Harry Potter and the Two Thumbs Up
The wife and I saw Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire last night.
It is darker and more intense than the earlier films (though this is true of the book, too). It is also long.
More like the Lord of the Rings films.
Definitely not a movie for small children.
In fact, I heard children crying, and some parents left with their children late in the film. I don’t know if that was due to the children not being able to sit any longer, or their getting scared.
I don’t blame the film makers. I think the parents simply didn’t realize this was not a film for small children. (The PG-13 rating should have given a clue, but some folks are clueless.)
The film had to be sketchy at times. The book is long, and to include it all would have made the movies way too long even for adults. I suspect the DVD will have added and extended scenes.
The film also assumes that you are familiar with the Potter canon. It alludes to earlier actions or characters without fully explaining.
For example, early in the film Harry has a bad dream. Hermione suggest that he write to Sirius Black – but there is no explanation of who he is. (Harry’s godfather, falsely accused of helping to kill Harry’s parents, and the subject of the third book and movie). Later on Harry and another character arrive in a graveyard and there is a tombstone that reads “Riddle.” That is the family name of Lord Voldemort – the evil wizard and Harry’s ultimate nemesis - as we learned in the second book and movie.
We also get plenty of teenage angst related to dating/relationships. Harry is growing up. (There’s an amusing scene with a female ghost and Harry in a bubble bath!)
The special effects are good. The dragon fight was especially well done.
On the whole, a good movie. My wife thought so, too.
It does not have the wonder of the first movie. It lacks the artistry of the third. But I highly recommend it.
It is darker and more intense than the earlier films (though this is true of the book, too). It is also long.
More like the Lord of the Rings films.
Definitely not a movie for small children.
In fact, I heard children crying, and some parents left with their children late in the film. I don’t know if that was due to the children not being able to sit any longer, or their getting scared.
I don’t blame the film makers. I think the parents simply didn’t realize this was not a film for small children. (The PG-13 rating should have given a clue, but some folks are clueless.)
The film had to be sketchy at times. The book is long, and to include it all would have made the movies way too long even for adults. I suspect the DVD will have added and extended scenes.
The film also assumes that you are familiar with the Potter canon. It alludes to earlier actions or characters without fully explaining.
For example, early in the film Harry has a bad dream. Hermione suggest that he write to Sirius Black – but there is no explanation of who he is. (Harry’s godfather, falsely accused of helping to kill Harry’s parents, and the subject of the third book and movie). Later on Harry and another character arrive in a graveyard and there is a tombstone that reads “Riddle.” That is the family name of Lord Voldemort – the evil wizard and Harry’s ultimate nemesis - as we learned in the second book and movie.
We also get plenty of teenage angst related to dating/relationships. Harry is growing up. (There’s an amusing scene with a female ghost and Harry in a bubble bath!)
The special effects are good. The dragon fight was especially well done.
On the whole, a good movie. My wife thought so, too.
It does not have the wonder of the first movie. It lacks the artistry of the third. But I highly recommend it.
posted by A Secular Franciscan | 5:18 AM
1 Comments:
Thanks for the review! I'm looking forward to seeing this (just as soon as we can find a sitter).
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