Harry Potter (SPOILER ALERT)

I saw Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire tonight. I can't believe everyone enjoyed it so much. It was an alright film, but there's far too many holes to pick with it than I can write, or can be bothered writing.

For one thing, what was with the lack of plot and character development? Things weren't explained, and the characters motives in situations weren't even touched on. One of the major omissions was the Snape and the Death Eaters storyline. For one thing, in the book, the sense of evil and suspicion permeates the story. Anyone around you could be a Death Eater, they were working inside the Ministry, Snape had been a Death Eater and was working inside Hogwarts. All this was underplayed, and the sense of impending doom and evil was lost. The Death Eaters were needed to show the the power of Voldemort, not just in that he had an secret police, but that these people, fearsome in themselves, cowered under the mere look of the Dark Lord.

I felt that the book truly portayed the evil, and the feeling of Voldemort's growing power, but in the film, the entire story was about the Triwizard Tournament, and Harry, Ron and Hemione's angsty teenage issues.

With the intense plot in the book, and super intense sub-plots, the film was a joke. To think the ENTIRE Barty Crouch Senior and Junior storyline was just abandoned. As was Moody's past. Why was he called insane? You don't find out. Cedric Diggory's death was undramatic, whereas in the actual story, it was a huge deal, and very heart wrenching. I could go so in depth into what this film was lacking, even as a film in it's own right it didn't answer so many of it's questions.

The Goblet of Fire is pivotal to the series, as it acts as the foundation of the books to come. The previous issues have been a prologue, they've been teaching you about the past and the characters, so you understand the real story still to come. The fourth in the series is the beginning of the story, and lays down the structure for the rest, and with it done in such a shallow way, I can't imagine how the next film will be redeemed.

The director was sadly lacking I found. He focused too much on the human issues, and not enough on the real plot. As such it came across as undeveloped and the tension wasn't built up in the slightest. My personal opinion is that he would fare better in a real life drama, not a fantasy film. I think if Peter Jackson had been directing, things would have turned out infinitely better. He has experience in adapting books to films, and does it amazingly well. He understands fantasy, and doesn't make it all about CGI, instead uses it to enhance the movie. I hope to god he is involved in The Order of the Phoenix. It would be perfect for him.

So much I haven't said, and I can't be bothered. I've bored you all enough anyway. Anyone's who's still reading this gets a hug.