Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1248 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: 150 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

Great film
I love the Harry Potter books and enjoy all the films. The only problem is that as the books are getting longer more & more is getting cut out when they're made into films. I'd rather have this film longer & have all the story in. Still fantastic though!

Enjoyable, but not quite magical enough
After I saw the first Harry Potter film a few years ago I refused to ever watch any of them again, as I am such a loyalist to the books, and felt that the films could never live up to them. However, the trailer for the fourth film intrigued me so I gave in and went to see it with some friends, and actually quite enjoyed it. I have now given all the HP films the benefit of the doubt and seen them all up to date, and although they don't match up to the books they are pretty good films nonetheless, and that change in attitude was all thanks to me seeing Goblet of Fire. Although it is not the best representation of the book, characters and scenarios are relatively well realised, and the score is fantastic. The effects are pretty good too. There are few let downs - tiny technical glitches that book fans will grumble at - such as Harry's letters from Sirius Black being signed Sirius rather than Padfoot - as he is in hiding it is ludicrous that he should use his name, but ho hum perdantics... Also the Third Trial - the Maze - is disappointingly represented, but the graveyard scene with Lord Voldemort coming back to full power more than makes up for this.
I say it's an enjoyable film, if you're prepared to let the inaccuracies go and just see it for what is. A film based on the book rather than an accurate portrayal, and all the basics are there so that it follows on from 3 and leads on well to 5.

I Liked it Again
Before year four at Hogwarts starts, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) gets a real treat. He joins the Weasleys and Hermione (Emma Watson) at the Quidditch World Cup. But what should have been a fun trip turns serious when the campground is destroyed and a giant skull shows above the area. The skull is the sign of the evil Voldemort.

All that gets forgotten when the trio return to school. Hogwarts is playing host to the Tri-Wizard tournament. One student each from three wizarding schools will be competing in a series of dangerous contests.

But things start out weird when Harry's name is called as a fourth contestant. He's three years younger then the rest of them, yet he still must compete and survive the competition.

Meanwhile, there is yet another new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Mad Eyed Moody (Brendan Gleeson) seems to have taken a particular interest in Harry. Can his tips help Harry make it thought the contest?

I first saw this movie in the theater and loved it. I have since started reading the books and expected it to change my take on this movie. After all, the movie takes a 740 page book and turns it into a two and a half hour movie. You know they will be leaving stuff out.

Actually, however, the movie works. Yep, there were lots of things left out of the book, but they did a good job of covering the important plot points without losing those who haven't read the book. That's impressive.

Ironically, they did add some things for the movie. The most noticeable is the first task. While dangerous in the book, they made it much worse here. That time could have been used for something else, but it does make for a dramatic scene.

The only weak part is the ending. It is so rushed that it doesn't make the emotional impact that it does in the book. And it glosses over some of the things that made the ending of the book such a big cliffhanger.

Once again, I must say that this is the best movie version of the book we could hope for. If you view it on its own, you'll enjoy it. And if you haven't read the book, you'll love it.