The circle is left incomplete.
Throughout the film, aspects of what Harry, Ron, and Hermione are personally experiencing are glimpsed at, but often not followed through. This leaves something to be desired perhaps even more so for those viewers unfamiliar with the novels (or previous films for that matter) who will likely have a difficult time filling in all of the blanks left in The Goblet of Fire—lacking in many of the aspects of characterization, multi-faceted narrative, and exploration of personal relationships which mark the sister novel.
Despite these problems, which mostly arise in comparison to the novel and past films, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is still an exciting film in its own right. While the preoccupation detracts somewhat from the overall film, its employment and execution of computer enhancement in scenery and action sequences is impressive, and makes for much excitement. The cinematography of The Goblet of Fire does succeed in creating a mysterious, dark, and unsettling atmosphere. And, for Harry Potter fans, one weak link in the chain won’t thwart interest in what is at its best, when not chasing the recent epic legacy of The Lord of the Rings, an enchanting and enticing narrative world.
