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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
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MPAA Rating: PG-13
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Entertainment: +4
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Content: -2 1/2
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In the fourth installment of this popular fantasy series, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) returns to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for another exciting year with his friends Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson). When they arrive, the trio learns that Hogwarts is hosting the ancient Triwizard Tournament, a prestigious competition in wizardry between the three best students of magic in all of Europe. Technically too young to compete, Potter expects to merely watch the competition unfold. But mysteriously, or perhaps maliciously, his name is submitted into and selected by the magical Goblet of Fire as an unexpected fourth competitor. While trying to uncover the reason for his selection and the meaning of his unsettling dreams about the return of the dark Lord Voldemort, Harry must also compete in the exciting challenges of the tournament challenges that will stretch his abilities and perhaps also endanger his life.
As with the three previous Potter films, Goblet of Fire is a creative and stunning film with outstanding elements of fantasy. Additionally, the film includes positive messages about making good choices, reconciling with friends and being loyal. Unfortunately all of its good elements are wrapped around a framework of witchcraft and divination that is far from Christian. The Potter films have succeeded in portraying magic and supernatural powers as positive and desirable things. Moreover this film advances an unbiblical distinction between good magic and dark, or evil, magic. Especially disturbing are scenes involving dark magical curses and incantations that include self-mutilation and torture. With Goblet of Fire, the Potter franchise has grown even darker. It has also added more mature content, earning itself a PG-13 rating in contrast with the PG of the earlier films. In Previews estimation, Goblet of Fire is an unnecessary, unbiblical influence in viewers lives.
Preview Reviewer: Shaun Daugherty
Distributor: Warner Bros.
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Summary
The following categories contain objective listings of film content which contribute to the subjective numeric Content ratings posted to the left and on the Home page.
Crude Language: Several (8) times mild (hell 6, damn 1); moderate (other 1)
Obscene Language: Once moderate (p-ss 1)
Profanity: Once moderate (OMG 1)
Violence: Several times moderate (man attacks a group of people and burns their tents, boy sees someone attacked in his dreams, boy battles mythical creature and ends up bruised and bloodied, boy falls from flying broomstick and barely recovers, boy nearly drowns while fighting sea creatures, boy is caught by enchanted tree branches, other instances of peril and magical battles); strong (dark magician kills a boy with magic, man cuts off his own hand in a dark magic ritual, man cuts boys arm to use blood in a dark magic ritual)
Sex: None
Nudity: Few times mild (boy shown in a large bath with no shirt)
Sexual Dialogue/Gesture: Few times mild (female ghost expresses an interest in a boy and sees him in the bathtub, teenagers shown dancing and flirting with one another)
Drugs: Few times mild (character frequently shown drinking from a bottle that is thought to be alcohol)
Other: Use of magic and portrayal of magic and witchcraft in a positive light; portrayal of dark magic rituals; creation and use of magical potions; depiction of mythical creatures including ghosts, dragons and mermaids; dark and frightening images and themes; positive message about the difficulty of choosing between what is right and what is easiest
Running Time: 150 minutes
Intended Audience: Youths and adults
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