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5 Plot Point Breakdown: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)

By Pam Glazier · November 1, 2011

Screenplay Genre: Adventure / Family / Fantasy

Movie Time: 157 minutes

1. INCITING INCIDENT

It is announced that Hogwarts will host the Triwizard Tournament. Three schools will participate and there will be one champion selected from each. Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) explains that each champion will face extremely dangerous tasks, and they must do it alone. (00:16:14)

2. LOCK IN (End of Act One)

When the three champions are selected, the goblet of fire also coughs out Harry’s (Daniel Radcliffe) name as a fourth champion even though he didn’t put his name into the competition due to an age restriction rule. Everyone thinks he cheated, but he is locked into the competition because once the Goblet of Fire spits out a name, it’s a binding magical contract. (00:32:00)

3. FIRST CULMINATION (Midpoint)

With the help of the new dark arts professor, Mad-Eye-Moody (Brendan Gleeson), Harry manages to successfully complete the first task–stay alive while trying to snatch a golden egg from a Hungarian Horntail dragon. Before the task, Moody had helped Harry come up with a strategy to deal with the dragon. It becomes clear to everyone how dangerous this all is and that Harry would have to be insane to have actually put his name into the cup. (00:59:50)

4. MAIN CULMINATION (End of Act Two)

After the second Triwizard task, Harry is rewarded for his valor in trying to save all of the champions’ loved ones from the bottom of the lake as opposed to saving merely his own. Not only has he succeeded, but he’s also been given second place for moral fiber despite finishing last. (01:35:00)

5. THIRD ACT TWIST

The final Triwizard task is to find the winner’s cup at the center of a dangerous maze. Harry is successful but decides to be gracious and share the glory with the last remaining champion, Cedric Diggory (Robert Pattinson). This backfires however when it turns out that Mad-Eye-Moody bewitched the winner’s cup so that it whisks Harry and Cedric right into Voldermort’s (Ralph Fiennes) clutches. Cedric is killed and Harry barely escapes with his life. (01:54:08)


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