Trimming the Pot(ter)

The Harry Potter phenomenon has continued to defy burnout – remaining relevant in a fickle world with an ever-shrinking attention span. The formula is no secret – a stable and loyal readership base, coupled with a robust multi-media presence. And of course, the Hollywood big-screen adaptations don’t hurt one bit.

Whatever you say about the Harry Potter movies, they all have this incredible knack for raking in the megabucks at the box office. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, for instance, is 16th on the all-time earnings list with $317 million in cumulative gross sales (Chamber of Secrets is 28th with about $262 million, Prisoner of Azkaban is 35th with $249 million). There’s no arguing with the numbers. Even bereft of the numbers, the recently released Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is undoubtedly set to follow in the footsteps of its brethren.

There are two things to keep in mind with the ongoing movie interpretation of the four-part book series. First, Daniel Radcliffe (Harry), Emma Watson (Hermione), Rupert Grint (Ron), and the rest of the young cast have hit puberty and are making like beanstalks. Production schedules of the remaining three movies thus need to be managed. No mean feat, you say? Well, consider that the JK Rowling books have been growing longer and longer with each installment. Word even had it that to get around the tome’s mammoth length, producers are reportedly considering to do two or more of the books into two movies each. In fact, Goblet of Fire was supposed to be one of these books for splicing a la Lord of the Rings.

Obviously (and thankfully), they decided against it.

So, the fourth installment in our favorite teen wizard’s adventure series had to be sleek and quick. And though already clocking in at exactly two and a half hours, constant readers (with apologies to Stephen King) will find the Goblet of Fire short in buildup and detail, compared to the pulp version. In fact, one may argue that the action continues to be spurred along. There is no mention of the infamous Dursleys, and the scene at the Weasleys is terribly abbreviated.

But what the movie lacks in detail it makes up for in ever-improving CGI work. Check out the underwater scenes in the Triwizard Tournament, as well as the exhilarating chase scene between Harry and the dragon.

And far from being just a movie engrossed in magic, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire explores the emotional growth and tribulations of our three protagonists. After all, underneath their robes and after their Defense of the Dark Arts class, Harry, Hermione, and Ron are, inevitably, teenagers going through a confusing period in their (nay, anyone’s) lives.

While in some aspects it is still business as usual (we still find Ron and Harry in their familiar best-bud relationship – complete with the occasional spats, while the Weasley twins (James and Oliver Phelps) are still full of mischief, hormonal changes and whatnot have begun to wreak havoc around the campus. The male students of Hogwarts are captivated by the Beauxbatons girls. Neville Longbottom (Matt Lewis) is starting to find his confidence. However, this is the landmark book where we finally awake to the fact that Hermione is clearly not just one of the boys. She is slighted by Ron’s incredulity that she could find a date to the Triwizard ball. But even Ron’s own concern and regard for her is becoming nebulous. Is he merely jealous of Hermione’s ability to get his quidditch hero Viktor Krum as a date? Or does young Mr. Weasley have feelings for Miss Granger?

There also seems to be more to the tight hug given by Hermione to Harry at the start of the Triwizard Tournament. What the heck is going on here? That’s puberty, folks – more nefarious and beautiful than any dark magic.

With this as backdrop, we are yet again launched into familiar Star Wars-like territory. Two major events are on the plate – the Quidditch World Cup and, of course, the Triwizard Tournament – where we get to see the source of this episode’s name: the Goblet of Fire.

So many things are already happening, yet there is time to squeeze in the introduction of the ultimate villain of the franchise: He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named now has a body and face. Lord Voldemort (sshh) is finally given flesh and lines via the very worthy Ralph Fiennes. We might remember vividly the sterling work he did on Schindler’s List as the blood-thirsty German officer Amon Goeth. And indeed, after a careful and deliberate buildup of Lord Voldemort’s malevolence, we are not disappointed.

Rightfully so, new films (at least here in Manila) have shied away from the opening of Harry Potter’s latest movie. That means a massacre was averted. And you don’t need magic to figure that one out.