Boy, that haircut in Goblet of Fire is something else.
Reviewing Harry Potter: Years 4-6
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (****)
Although it compresses and shifts its source material more noticeably than any of its predecessors, The Goblet of Fire comes alive with narrative purpose and intense action sequences.
Michael Gambon stepped in as Dumbledore one film ago, but I really started to notice the differences between his and the late Richard Harris’ interpretations of the character. One of the things that I noticed about Dumbledore while reading the books is that he’s next to impossible to read. He says everything “calmly” and rarely reveals his own emotions. Harris leaned into this, appearing very laid back in both of his films. Gambon is very clearly not taking this approach in The Goblet of Fire. The scene where Dumbledore aggressively yells “did you put your name in the Goblet of Fire” has drawn a lot of internet meme-ry, but there’s really no part from the film that I remember where Dumbledore’s feelings are not made readily available. This isn’t necessarily a bad decision – after all, it’s nice to have a character who seems invested in the goings-on around him. On the other hand, it is likely the most significant shift from the books that I’ve seen so far. And that might ruffle a few feathers.
Just like the novel it’s based on, The Goblet of Fire kicks the series’ narrative into high gear by bringing Voldemort into the picture in a big way. I loved everything about his big reveal in the final act – especially the super-brief duel between him and Harry. The special effects were astounding and fresh, particularly the cool liquid-like nature of the spells and how they dripped mid-cast. Loved that. The special effects throughout were great, from the little handheld dragons Harry sees to their enormous counterparts. There was no shortage of incredible visuals.
There was certainly a fair amount of inappropriate teacher conduct in this film – Snape grabbing people by the head, Moody turning students into animals and performing Unforgivable Curses in class…and likely one or two other moments. But nothing was as bad as this Tri-Wizard tournament in the first place. You’re telling me that students have been known to die in this thing?! Look, I get that there are plenty of dangers at Hogwarts – the Forbidden Forest being a great example. But at least that Forest is FORBIDDEN. The Tri-Wizard tournament is encouraged! They want kids to try out for this thing? You’re telling me you don’t need a parent’s note to sign up for this but you have to get their approval to go to Hogsmeade? Unbelievable!
I did appreciate that the specifics of the other schools visiting was made a bit more clear than I think it was in the books. In the books, I wasn’t quite clear how many students were visiting, where they’d be sleeping, and where they’d be learning. Part of me wondered if it was the entire school coming but sleeping in their carriage or ship and taking classes in there as well, but that didn’t make a lot of sense. It makes more sense that it’d be a smaller body of students and that they’d stay on Hogwarts property. But if it’s just a small body, the assumption would be that they’re just the ones who wanted to try out for the tournament. And once you’ve found out you’re not in it, what’s the point in sticking around for an entire year? Why not go home?
Don’t let any of that make you think I didn’t have a great time. This was easily my favourite flick so far, and it gets me really excited for what’s to come. Great action, big emotional stakes, and great performances from the main cast made this totally worth the watch.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (****)
With the arrival of one of the most iconic villains in the series, Order of the Phoenix is both an adventurous blast and a bleaker chapter in the Potter saga.
Umbridge is a deliciously evil villain. What makes her so detestable is the same thing that made The Office such a hit – we know people like her in real life. The uptight, rules-over-reason, merciless nature of her character is totally relatable for anyone who’s gone through the school system. We’ve all had a teacher like that – or at the very least, we’ve had a teacher who made us feel that way. The way she throws the entire school into chaos means that every character we’ve come to know and love gets to show us their reactions to her presence. She stole every scene she was in. Loved her.
To that end, it was a lot of fun watching Harry and his team put together Dumbledore’s Army. Watching any character respond to Umbridge was the thrill of this film, from the students we love to the Slytherin teacher’s pets to Argus Filch’s glee at all of the new changes. The music was also really bubbly and fun in this film, heightening the sense of being up to no good to thwart the intentions of a wicked authoritarian.
I wrote in my review of the original novel that there were certain parallels to The Empire Strikes Back in the book, and the same holds true in the film. Harry’s desire to save a friend who he believes is being tortured leads him into a trap set by a villain he is thoroughly unprepared for, and it’s by no strength of his own that he makes it out alive. I still don’t totally understand the significance of Sirius falling into that weird veil thing during his death, but I loved the duel between Dumbledore and Voldemort. Harry getting possessed by Voldemort was a moment that I know felt a bit disquieting, but the emphasis on how the love in Harry’s heart casts out wickedness was cool. All in all, this was another exciting entry in the series.
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (****)
With thrilling source material to draw from, Half Blood Prince gives us more wizarding action, more wild revelations, and a cliffhanger for the ages.
There’s a number of differences between the film and the book, some of which make more sense than others. For instance, kicking the film off by showing the Death Eaters doing dastardly things was a great way to enter with a bang and to highlight the dangers that Harry is up against. On the other hand, one of the most pivotal scenes from both versions of the story is Dumbledore’s murder at the hands of Snape. In the book, Harry has been frozen by Dumbledore shortly before his death, meaning Harry can do nothing but sit there and watch his mentor die. In the film, Harry just stands and watches silently of his own volition. Sure, Snape tells him to remain silent just before doing the deed, and this adds to Harry’s feeling of being betrayed, but you’d expect Harry to let loose with a dramatic “NOOO” or at least rush to attack the foes before him. Obviously the advantage to having him be mobile from a cinematic standpoint is that you get to see his expressions, but I think it would have been just as impactful to see Harry’s frozen face staring helplessly at the falling body of the headmaster.
The Inferi scene was one of my favourites from the book, and it did not disappoint in the film. To be honest, they actually toned it down for the movie – you hear Harry use the Sectumsempra curse, but you never see its impact on the approaching monsters. I also really loved everything Ron did in this film – sure, I’ve heard people complain that he was little more than comic relief here, but he did it excellently. Draco’s inner turmoil about his allegiance to Voldemort was similarly executed superbly – you couldn’t help but feel sympathetic for the guy we’ve loved to hate for the past five films. More than the action, drama, or laughs, though, what stands out about this film to me is how we finally learn about Voldemort’s past. As the pieces come together and we realize Voldemort’s history and strength, we begin to see the end of the series coming together as well. Few things are as satisfying narratively as a great ending, and this film gives you confidence that that’s exactly what you’re in for. With this penultimate chapter complete, it’s time for the big finish – and I can’t wait.