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It’s no secret that I’m not a fan of the Potter universe. I’ve dreaded walking into the cinema for each film because a part of me wants to enjoy it but it never does. I always walk out, head hung low, proclaiming the film to be a dud, while everyone around me screams in disbelief. The Potter films thus far have lacked imagination (note: by lack of imagination, I’m referring only to the story line, not the world itself, which is indeed quite creative). While this 4th film in the franchise still suffers from some predictable story telling, I must say that when I walked out, I felt comfortable proclaiming that WB had a winner on its hands. Then again what I say doesn’t really matter. Looking at the box office, they all were winners.

The plot of the movie revolves around Lord Voldemort‘s quest to return back to the world from which he came and to teach little Harry Potter a nasty lesson. To do so, he devises an ingenious scheme to lure Potter to him by making sure Potter is made part of a tri wizard tournament (which no real parent would be too happy about) and that Harry gets the proper tips, help, and support to make sure he makes it all the way to the end. While all the wizards believe that there is mischief at work here, once again, they decide to all stand aside, much like in the other movies and let matters unfold, thus allowing Mr. Potter to shine again where all other wizards fail.

The above paragraph will be the last time during this review that I will pass my sarcastic comments to you the reader. I promise not to continue but a part of me needed to get that out of the way (you’ll soon find out why).

The two most distinct things about Harry Potter films are their impeccable cinematography and their easily recognizable and distinct soundtracks. To remain consistent with the other films in these 2 departments would be an achievement; to improve on them, remarkable. But this is what the film does. As the scenes come and go, each set piece, each camera angle and the general atmosphere created is breathtaking. And it certainly helps to have a score that enhances the viewing experience. With great sounds, visualizations and outstanding CGI, the film is a treat to the senses.

The only 2 remaining ingredients to make the movie perfect are found in the character and story departments. Most of the characters introduced for the first time during Goblet of Fire are interesting and it’s pleasant to see some development in those that are returning. There are some fine supporting performances. James and Oliver Phelps (George and Fred Weasly) provide laughs; Robert Patterson (Cedric Diggory) provides the best performance, playing a good natured student who feels like a mentor figure in many ways. Kudos to Brendan Gleeson as well who plays a very mysterious, yet fascinating Alastor Moody. While there is little to complain about amongst those returning cast members, I was not particularly impressed by 2 of the contestants in the tri wizard tournament. They should have had bigger parts but are played in a very two dimensional manner. There wasn’t enough in the script to provide proper roles for them and the film suffers because of it.

Speaking of the script, I’m glad that the screenplay did not lack as much as the previous installments. My biggest gripe with Rowling (or at least the movies) is that the stories feel manufactured, unoriginal and unimaginative. Each movie has followed the same formula and if I was to grade on a scale of 1 to 10, I would probably put Rowling’s predictability at 12. Fortunately, there is significant improvement this time round and coupled with the growth in the characters, it became much easier for me to sit through the entire film. The ending felt weak and rushed, especially after the momentum that is built throughout the film. The appearance of You Know Who should have at least made a spark fly but it turned out to be no more than an anti climax.

All in all, I must say that this is definitely the best out of the 4 films released. My problem with the stories can be dismissed as nothing more than an opinion that is not shared by many. So if you’ve read the books and enjoyed the films, I’m happy to say that I highly doubt you’ll walk out of the cinema disappointed.

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