Adolescent adventures darken tone of the new Harry Potter
Thursday, November 17, 2005
By Mark Burger
relish staff writer
Beneath all the marketing cacophony surrounding Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is the movie itself, the fourth in the big-screen franchise based on J.K. Rowling's best-selling series of children's books - which are just as eagerly read by many grown-ups, too.
There's no question that the film will be a cash cow for Warner Bros., and it deserves to be. In many ways, this is the best of the bunch, with fewer lags in pacing than in any of the previous films - quite impressive for a film that runs more than 2 1/2 hours.
Mike Newell handles the director's chores this time out, and since the main characters are now adolescents, the film takes on a darker hue. Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and his friends are growing up, and the problems they're confronting, supernatural though they may be, are edging into grown-up territory.
Adolescence can be a troubling time, and the storyline of Goblet of Fire - adapted from Rowling's book by Steve Kloves - reflects that.
We join Harry, Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint) for another semester at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, which is playing host to the Triwizard Tournament, a competition between the top students at three wizardry schools.
Although Harry is officially too young to participate, his name is drawn and he is tapped to compete.
The tournament itself is depicted in spectacular fashion with state-of-the-art visual effects, a trademark of the Potter films. Composer Patrick Doyle, stepping in for John Williams, delivers a rousing score that has far less orchestral bombast than usual.
Watson is truly coming into her own, giving a poised and polished performance as Hermione. Grint, looking for all the world like the late Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones, plays Ron with less dependence on comedic sidekick shtick this time around.
As for Radcliffe, he projects a slightly jaded impatience this time around, which is the perfect approach. The character has been established, and he slips into the role so comfortably that he truly is the leading man.
The star-studded supporting cast includes such stalwarts as Maggie Smith, Robbie Coltrane, Jason Isaacs, Gary Oldman (very briefly), Shirley Henderson, Michael Gambon (in his second stint as Headmaster Dumbledore) and Alan Rickman as Professor Snape, who doesn't utter a word until well into the proceedings. Nevertheless, he does pull off a delightful, silent comedy moment in one classroom scene.
Newcomers to the Potter fold include Brendan Gleeson, who is terrific as new faculty member "Mad-Eye" Moody, Miranda Richardson as snoopy, snippy reporter Rita Skeeter, and Ralph Fiennes - who shows up very, very late - as the nefarious Lord Voldemort, Harry Potter's sworn enemy and the murderer of his parents. The Dark Lord has been mentioned and referred to countless times in the past, and finally he makes his presence, if not his ultimate purpose, known.
But we're bound to find out ... in the next movie.
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