Fausta's Blog

American and Latin American Politics, Society, and Culture

November 20, 2005 By Fausta

Movie review: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

+++ SPOILER ALERT +++

Right off the bat I want to make sure that parents of young children realize that HP&tGoF is rated PG-13 for good reason. This movie will scare little kids with the initial scene, with Mad Eye Moody’s roaming eye, with the claustrophobic maze, plus all the usual spooky stuff characteristic of the series.

The movie leaves out a couple of subplots, including Hermione’s house elf liberation movement, which was one of the book’s brighter stories. Omissions are to be expected since the HP4 book was 700+ pages long and something had to be left out. Even then, the film clocks in at 157 minutes. Director Mike Newell also spares us the odious Dursleys, and the quiddich games. I praise his quiddich restraint particularly since the World Championship was a big to-do in the book.

As we were leaving the theater The Husband pointed out that the prior 3 movies focused on the “Three Musketeers” relationship between Harry, Ron, and Hermione, while this one focuses on Harry. Some reviewers stressed the puberty aspect, but I thought it was well handled, even when I could have done without Moaning Myrtle’s bathtub diving.

The action takes place under gloomy skies, darkly-lit rooms, and/or in the dark of night. I do wish one of the three directors would have had the inspiration to show a rare sunny day sometime. In HP&tGoF, even the Weasley’s house was enveloped in darkness. Strangely enough, most of the actors seemed to have dirty fingernails (was it dirt, or was it the bad lighting?).

The visual effects are magical and engaging, and the submergible tall ship and Pegasus-pulled coach that deliver the international students are fanciful and beautiful.

The cast of HP3 & 4 remained and the newcomers did a good job. Since Ron Weasley is my favorite character, I wish the directors would have Rupert Grint do more than grimace – it won’t steal Harry’s spotlight, for sure. Ralph (pronounced Rafe) Fiennes looked like the burned English Patient with his missing nose, but his voice more than made up in creepiness for Voldemort.

This episode of the HP saga delivered an emotional punch towards the end when Cedric Diggory dies and asks Harry to deliver his body to his father. Make sure to bring Kleenex.

Harry Potter’s themes of loss, yearning to belong, friendship, and helping others, remain constant through the books and the films. HP&tGoF deals with those themes, and with meeting life’s challenges while at the same time, as Dumbledore says, having to “face the choice between what is right . . . and what is easy”.

For that, the series will continue to resonate with our generation of readers and moviegoers, and with those reading and watching in the future.

(also posted at Blogger News Network)

(technorati tags harry, Movies, Entertainment, books)

La Shawn will be doing a HP&tGoF round-up this week.

Share

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Tweets by @Fausta
retirees_raise-2015_300x250

Pages

  • About
  • Email

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Previous Posts

  • Mrs. Maisel goes full Alinsky on Mrs. Schlafly
  • Venezuela: Did the Minister of Defense back out at the last minute?
  • You need to unfriend me
  • Go ahead and Kiss the Girl, if you dare
  • Ashamed

Recent Comments

  • John on Mrs. Maisel goes full Alinsky on Mrs. Schlafly
  • Today’s hot topics: Democrats’ collusion shift, tax-return rift, Venezuela drift, and more! – PoliticalWitchDoctor.com on Venezuela: Did the Minister of Defense back out at the last minute?
  • Today’s hot topics: Democrats’ collusion shift, tax-return rift, Venezuela drift, and more! - AmericanTruthToday on Venezuela: Did the Minister of Defense back out at the last minute?
  • Did Venezuela’s Minister of Defense Back Out At The Last Minute? on Venezuela: Did the Minister of Defense back out at the last minute?
  • Roseanne Not Back, Khan not Invited, Operaman’s back, Jobs back, Fausta’s back (but not here yet) Thoughts under the fedora – Da Tech Guy Blog on Venezuela: Did the Minister of Defense back out at the last minute?

Archives

  • 2019
    • December 2019
    • May 2019
    • January 2019
  • 2018
    • December 2018
    • October 2018
    • July 2018
    • June 2018
    • April 2018
    • March 2018
    • February 2018
    • January 2018
  • 2017
    • December 2017
    • November 2017
    • October 2017
    • September 2017
    • August 2017
    • July 2017
    • June 2017
    • May 2017
    • April 2017
    • March 2017
    • February 2017
    • January 2017
  • 2016
    • December 2016
    • November 2016
    • October 2016
    • September 2016
    • August 2016
    • July 2016
    • June 2016
    • May 2016
    • April 2016
    • March 2016
    • February 2016
    • January 2016
  • 2015
    • December 2015
    • November 2015
    • October 2015
    • September 2015
    • August 2015
    • July 2015
    • June 2015
    • May 2015
    • April 2015
    • March 2015
    • February 2015
    • January 2015
  • 2014
    • December 2014
    • November 2014
    • October 2014
    • September 2014
    • August 2014
    • July 2014
    • June 2014
    • May 2014
    • April 2014
    • March 2014
    • February 2014
    • January 2014
  • 2013
    • December 2013
    • November 2013
    • October 2013
    • September 2013
    • August 2013
    • July 2013
    • June 2013
    • May 2013
    • April 2013
    • March 2013
    • February 2013
    • January 2013
  • 2012
    • December 2012
    • November 2012
    • October 2012
    • September 2012
    • August 2012
    • July 2012
    • June 2012
    • May 2012
    • April 2012
    • March 2012
    • February 2012
    • January 2012
  • 2011
    • December 2011
    • November 2011
    • October 2011
    • September 2011
    • August 2011
    • July 2011
    • June 2011
    • May 2011
    • April 2011
    • March 2011
    • February 2011
    • January 2011
  • 2010
    • December 2010
    • November 2010
    • October 2010
    • September 2010
    • August 2010
    • July 2010
    • June 2010
    • May 2010
    • April 2010
    • March 2010
    • February 2010
    • January 2010
  • 2009
    • December 2009
    • November 2009
    • October 2009
    • September 2009
    • August 2009
    • July 2009
    • June 2009
    • May 2009
    • April 2009
    • March 2009
    • February 2009
    • January 2009
  • 2008
    • December 2008
    • November 2008
    • October 2008
    • September 2008
    • August 2008
    • July 2008
    • June 2008
    • May 2008
    • April 2008
    • March 2008
    • February 2008
    • January 2008
  • 2007
    • December 2007
    • November 2007
    • October 2007
    • September 2007
    • August 2007
    • July 2007
    • June 2007
    • May 2007
    • April 2007
    • March 2007
    • February 2007
    • January 2007
  • 2006
    • December 2006
    • November 2006
    • October 2006
    • September 2006
    • August 2006
    • July 2006
    • June 2006
    • May 2006
    • April 2006
    • March 2006
    • February 2006
    • January 2006
  • 2005
    • December 2005
    • November 2005
    • October 2005
    • September 2005
    • August 2005
    • July 2005
    • June 2005
    • May 2005
    • April 2005
    • March 2005
    • February 2005
    • January 2005
  • 2004
    • December 2004
    • November 2004
    • October 2004
    • September 2004
    • August 2004
    • July 2004
    • June 2004
    • May 2004
    • April 2004
    • March 2004
Content Copyright Fausta's Blog

Site Developed and Managed by 300m.com