I guess now I really do have to read the books.
I just finished watching Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and I get the distinct sense that I am missing something. Actually I think that I am missing a lot because I haven't read the books.
The ending proved quite anticlimatic. Harry does so much work throughout the entire film. Then Cedric dies, and the schoolyear is over. There was no real plot. Everyone arrives for the tournament. The contestants are chosen. They endure their three tasks. The evil is revealed. And everyone goes home. There was no real sense of being at school. The passage of time was sketchy at best. If not for the previous three films, you wouldn't even know who half of the characters were or why they were important. There are only the vaguest hints at subplots.
And there are all sorts of weird things that happen which don't have much explanation. Why is Ron so upset about Harry being selected for the tournament? For that matter, why has Ron turned into such a sullen teenager? What is with Dumbledore pulling things out of his head and storing them in some sort of well? There was such great potential for the rivalry between Cedric and Harry. And if Cho Chang is his first real crush, shouldn't her character have had more of a role? Harry's heroism in saving Fleur's sister and Cedric as well as Harry's expression of grief over Cedric's death add melodrama more than depth.
The more I think about it, the more disappointed I am in the whole thing. Too many references, and if you aren't a member of the club, you won't understand what's going on except superficially. The subsequent books are even longer, so even more will have to be cut, and as a result, there will be even less room for continuity and development of characters.
The one bright spot is Brendan Gleeson's fantastic performance as Professor Moody.
In the context of the book, it's probably an excellent movie, and the special effects are indeed spectacular, but if you are not an expert in all things Harry Potter, you will be left wondering.
I just finished watching Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and I get the distinct sense that I am missing something. Actually I think that I am missing a lot because I haven't read the books.
The ending proved quite anticlimatic. Harry does so much work throughout the entire film. Then Cedric dies, and the schoolyear is over. There was no real plot. Everyone arrives for the tournament. The contestants are chosen. They endure their three tasks. The evil is revealed. And everyone goes home. There was no real sense of being at school. The passage of time was sketchy at best. If not for the previous three films, you wouldn't even know who half of the characters were or why they were important. There are only the vaguest hints at subplots.
And there are all sorts of weird things that happen which don't have much explanation. Why is Ron so upset about Harry being selected for the tournament? For that matter, why has Ron turned into such a sullen teenager? What is with Dumbledore pulling things out of his head and storing them in some sort of well? There was such great potential for the rivalry between Cedric and Harry. And if Cho Chang is his first real crush, shouldn't her character have had more of a role? Harry's heroism in saving Fleur's sister and Cedric as well as Harry's expression of grief over Cedric's death add melodrama more than depth.
The more I think about it, the more disappointed I am in the whole thing. Too many references, and if you aren't a member of the club, you won't understand what's going on except superficially. The subsequent books are even longer, so even more will have to be cut, and as a result, there will be even less room for continuity and development of characters.
The one bright spot is Brendan Gleeson's fantastic performance as Professor Moody.
In the context of the book, it's probably an excellent movie, and the special effects are indeed spectacular, but if you are not an expert in all things Harry Potter, you will be left wondering.
posted by minervasowl | 8:34 AM
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