It's a mark of the fact that my children are growing up fast, while I resolutely refuse to mature, that I was more excited than them at the prospect of another Potter picture.

Paring down an extremely long, possibly unwieldy book to a manageable duration that is paced to near-perfection, this is the strongest film in the series so far.

Ralph Fiennes has never looked more handsome than he does when bringing to life the full-on villainy of Lord Voldemort.

Unlike the first two movies, this fourth opus has a lot of adrenaline, which come spiced with a dose of piss elegance. It’s never too reverent to the material and it never counts down to a climax—it just happens and nobody has to wait.

The Triwizard tournament is thrilling and the great visual effects don’t overwhelm the heart of the story. Despite the comedy, there are wonderfully poignant scenes as Potter copes with having to grow up. The numerous hurdles, however, tend to dilute the threat of Voldemort though he does manage to bring back Harry’s grief and torment.

Newell also gets a fine performance out of Daniel Radcliffe, who makes the role of a lifetime all his own. Radcliffe acquits himself well in two heartbreaking scenes and for the first time, he’s on an equal level with the distinguished adult cast.