Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1487 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-07-24
• 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: 1
• Running time: 150 minutes

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

The best and darkest yet!!
Upto now I have quietly enjoyed the first 3 movies although they were nothing special. In previous reviews I gave all of them 3/5 and to be honest up until the final 20 minutes I was about to award the same for 'the Goblet of Fire'. The finale' certainly makes this film and we see Lord Voldermort at his evil best. Actually, it is a darker more absorbing film than the others and carries on in a similar vien to 'The Prisoner of Askaban'. The downside to this film is that it does drag on for a bit but that doesnt really bother you until you watch it again. For your children, they will find this scarier than the others .... but not too scary. Enjoyable for kids, enjoyable for adults.

The big plot hole
The film itself is well shot and the effects are very good which almost goes without saying these days. The script is plain and lacking any kind of natural dialogue, and the acting is of the usual wooden standard but the well known adults make up for that. But what about the story itself?
Well when I read the book, and then in the film, it struck me early on that alarm bells should have been ringing when Harry's name magically appears in the Tri Wizard Tournament. If it's been known to be fatal in the past and that the tasks are extremely dangerous even for older students, well if we consider that Lord V is intent on killing Harry isn't it likely there's a connection? Nobody sees this. And the whole goblet port-key issue is overlooked as well, as if nobody had a brain in their head to see that coming. And why does it take a convenient school year to have just three events? And if Harry's so important in the fight against a resurgent Voldermort how come nobody in authority tries to help him along even if that means he can't officially 'win' the tournament? Surely surviving it is more important? He didn't want to be in it, he's too young, he's too important, and we're all too stupid. Poor book, poor film, poor series!

The Best Ever Potter
Many critics have questioned whether young Daniel Radcliffe is up to the task of creating the passion of the central protagonist from J.K Rowling's series. Personally I believe he is performing well as the young troubled wizard and this film showed Radcliffe again rising to the occasion to prove he will do whatever it takes to make Potter an interesting character.

Radcliffe stars as Potter who is forced to compete in an ancient magical competition, the Triwizard tournament, only someone put Potter's name in the Goblet of Fire, so he has no choice but to compete in deadly tasks that will see him tested to the extreme.

I'm a big fan of the Potter books and this is my all time favourite Potter book, so I was a bit unsure about seeing the film as it may have taken away some of the imagination from the book. As usual many scenes are cut away from the book but also as usual, many scenes are brought to breathe taking life, especially the Dragon scene and the lake task which were visually and emotionally stunning with on the edge of your seat entertainment.

The films keep getting darker and none more so than the ending to this film which is very powerful and shocking to the system and the most deadly anticipated return of the series.

One element of the films which I'm not too happy with is the character appearances. The first two films shone for me by having regular appearances of the favourite characters from the books, Draco Malfoy, Hagrid and Professor McGonagall. Now they are hardy in the films which are a real shame as they are able to provide more interesting scenes between them.

Its minimal criticism however for a brilliantly visual and moving tale about the teenage wizard, with many laughs and excitement for the whole family.

with many twists, turns, magical creatures and laughs, it is the most engaging Potter film there ever will be