Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (DVD)

Heyman, D. (Producer), Newell, M. (Director), & Kloves, S. (Writer). Harry Potter and the goblet of fire [DVD]. Burbank, CA: Warner Home Video.

Interest Level: Ages 13 to 18
Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 157 minutes
Subjects/Themes: Wizards, School, Magic, Competitions, Friendship, Good vs Evil, Fantasy 

Plot: Based on the fourth book of the popular Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling.  The story picks up right before the start of the new school year.  Harry is having nightmares about Voldomort and his minions.  Harry attends the World Quidditch Cup with his friends where they set up a campsite with the other spectators.  Death Eaters, Voldomort's followers, attack the camp and destroy everything.  At school, the students are surprised by the announcement of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, which is a competition between three wizarding schools.  Harry's name is chosen by the magical goblet even though a Hogwarts champion was already chosen and Harry is too young to compete.  Harry and the other champions have to face a number of challenges that will test their minds, magic and physical abilities.  These challenges prove to be almost deadly and in the past champions have died.  Eventually Harry and Cedric, the other Hogwarts champion, make it to the final and choose to win the competition together.  This proves deadly as the finish line was a magical booby trap with Voldomort's followers waiting for them and they kill Cedric.  They use Harry's blood as well as other items to create a body for Voldomort.  Harry barely manages to escape with Cedric's body and returns to school to warn everyone that Voldomort has returned.     

Personal Thoughts: The movie is well made and stays close to the main storyline found in the book.  The graphics and special effects are almost flawless and serve to make the Harry's magical world a very believable one.  This volume of the Harry Potter series has a darker tone too it and this is also reflected in the look and feel of the graphics.  Characters are being killed and Voldomort is growing in power.  Harry's relationships with his friends are also getting stress as a result of all the different things going on.  We really start to see the characters grow up in this movie as they deal with more grown up issues in grown up ways.  Unlike the early parts of the Harry Potter series, which to me are beign enough for younger tweens, this is the part in the series where things start to become more violent, dark, and depressing to some degree and you may want to wait to show the rest of the series to til the viewer is a little older.  The previous DVDs inthe series were rated PG.  This is the first in the series that was rated PG-13 so parents should be aware of that and take proper consideration.

Movie Note: Part 4 of the Harry Potter Series
Prequel: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2007)
Sequel: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)

Awards/Recognition:

Academy Award for Best Art Direction [Nomination] (2005)

Teen Choice Awards - Choice Movie Drama Winner (2006)

BAFTA Award for Best Production Design Winner (2005)
Kids' Choice Awards - Blimp Award Winner for Favorite Movie (2006)