It's Magic!

After much anticipation, I finally made it to the movie theatre to watch the latest installment in the Harry Potter series. My anticipation was not disappointed. Every review I had read prior to the film's release had sung the praises of The Goblet of Fire. Even the Wall Street Journal's movie reviewer, Joe Morgenstern (usually very hard to please), stated that, "It's downright scary how good this movie is." I must agree that Goblet captures the "magic" of the first film while also building on the characters' increasingly complex relationships.

I have heard that the filmmakers initially considered splitting this film into two because the novel is so long. However, stretching the film into 2 and 1/2 hours was enough to do the major parts of the story justice, even if many characters and sub-plots were left out. The cast of Harry Potter had literally grown before our eyes and although they are no longer "cute kids", they are becoming handsome young people. Even more important, their acting skills are also developing. As the Harry Potter series progresses, the storyline becomes much more serious and more intense acting will be required. The Goblet of Fire is the first book in which Lord Voldemort's true evil is unleashed as he fights to regain his power.

Even though I thoroughly enjoy the Harry Potter movies, I have one complaint: I don't care for Michael Gambon's portrayal of Dumbledore. I thought that Richard Harris' Dumbledore was incomparable, he so fully embodied the character I envisioned. Unfortunately, this is a complaint that cannot be satisfied as Richard Harris passed away after the second movie. I find Gambon's interpretation too harsh and dramatic; Harris was much more elegant and sage.

The special effects were, as usual, wonderful and added to the overall enchantment of the movie. I was disappointed that more time wasn't spent on certain parts of the story, such as the Quiddich World Cup since it is such a large portion of the book, but it was presented so well, the visual effects so mesmerizing, that I really can't find fault. And I understand that it is difficult to condense such a tome into a succinct package. The major points of the tale remained intact and the characters were provided enough time to grow into their maturing relationships. Like any book turned into a movie, you must read the book to get a more complete story. In the end, I recommend the movie and think that fellow Harry Potter fans will enjoy it as much as I did.

An interesting side note on Harry Potter: Last summer, around the time Half-Blood Prince was released, I read a great article in the Wall Street Journal that paralleled English World War II history with the Harry Potter series. Reading the series in light of this perspective, it takes on a whole new meaning and makes the experience that much more enriching. I happen to love learning about WWII history so I particularly enjoyed viewing each character as a historical figure fulfilling his/her destiny. Read the article and see for yourself...