Movie Review:
 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Director: Mike Newell
Studio: Warner Brothers
Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman
Rating: PG-13 for sequences of fantasy violence and frightening images.
By Gregg Tubbs
With the arrival of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Hollywood officially launched the holiday film season, and hopes to pull out of a serious box office slump. The big question is whether the fourth Potter film can work a little box office magic or whether the series is running out of steam. I’m happy to report that Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire delivers the goods! This goblet runneth over with dragons, mermaids, intriguing new characters and a driven plot. Potter fans will be enchanted, and as always, there’s more than simple hocus pocus going on. Harry’s biggest challenge might not be a reawakened Voldemort, but simply the trials of being a teenager.
In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry’s (Daniel Radcliffe) biggest challenge might not be a reawakened Voldemort, but simply the trials of being a teenager. |
This is the first Potter film to earn a PG-13 rating, and it sets the tone for a darker, more suspenseful adventure from the start. Instead of beginning with a whimsical domestic scene of Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), the misfit in the world of the “muggles” (people without magical powers), Goblet burrows deep into Harry’s mind, opening with a menacing and prophetic nightmare. Harry awakes, already at Hogwarts School, with a nagging dread that his nemesis Lord Voldemort, is fighting his way back to the land of the living. Worse yet, Harry is certain that he will somehow play a fatal role in Voldemort’s return.
The intrigue deepens as Harry is mysteriously selected to compete in the prestigious Triwizard Tournament. The Triwizard, to be hosted at Hogwarts, is an exciting but dangerous competition that pits a champion from three schools of wizardry against one another. Harry is not only too young to compete, but also never entered his name into competition. Yet, the mystical Goblet of Fire, arbiter of the competition, has added Harry’s name to the list of potential competitors, and he is inexplicably chosen as a second contestant from Hogwarts. The Goblet’s decision must be abided, and Harry must face three challenges against three older, more experienced wizards. Somehow the events in this competition—fighting a dragon, saving a friend from a watery trap, and finally navigating a living maze—all seem to be leading Harry to a showdown with the evil Voldemort.
The mystical Goblet of Fire, arbiter of the competition, has added Harry’s name, making him an inexplicable second contestant in the Triwizard competition from Hogwarts. |
But for Harry, the Triwizard intrigue is only one of many sources of teenage angst. The Hogwarts' Yule Ball dance is coming up, and the 14-year-old wizard has yet to find a date! Part of the charm of Goblet is seeing Harry, Ron and Hermione growing up and coping with the stresses of being a teenager. They are filled with all the uncertainty, high emotions and hormone-fueled urges to which any teen—or parent of a teen—can relate. There’s even a hint of an awkward romantic tension between the three that strains Ron and Harry’s friendship. They have battled many dangers and overcome many obstacles in their young lives, but the experience of jealousy is something entirely new. Over the course of the film, they begin to mature and to learn to cope with how adolescent romance changes the dynamic of friendships.
As we go deeper into the Potter stories, it’s gratifying to see Harry continue to become more aware of his responsibility and to develop distinct moral fiber. Harry displays his character most clearly during the second challenge when he willingly risks his life to save a girl from anther school. He could have easily passed her by and won the competition. Instead, he gives up the prize and risks his own safety for the sake of another.
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| Part of the charm of Goblet is seeing Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) growing up and coping with the stresses of being teenagers. |
This film again affirms love’s power over death, both in Harry’s love for his fellow students and in his confrontation with Voldemort. We are again reminded that Harry’s mother sacrificed her life out of love, giving him the power overcome the forbidden death curse. Throughout, we see the victorious power of love enacted on behalf of another—friend for friend, parent for child, and more importantly, even for a stranger in need. Called “the one who lived,” Harry is a living embodiment of love’s triumph over death, and an increasingly Christ-like figure. As he faces down the serpent-like Voldemort, the parallels couldn’t be clearer.
Although the emphasis on magic is still controversial among some Christians, it is becoming evident that J.K. Rowlings’ tales are deeply rooted in Judeo-Christian morality and symbolism. This is not surprising, since the writer has expressed her admiration for Christian writers J.R.R. Tolkien (The Lord of the Rings trilogy) and C.S. Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia), who both used fantasy and magic to spin allegorical Christian tales. In a sense, the Harry Potter series continues that tradition, casting a magical spell that teaches about courage, loyalty, love and kindness.
Gregg Tubbs is a freelance writer living in Columbia, Md.
This review was developed by UMC.org, the official online ministry of The United Methodist Church.
Study Questions
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If you have read the book, discuss how the movie stacks up against the book. How did it compare the other three films?
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What are your feelings about magic? Do you think films like Harry Potter set a bad example by “promoting” magic? Why or why not? Can fiction steeped in magic also affirm Christian ethics?
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Can Harry be viewed as a Christ-like figure? If so, discuss examples of Harry’s self-sacrifice.
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In what ways is Harry and his battle against Voldemort similar to David’s defeat of Goliath? (See 1 Samuel 17.)
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How does Voldemort symbolize evil or Satan?
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How do we see love at work in The Goblet of Fire? In what ways does Harry show love? In what ways does Harry receive love and benefit from it?
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Have you ever faced hard choices like Harry faces, passing up a prize, recognition or money to do what’s right? Why was it hard to make the right choice and what enabled you to do so?
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Have you ever had your relationship with a friend tested like Harry and Ron did? Did you resolve it? How? Do you believe loyalty is a form of Christian love?
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Who is sometimes compared to a potter in the Bible? (Hint, the Hebrew meaning of the word “potter” is “maker.”*) See Jer. 18:6 for the answer.
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Does Harry have faith? If so, what does he believe in?
* According to the NIV Study Bible.
Group Activities
Thou Shall Not: In the film, we learn of the three forbidden curses. They are:
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The Imperius Curse: Gives the caster full control over the person under the spell.
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The Cruciatus Curse: Delivers pain to the person under this spell. This curse is used for torture.
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The Killing Curse: Called “Avada Kedavra,” this curse instantly kills and, except in the case of Harry (when he was a baby), cannot be blocked.
Use of these curses is forbidden, and the wizard who uses them is sentenced to life in Azkaban prison. Explore these curses from a Christian perspective. Is it wrong to control someone against their will? To torture? To kill? How do these forbidden actions connect to the Ten Commandments or Jesus’ commandment to “Love your neighbor as yourself?” Can we see the beginnings of a moral code amongst the wizards?
Tri-Competition: Hold your own friendly competition, just like the Triwizard competition in the film. Select three champions from your group, and three simple competitive tasks. Depending on your group, this could be a simple athletic challenge (foot race, ball toss at a target), dexterity test (stacking checkers, balancing soccer ball on head), or knowledge test (Potter/Bible trivia, reciting the Ten Commandments). When you are done, discuss the concept of competition. How can it build or reveal character? Is it right to “win at all costs?”
Duel of the Powers: The Goblet of Fire pits Harry’s power against the power of the cruel Voldemort. As a group, read about and discuss a similar duel in the Bible. Read Ex. 7:10-12 and see how Moses and Aaron used the power of God to defeat the sorcerers of the Egyptian Pharaoh. What does this story tell us about the limits of man’s or Satan’s power against the sovereign Lord? Discuss how the Bible treats magic and magicians. What does the Bible say about the power of God to over conjurors? Refer to Ex. 7:10-12, Act 8:9-13 and Deut. 18:10-12. What is the difference between magic and miracles? Where does the power to perform magic or miracles come from?
Resources
Official Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Web site
Theatrical Trailer
QuickTime
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