In "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," young Harry finally comes up against something that frightens him speechless.

Is it the fierce dragon he's forced to fight in the Triwizard Tournament? Could it be the frightening underwater denizens who try to drown him? Is it the truly horrific appearance of the ultra-evil Voldemort? No, friends, it's the task of asking a girl to accompany him to Hogwarts' annual Christmas ball. Some things are just too scary!

In this, the fourth film in the "Harry Potter" series, the heroes have moved beyond the playful innocence of childhood.

Bespectacled little Harry has turned into the teenage Hogwarts hunk, played again by Daniel Radcliffe, though still with the character's essential goodness and bravery (except around girls). His friend Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) is maturing into a lovely young lady (and positively glistens at the Yule ball). And the redheaded Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) is as lovably nerdy as ever, but now with a much deeper voice.

But, don't assume "The Goblet of Fire" is all about teen angst. No, as adapted by Steven Kloves from the fourth book by literary wizard J.K. Rowling, this is the darkest and most adventurous "Potter" film to date. Its 156 minutes fly by.

For the first time this quintessential British series has been directed by an Englishman — Mike Newell (of "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and "Enchanted April").

Unlike the previous tales, which begin in the world of the Muggles (humans with no magical qualities), "The Goblet of Fire" hits the ground running, with Harry already among his wizard friends. We miss the laughs usually achieved at the expense of Harry's idiotic Muggle relatives, but jumping straight to the magical world gives this latest film unprecedented energy from the get-go.

The centerpiece of volume four is the Triwizard Tournament. Teams of wizards-in-training from two other schools visit Hogwarts to compete. Normally, only upperclassmen are allowed to compete. But a magical goblet of fire determines the players — and Harry's name is shockingly thrown into the mix. Thus, Harry must battle older and supposedly more skilled wizards in three impressive set pieces. They each are assigned a dragon to defeat, then must go underwater to face a different challenge, and finally must enter an impossibly dense and foreboding hedgerow maze to combat their inner demons.

For Harry, of course, it's Lord Voldemort, played with hissing menace by the brilliant Ralph Fiennes.

Under Newell's skillful direction, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" bubbles over with the perfect blend of engrossing characters, skillful performances and superbly used special effects. This may be the best "Potter" yet — or at least its equal.

Rated PG-13, with fantasy violence and moments of fright.