Dark and Difficult Times Lie Ahead, Harry
The Warner Bro.’s logo moved nearer and nearer. The cinema lights were turned off as soon as the logo filled the whole screen. Then, the whole place was itch black. Slowly, skulls emerge from the screen. As it move farther away, the image of a statue shaped like The Grim Reaper was shown and a serpent slithered from the dark portion where the head was supposed to be position… [ech, I am making this too dramatic, anyway] .. The title was shown. The scene was then focused to an old man, who saw something peculiar at the nearby house. Quietly, he went to the place and he heard three men talking. The serpent went past him. The three men saw the old man… then, green smoke appeared. Avada kedavra! Harry woke up from a dream. [I need not tell you what happened in the first part ei?! I mean, most people have read the book, aight!?
I am one of the privileged few who saw the fourth Harry Potter movie first. And, I may end up to be a big SPOILER. It is also necessary for me also, to tell you that I am not a Harry Potter fan, I could be brutal.
To continue….] In Harry Potter’s fourth year, he had been into the Qudditch World Cup and became a witness to the works of the Deatheaters, the Dark Lord’s followers. He also learned the use of the portkey. The new Defense Against Dark Arts professor is Ex-Auror Alastor Mad-Eyed Moody. Also, Hogwarts hosted the Triwizard Tournament. Students from the other Schools of Witchcraft ad Wizardry will come to Hogwarts to compete: Beauxbaton and Durmstrang. One champion will be chosen from each school through the Goblet of Fire. Each champion will be given 3 tasks, I mean 3 gruesome tasks and compete to be the Overall Champion. In a typical plot, Harry will be automatically chosen and win the tournament. The thing is, only 6th and 7th year students were allowed to compete and Harry was only in the fourth year. Anyway, through some conspiracy Harry was chosen as the fourth champion, when there should be three : Durmstrang’s Viktor Krum Beauxbaton’s Fleur Delacour and Hogwart’s Cedric Diggory.
[now, for the comments] (1)Alastor Moody was not really introduced as the DADA professor. For those, who had read the books or watched the movies, they may recognize his position. [not really a big problem.] (2) The Beauxbaton Champion Miss Delacour was said to be part veela making her really different from the girls with males swooning at her. In my honest opinion, she didn’t stood out. I mean, she is really pretty. But there is nothing really magical about her. This lead us to (3) what the *bleep is a veela? Veela’s were supposed to be a mascot of a Quidditch World Cup team and no veela’s were shown. So they just left it to our imaginations, huh?! (4) the Irish didn’t shower Leprechaun Gold (5) Miss Granger had been too pretty to begin with that her appearance in the Yule Ball made no impact. (6) The Yule Ball was one big blah! This is the disappointing part. I was really expecting great things from this scene since it was really presented magnificently in the Harry Potter webpage. (7) I wouldn’t catch myself having a crush on their choice of Cho Chang. She may be pretty but not a real crushable. Same goes to Cedric. (8) The actor who played the character of Mr. Diggory has been inconsistent. He was not proud and arrogant when Harry met him in the first part but he is near the Tournament’s end (the maze part).The book says that he is a bit bigheaded. (9) Moaning Myrtle is bit perverted in this movie in the bathroom scene. (10)Rita Skeeter was treated like a décor.(figure out what I mean) (11) Dumbledore is too cold and too harsh. He shouted a lot and grabbed Harry by the neck. Suddenly, I wished the old Dumbledore didn’t die. (12) Padma Patil was supposed to be a Ravenclaw, what is she doing in the Gryffindor common room? (13) The movie’s pacing is too fast that it lacked coherence. Well, that applies to the first scenes. The end part is better.
Though were just SOME of my comments. I need to reread the book and watch the movie again… But there are also good things in this movie. Actress Mirada Richardson handled the character of Rita Skeeter very well. Dame Maggie Smith is perfect as McGonagall. And the Phelps brothers who played the Weasley twins never failed to give us a laugh. The movie certainly is visually appealing, technology had done great things. The costume designs were great. I love the Beauxbaton and Durmstrang uniforms and RON’s DRESS ROBE. haha. The make up is also good. Voldemort look like a noseless Ralph Fiennes [harhar. I didn’t mean to make it sound bad.] and yeah, Ralph Fiennes is a great actor.
There are also hilarious moments with Snape. I am not sure what they are doing then, but the three are with the twins so that can't be class but Snape is supervising them and it looked like they are in the Great Hall. It confused me a bit. It was about asking someone for the Yule Ball. Snape kept on hitting Harry and Ron on the head because they are noisy, not sure. It may be slapstick, but with Snape's serious face, it is funny. I really like Snape. And yeah, Snape didn't appear as a bully or a mean character here...
To sum it all up, it is the best Harry Potter movie so far.
