Potter-head

Tri-wizard tourney, new director keep Harry ahead

Elia Miller MIL00016@BYUI.EDU Scroll Staff

I must start this review with a confession. I am a Harry Potter fan. I have all the books, most of them delivered to my doorstep the day they were released, and I have eagerly anticipated the coming of each movie, especially The Goblet of Fire. And movie fans, you won’t be disappointed. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a masterpiece.

This year at Hogwarts, Harry has a number of new challenges awaiting him. Visitors from two other schools of magic have come to Hogwarts to join in a age-old competition. It is called the Triwizard Tournament and will bring “eternal glory” to the winner, not to mention honor to their school and high regard from fellow students. The anticipation is high as students, who must be at least 17-years-old, enter their names into the competition. A surprising twist of fate lands Harry as the fourth champion, much to his shock and the dissatisfaction of the rest of the school.

Keep in mind that the Triwizard Tournament isn’t your routine basketball game. It contains such tasks as battling a dragon and rescuing friends from the depths of a lake, none of which are safe, especially for a 14 year old. But Harry rises to the occasion, and with the help of friends and a rule-breaking teacher, he holds his own against the older and more experienced students.

It has been fun to watch the evolution of the Harry Potter movies. From the beginning we’ve watched small kids trying to act under the direction of Chris Columbus, the mastermind behind Home Alone and Mrs. Doubtfire. This then led to the visual elegance of Alfonso Cuarón who directed Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. For this fourth version British director Mike Newell took charge. The kids who started out so small and inexperienced have become teenagers and their acting skills have definitely grown with them. The supporting cast continues to be a who’s-who list of British theater, this year joined by Ralph Fiennes and Brendan Gleeson, who play Voldemort and Professor Mad-Eye Moody.

The special effects continue to be fabulous and contribute to the overall imagery of the movie with sweeping landscapes and daring broom rides. The scenes are beautiful and have a Lord of the Rings feel to them as they highlight the green mountains and rivers of an English setting.

Overall, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a true delight. I admit that it’s probably more fun for people who have read the books, but even if you haven’t, it’s a good way to spend eight bucks and a Friday evening.