So
if you haven't realised yet that as Harry grows up his films are
getting increasingly dark, this one aughtta drive that point home.
We've moved from the teen to the young adult section, as far as I'm
concerned, and I remember being slightly shocked at first viewing
when I was like 10 (I mean I had read it earlier - well, one of my
parents read it to me - but I guess the memory had dulled by then or
something).
We
get lots more dark imagery, with the whole KKK looking Death Eater
thing at the start, the rebirth of Voldemort, and that posh kid dying
(I didn't really like him anyway, I think my largest prejudice is
against well off strong looking blond farmery types, I got a similar
vibe off that guy Pita from 'The Hunger Games').
The
whole tournament thing creates some cool spectacles, but come on it
was totally shoehorned in. It feeling like Rowling was just getting
bored about writing about school stuff this year and felt like mixing
it up. I mean, surely they'd have at least mentioned it in previous
books? Like in year three surely someone would have said something
like “can't wait for the tournament next year” or something to
that effect? Whatever, the dragon fight was cool (wish we got to see
some of the other ones) and the underwater thing was alright (I know
a guy who worked on some of the effects for that). I liked the maze
way more in the book - I seem to remember it being filled with
monsters. Being filled with nightmares or whatever is cool too
though, I guess. I really liked the graveyard scene, it was an
effective all is lost moment, and Voldemort is cool in his new form.
The
sort of secondary climax after this scene felt a little tacked on and
messed with the pacing a bit. I don't like that Mad Eye turns out to
be Tennant the whole time. I mean I liked his character (and both
Gleeson and Tennant do fantastically) only o find that I never really
knew him. Kind of stops me feeling that attached to him when he shows
up in later movies, really.
Overall
though an engaging and welcomingly dark 'Harry Potter' film with a slight shift in genre from it being mystery based to more thriller based. From
here to the last film in the series the tone has pretty much been
set, now. Dark dark dark.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: 47.9