Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6783 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-03-20
• Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: Arabic, English, Greek, Icelandic
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 151 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
The latest entry in the Harry Potter saga could be retitled Fast Times at Hogwarts, where finding a date to the winter ball is nearly as terrifying as worrying about Lord Voldemort's return. Thus, the young wizards' entry into puberty (and discovery of the opposite sex) opens up a rich mining field to balance out the dark content in the fourth movie (and the stories are only going to get darker). Mike Newell handily takes the directing reins and eases his young cast through awkward growth spurts into true young actors. Harry (Daniel Radcliffe, more sure of himself) has his first girl crush on fellow student Cho Chang, and has his first big fight with best bud Ron. Meanwhile, Ron's underlying romantic tension with Hermione comes to a head over the winter ball, and when she makes one of those girl-into-woman Cinderella entrances, the boys' reactions indicate they've all crossed a threshold.

But don't worry, there's plenty of wizardry and action in Goblet of Fire. When the deadly Tri-Wizard Tournament is hosted by Hogwarts, Harry finds his name mysteriously submitted (and chosen) to compete against wizards from two neighboring academies, as well as another Hogwarts student. The competition scenes are magnificently shot, with much-improved CGI effects (particularly the underwater challenge). And the climactic confrontation with Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes, in a brilliant bit of casting) is the most thrilling yet. Goblet, the first installment to get a PG-13 rating, contains some violence as well as disturbing images for kids and some barely shrouded references at sexual awakening (Harry's bath scene in particular). The 2 1/2-hour film, lean considering it came from a 734-page book, trims out subplots about house elves (they're not missed) and gives little screen time to the standard crew of the other Potter films, but adds in more of Britain's finest actors to the cast, such as Brendan Gleeson as Mad Eye Moody and Miranda Richardson as Rita Skeeter. Michael Gambon, in his second round as Professor Dumbledore, still hasn't brought audiences around to his interpretation of the role he took over after Richard Harris died, but it's a small smudge in an otherwise spotless adaptation.--Ellen A. Kim, Amazon.com

Special Features
• Exciting Additional Scenes available

• Conversations with the Cast – interviews with Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson.

• Fun Interactive Challenges: - Triwizard Tournament: Dragon Challenge - Triwizard Tournament: Lake Challenge - Triwizard Tournament: Maze Challenge - To the Graveyard and Back Challenge

• Breathtaking Making-of Featurettes and Behind-the-Scenes Including: - Harry vs. the Horntail: The First Task - In Too Deep: The Second Task - The Maze: The Third Task - Meet the Champions - He Who Must Not Be Named - Preparing for the Yule Ball

• Exhilarating DVD-ROM Features Including: - EA Game Demo - Magical Trading Cards - Hogwarts Timeline - Web interactivity

Synopsis
Adults who may have been turned off by the more kid-friendly elements of the first two Potter films should sit up and cheer; this fourth installment of Harry's adventures at the magic school of Hogwarts is more mature and darker than its immediate predecessor. This year, Hogwarts is hosting the Tri Wizard festival, and there may be a plot afoot to off Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) during the proceedings. Hermione (Emma Watson) finds a man worthy of her in competing Russian Quidditch champion Viktor Krum (Stanislav Ivaneski), to the chagrin of Ron Weaselly (Rupert Grint) who, though growing into a fine, shaggy orange-haired figure of a lad, is still not quite mature enough to ask Hermione to the Yule ball. Krum's teacher may be involved in the dastardly get-Harry plot, which involves writhing snake tattoos, skull clouds, death-eaters, tournaments with live dragons, a submersible schooner, and a competing school of poised and beautiful girls run by Maxime (Frances De La Tour), who shares a romantic past with gamekeeper Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane). All the other favourites of the series are back as well, including Alan Rickman, Michael Gambon, Maggie Smith, and Gary Oldman, with Timothy Spall as the odious Wormtail, while a new addition to the A-list thespian roster is Ralph Fiennes. Director Mike Newell takes plenty of time to explore character development, but the story still gallops along at a breathless pace, with memorably intense moments involving fire-spewing dragons, dark magical rites, and near-drownings at the hands of slimy mer-people, all of which may prove too much for the youngest of viewers. Everyone else is advised to hold on tight.

Customer Reviews

Amazing
I am a true Harry Potter fan, having read all of the books about a hundred times each, but i thought that this fourth film was fantastic. Sure, it cut out quite a lot and added a couple of things, but it was still a brilliant watch. Definately the best of the four and the kids are so much better at acting! People who dislike the film need to get a life-its brilliant!
The film follows all of the major plot, and although there could have been a little more about the world cup i thought it was amazing. The special effects were fantastic-especially the underwater scenes!

Took a couple viewings...
I went to see this film in the cinema twice. Being a potter fan, not as fanatical as most, I thought it was definitely worth seeing twice. The first time I saw it I had many complaints, as most fans of the books do when they cut storylines from the book to film transformation.

However, on seeing it a second time, I decided to watch the film and appreciate it for what it was. All in all cutting a long story short, it is an absolutely excellent film with fabulous effects and scenery.

The highlights for me were the Yule Ball, which would definitely be worth seeing again on the DVD as the Great Hall decorations are magnificent, and the graveyard scene, which is very intense and emotional.

My only criticism would be the pacing of this film. This was my initial problem, as we delved straight into the movie without a second look from one shot of the Quidditch World Cup straight to the Triwizard Tournament in a matter of minutes. Although this could be seen to make the film feel action packed, literally, and cuts out any filler screen time.

I hope this helped x

The best of the films
As a HUGE fan of the books,I would rather put my face in something nasty than not see the film. This film was the best so far,the first and second films were far too sentimental for my liking. The acting has dramatically improved,Dan Radcliffe looks a lot more comfortable in his role this time round.
As for the storyline, absolutely faultless considering a lot had to be chopped into the 2 and a half hours.
The DVD extras were actually quite good especially the interview with the cast members. Well worth buying but get the two disc version rather than the one disc version.